Category Archives: Fr. Dave Zimmer

A few years ago, I was one of approximately 400 pilgrims who filled a meeting room, eager to hear one of the parish priests of St. James Church in the town of Medjugorje speak. When the priest spoke, he talked about the daily life in his parish—one that has become a host to millions of pilgrims each year, all who come to find or strengthen their faith and restore their devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Despite the influx of travelers from all over the world, St. James is still a parish church; they have CCD, adult education, and celebration of the sacraments just like any other parish anywhere in the world. The priest described programs and activities that could have been any person’s parish who was sitting in that room.

St. James Church has developed a good religious education for the youth and they have the beginnings of a Catholic School. The humble priest made a comment that one day the children will have a gymnasium. The pastor didn’t dwell on the need for a facility such as this; he simply said that someday the children would have one. Up to this point, the priest had described the dedication and commitment of the people to the parish, especially in the celebration of sacraments. I personally witnessed that and still find it difficult to put into words what I saw and felt. But at this meeting with 400 pilgrims, the word “gymnasium” seemed to provoke a reaction. (more…)

The stewardship pillar of hospitality is the first pillar we embrace when attempting to understand parish stewardship.  I suppose the reason for this is because we all know when we feel welcome somewhere and we also all know when we don’t.  Hospitality is a gift when it is given and it is a gift when it is received.  It is also an experience we learn to pass on when the opportunity arises.

That opportunity came to my brother and me during the week that followed Christmas.  The experience of hosting an open house validated my belief that the hospitality my mom exhibited in our home as we grew up would blossom into a gift we could pass on to others, much in the same way my mom used to do often and so well in our home.  In retrospect, the gift of hospitality that is shared, given, and received makes an impact in our personal lives, our homes, schools, workplaces, and our parish. (more…)

Most people associate “stewardship” with giving.  Some think it is desperate “plea” for giving some of your time, talent and treasure to a worthy cause.  It may be a noble gesture of generosity which identifies a “faithful steward” so common at this time of year.  For some, there comes an understanding of the stewardship way of life, which brings joy and blessings from giving back a portion of the gifts received from God. At Christmas, when gift giving and receiving is most common, should it not also be a time when the stewardship way of life becomes the gift that is unwrapped by our consciousness and treasured by our faith?  After all, the first gift of Christmas was the gift of God’s own son.

For those who may be still struggling with understanding the stewardship way of life, that may be a stretch for them to accept even at this time of year.  But by living the stewardship way of life, this makes perfect sense to me and in this season of faith, the gift of stewardship remains to be one of the blessings of my life as a Catholic, a Priest and a Pastor. (more…)

Tis approaching the season of goodwill and joy, as many songs, greeting cards and well wishes express to any and all who receive them. A season of joy – well, isn’t that just what we all need? Isn’t that a great way to live the “stewardship way of life”?

I have known many seasons like this, where “joy” is a challenge, more than a reality. I have a feeling this year is no exception. Like most people it would be easy to compile a list that provoke or even prevent attitudes that eliminate a season filled with joy. In fact, I could come up with quite a personal list just for myself. But then, wouldn’t my commitment to being a good steward be neglected if I do that or let myself get swept away in a wave of doubt, fear, and despair? Looking at our world situation and problems “at home” it is too easy to say, “Joy? Better luck next year!” When the cares of this world and the concerns of our own personal lives interrupt the real joy that this season is about, we need to “regroup” and refocus on what is most important. Such is the goal and the mission of stewardship. (more…)

Even though the academic year is well underway, both for schools and for most parish religious education programs, the subject of Formation has still been on my mind. I think some of us have an inadequate idea of what it means, so I want to share some thoughts with you to correct three common errors.

Error #1. Formation and education are the same thing. I think I can make myself clear if I say that education is one aspect of formation – a very important aspect indeed – but not all of it. In this context, when I refer to education I mean the conveying of knowledge about the Faith of the Church and what she teaches about Christian morals. Instruction on the Bible, the creeds, the sacraments, the Ten Commandments, and all the rest falls under the heading of education or instruction.

And this instruction is an essential part of formation. No one can apply the Church’s teachings if you haven’t been taught what that teaching is. But formation goes deeper. Formation includes both learning how to apply that knowledge and conversion, the decision to live according to that knowledge. Knowledge alone is not formation. (more…)

“I have worked in a lot of disaster areas, but I have never seen a community so resilient.”

