David Milroy is named executive director of stewardship and development for archdiocese

By John Shaughnessy

As the new executive director of stewardship and development for the archdiocese, David Milroy knows the questions that face the Church during the current challenging economic times.

He also believes the answers to those questions and challenges will continue to be found in the generous spirit of Catholics who don’t measure their lives by their financial status.

“Despite the current tough economic environment, a lot of people are wrestling with what it means to be a follower of Christ in the most prosperous society in history,” said Milroy, a member of St. Bartholomew Parish in Columbus. “I’m convinced that being good stewards of all that we’ve been entrusted with is at the heart of the answer to that question.”

Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein appointed Milroy to the new position on June 9, naming him as the successor to Joseph Therber, who last year became president of Father Thomas Scecina Memorial High School in Indianapolis.

“David is a very gifted leader with great organizational skills and a deep commitment to the Church,” the archbishop said in announcing the appointment.

The archbishop also cited Milroy’s extensive contributions as a volunteer to the archdiocese’s stewardship and development efforts in the past 10 years.

“He is president of the Catholic Community Foundation, a past president and current member of the archdiocesan finance council, and a past co-chair of the Legacy for Our Mission campaign,” the archbishop noted. “In addition, David and his wife, Tessa, are past co-chairs of the United Catholic Appeal.”

Those experiences have left two major impressions on Milroy, impressions that led him to make a deeper commitment to serving the archdiocese.

“As I went around the archdiocese meeting with people, two things jumped out for me,” Milroy said. “First, I have a deep appreciation for the pastoral leadership of our priests. They have so many demands on them. One of my goals is for us to be of increasing support to them at the local level, to make the job of stewardship easier for them.

“The second thing I noticed was really humbling. I was amazed at the generosity of time, talent and treasure of all the people I met. In the Legacy for Our Mission campaign, we had more than 14,000 volunteers, which is just an amazing number to me.”

Milroy views that kind of dedication as a reflection of people’s deep faith. That same emphasis marks his life.

“My faith is so important to me—my relationship to the Lord and the Church,” said the father of three. “My faith is always growing. Becoming a Catholic Christian is a full-time process of conversion. Every day you wake up, you try to think of what the Lord is calling you to do—how your faith is reflected in your life.”

On June 22, the 51-year-old Milroy will begin this latest chapter in his life after working the past three years as the president of Flatrock Capital Management in Columbus.

“I had been fortunate to have a rewarding career that I enjoyed,” he said. “Being a professional investor has been rewarding and fun. But I felt I was being called to give this a try.”

Milroy commended both Therber and interim executive director Kent Goffinet for making the Office of Stewardship and Development “enormously successful” during their times of leadership. He hopes to do the same.

“As you get into it, you understand what the needs of the local Church are,” he said. “When you sit on [the] finance council for a while and see the needs in the archdiocese, you can’t help but feel compelled to find resources to meet those needs. I’m just genuinely excited about this opportunity to be of more service to the Church.” †