Center for Catholic Stewardship receives $500,000 gift from O’Meara Ferguson

Criterion staff report

O’Meara, Ferguson, Whelan and Conway, a consulting firm that assists dioceses and religious communities regarding strategic planning, finance, capital project financing, development counsel and stewardship education, recently pledged $500,000 to support the Center for Catholic Stewardship at Marian University in Indianapolis.

In recognition of this gift, the university will rename the center the O’Meara Ferguson Center for Catholic Stewardship at Marian University.

The center is led by Father Daniel Mahan, a priest of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis who is an international speaker and educator on stewardship topics.

“I admire the work of O’Meara Ferguson, and the way in which their staff gives expression to Catholic stewardship in their work and in their lives,” Father Mahan said. “This is a perfect opportunity for the center to make a deeper contribution to the life and mission of the Church.”

Marian president Daniel Elsener said the gift supports a core principle of the school.

“Responsible stewardship is one of the four foundational values given to Marian University by the Sisters of St. Francis [in] Oldenburg,” Elsener said, “and we are very pleased to have a national partner in O’Meara Ferguson to help advance the practice of stewardship in parishes across the country.”

Since 2006, the Center for Catholic Stewardship has taught and promoted stewardship as a way of life in more than 50 dioceses in the United States, Canada and the Philippines, and is currently preparing an outreach to Catholics in mainland China.

Under the direction of Father Mahan, the center presents diocesan and regional stewardship days, clergy retreats and days of reflection, parish missions and seminary study days.

“We have frequently been asked to support the work of stewardship in the local dioceses and religious orders across the country where our clients are located,” said Frank Ferguson, O’Meara Ferguson’s managing director of client operations. “After much prayer and discernment, we decided to focus our support on Marian University’s Center for [Catholic] Stewardship, through which the entire Church in America can be served.” †