This was the comment made to me recently by one of the visiting contractors assisting families in the cleanup from the flood of 2011 in Minot, N.D.

With a sense of respect and admiration, he noted the firm resolve on the part of families whose homes needed to be “gutted” and cleaned. Neighbors helping neighbors, strangers helping strangers by the hundreds are the things he will always remember about the evacuations and months that followed the flooding in Minot. By the look on the face of the stranger when he made the comment to me, I could tell he didn’t say that to everyone. But he wasn’t the first person to make this kind of comment to me. Therefore, I think it is important for us to start with a stranger’s comment when looking ahead to the significance of our upcoming annual stewardship renewal at my parish, St John the Apostle.

Resilience is necessary for “recovery.” The “recovery” continues for many of our parish family. The flood of 2011 made history, while in other parts of the country and the world, other events are making history as well. Recovery efforts around our nation — in places such as Joplin Mo., where a F5 tornado destroyed 8,000 homes and tragically ended 177 lives and even more recently, Hurricane Irene — left many wondering, as we have, “what is next?”  Economic woes and violence around the world, personal loss and despair are reported as easily as the weather report or baseball scores. There is a lot going on everywhere. Here at home in Minot, our lives are consumed with the various steps and ongoing challenges of what is called “recovery.”  The resilience of our community has been noticed. But one does wonder, will the recovery of our community become our renewal? (more…)

As September approaches, it is a month that always turns our attention to the beginning of school starting for our kids. It is also a reminder that learning about life and our Faith is not just for “the kids,” but for all of us. There really isn’t any specific level of learning that one graduates from when talking about matters of Faith and learning the stewardship way of life. We constantly need to grow and become informed about our Faith. At my parish, St. John the Apostle in Minot, ND, we have a “Stewardship Day” each year in September, during which we invite parishioners to come and listen to presentations on how to more effectively live the stewardship way of life. And so, whether it is completely new to you, or just a refresher course, learning about stewardship is a life-long process. (more…)

An author and professor of Sacred Scripture named Fr. Ronald Witherup once wrote about conversion of the apostle Paul, “Paul’s conversion is as dramatic a turning point as any in history. Whatever happened on the road to Damascus, the experience was powerful enough to turn the infant Church’s most passionate opponent into its champion… Paul’s tireless preaching and writing, extensive travels and personal sacrifice offer a lasting testament and guide to the Church. His life is a witness that conversion is not a one-time event, but a lifetime of commitment.”

And so it is with the “stewardship way of life.” “Stewardship is not a one-time event, but a lifetime of commitment.” It isn’t simply a designated period of time each year that comes and goes in the guise of being a parish program with activities and certain days to do this or that. And for most of us, it all begins with a conversion of sorts to the stewardship way of life. I often tell people that “I was raised a Catholic, but I am a convert. I am a convert to the stewardship way of life, and that leads to authentic discipleship.” We are all “works” in progress, constantly discovering and learning to be Disciples of Christ. There are conversions waiting to happen in all of us.  As we get to know the Apostle Paul better this year, don’t be surprised that we notice in him a good steward of God’s gifts.  And it happened because of his conversion. (more…)

An excerpt in a book on the early Church reveals the testimony of a prominent Roman citizen named Emeritus who was arrested with a priest named Saturnius and a group of Christians who came to his home. They were placed on trial for “getting caught” celebrating the Eucharist. The proconsul at the time interrogated Emeritus by accusing him that he knew full well the imperial prohibition of the people to participate in the “new way,” as it was called then. Celebrating the Eucharist was strictly forbidden!

“Why did you let them into your home knowing it was against the law?” the proconsul demanded.

To which Emeritus replied, “I had to.”

“But, why?” shouted the proconsul.

Emeritus then responded with the words that most likely sent him to his death: “I had to, because I can’t live without the Eucharist!”

