In the Gospel, Jesus fed 5,000 with only five loaves and two fish. After the crowd was satisfied, there were 12 wicker baskets left over. God provides the abundance. In each episode of this podcast, we will explore, with pastoral leaders and development professionals, all the many ways God meets the spiritual and temporal needs of our parish communities, our Catholic schools and the diocesan church. And not only meets those needs but provides in abundance.
Subscribe: Apple Podcast | Spotify | Google | Stitcher | iHeartRadio | Amazon Music
THE LATEST EPISODE
EPISODE 44: Supporting Catholic Higher Education
Fr. James Burns, President, St. Mary’s University of Minnesota
Fr. James Burns, President of St. Mary’s University of Minnesota, discusses the mission of Catholic higher education, emphasizing the integration of psychology and theology in priestly formation and the importance of donor relationships in sustaining Catholic educational institutions. He highlights the centrality of faith, human formation, and virtue development to the university’s mission, and how storytelling and authentic engagement inspire philanthropic support. Fr. Burns advocates for a faithful engagement with Church teachings while encouraging sincere inquiry and dialogue grounded in the truth of Christ as the way, the truth and the life.
Addressing contemporary challenges with students and society, Fr. Burns underscores the inseparability of fundraising from the mission of Catholic education, stating, “The ultimate purpose of fundraising is to support student flourishing, virtue formation, and the mission of the Church.” He emphasizes the importance of authentic, ongoing relationships with donors, deep listening, trust-building and understanding individual motivations, which foster a cycle of human flourishing for both giver and recipient.
Guest: Fr. James Burns
Title: President, St. Mary’s University of Minnesota
Follow us on social media: Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram
To contact the podcast, email twb@steiergroup.com.
ABOUT THE HOST, CHRISTOPHER BEAUDET
President of Diocesan Engagement for the Steier Group
Twelve Wicker Baskets host Christopher Beaudet hails from Massena, New York. He obtained a B.A. in History and Philosophy at the University of Notre Dame; a Master of Divinity and an M.A. in Dogmatic Theology from the University of Saint Thomas (Saint Paul, MN); a License (J.C.L.) and Doctorate in Canon Law (J.C.D.) from the Catholic University of America; and an M.A. in History from Boston College. Previously, Christopher served as Vice Rector for Administration at the Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity of the University of Saint Thomas in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Chiefly responsible for engaging the hierarchy and diocesan leaders across the United States and Canada to address fundraising needs, Christopher gains familiarity with the unique pastoral context of each diocesan Church, assists in identifying and defining their funding needs, and then orchestrates the Steier Group’s design and implementation of planning studies and capital campaigns to address them.