Our commitment to live the stewardship way of life is to be committed to what is most fundamental to our Catholic life of the Church, and that is the Eucharist. How willing would we be to respond like Emeritus: “We just can’t live without the Eucharist”? (more…)

Impatience could possibly be the greatest enemy of the stewardship way of life. Impatience causes people to give up too soon. Impatience creates doubt, fear and insecurity. Impatience provokes impulsive decisions that most likely won’t be best for a person, and the decisions that are made often result in regrets that can last a long time. Impatience can challenge a person’s prayer life so much so that it can impact our trust in God, His mercy and even His love. Impatience makes one suspicious of the stewardship way of life, blinding one to seeing God’s grace working in His people. I am sure that much more could be said about the pitfalls or challenges of impatience. From personal experience, I am absolutely convinced of the destructive nature of impatience, and the negative impact it has on authentic discipleship. Therefore, I am confident in proposing that impatience is a problem for the stewardship way of life. (more…)

It starts with the phone call no one wants to get, but no one is exempt from receiving: your loved one is dying or has already died. Even if one thinks he or she is prepared for the physical death of a loved one, especially when the person is in poor health, one is never prepared for the emotions that follow. Consolation becomes a craving that grows with each passing moment. But consolation arrives, a bit at a time, from those who care about you and your loved one.

On the morning of April 2, I received “the phone call” from my brother, Dan, in St. Paul, Minn., informing me that our mom was being rushed to the hospital and it “didn’t look good.” Three-and-a-half hours later, she passed away. My long-standing fear of not being able to be there for her or my brother when she died had become reality. I finally arrived at 6 p.m. that evening to begin what so many other families had experienced under similar circumstances. And like so many other families, my brother and I searched for consolation in whatever form we could find.

Consolation arrived in many unique ways: through phone calls, messages, guest book entries, hugs and tears, smiles, and even some laughter from friends and family. Consolation arrived for my brother and myself through the time given to us by others; their ability to console, befriend, support, and provide for us and for what was about to take place.

In retrospect, consolation becomes an act of stewardship when people allow God to work through them as they find ways to reach out to others. (more…)

Holy Week 2011 will include a personal Lenten experience that caused me to “stretch” not only my understanding of stewardship as a disciple of Jesus Christ, but challenged me to practice it in a way that will stay with me for a very long time, if not for the rest of my life.

Here in the Diocese of Bismarck, N.D., we have supported and participated in the Catholics Come Home program to invite Catholics who have left the Faith to return. A series of well-produced and inspiring television ads were aired on prime-time television and through parish promotions. I thank God every day that — for some — this program has been helpful. But when the program was introduced, I also wondered how “anti-Catholic forces” would use this program to attack our Church. (more…)

As we are about to begin another Lenten Season, I consistently recall other Lenten seasons and how I began them with such enthusiasm on Ash Wednesday to have a “good, fruitful and holy Lent,” only to discover that 20 days into the 40 days of Lent, I am just “coasting” to get through the rest of the season. I KNOW THAT I AM NOT ALONE IN THIS!

What happens to us at the mid-point of this great season of renewal in which we discern our relationship with Christ as His disciples, then often lose our “momentum” somewhere along the way, anticipating Easter with less and less drive and passion? By the time Passion Week arrives, where are we spiritually? Even as a pastor, I find myself falling or even failing in making my Lenten experience as enriching as I had hoped. So, I guess that’s my public confession.

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In 1872, Christina Rossetti wrote a now-famous poem, In the Bleak Midwinter, that begins with an accurate account of our weather conditions here in North Dakota, especially in January.

More importantly, the poem concludes with a thought provoking verse that describes the “stewardship condition of our heart.” Thirty-four years later, Christina’s poem became a popular song by the same title. Christina’s poem begins with these words:

“In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan, Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone; Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow, In the bleak midwinter, long ago.”

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Located on a hillside in Assisi, Italy, stands the magnificent Basilica of St. Francis, which are actually two basilicas: an upper and a lower one. Both are filled with amazing art and frescos. During my recent visit to Italy, I was blessed to spend 12 days in Assisi. I spent a lot of time in the basilica. One day while in the lower basilica, I discovered a fresco that depicted the Madonna and the Child Jesus with St. Francis pictured on the left side of Mary and another figure on the right that I learned was St. John the Apostle.

Since I am pastor of St. John the Apostle Parish in Minot, N.D., I immediately wondered what connection could be made between St. Francis and St. John, besides their affection and devotion to Christ and His mother, Mary. There had to be a reason for the artist to put these figures together. They wouldn’t have known each other personally since their lives were separated by over a thousand years. However, spiritually, they most certainly knew each other because of their decision to be disciples of the Lord.

From Mary’s “yes,” to John’s love and message of the Scriptures, to Francis’ love of the poor, the Church and desire to serve God, there was a woven relationship between these beautiful characters of our tradition. They inspire us, if we are willing to look to them as examples of living the stewardship way of life.

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