Auspice Maria: Scarcity Mindset vs. Abundance Mindset

Recently, I was reading a whitepaper (a summary report with recommendations of findings based on research and data) from the Catholic Leadership Institute about ministry and outreach to Millennials (born 1981-1996) and Generation Z (born 1997-onward). In the whitepaper under the heading, “Key Themes of Millennials and Generation Z in Church,” number IV, the report states, “Many parishes operate with a scarcity mindset, focusing on limited resources, declining attendance, and financial struggles. This perspective often leads to a defensive and inward-looking approach, where the primary concern is survival rather than mission.” (p. 8) Sound familiar? Unfortunately, yes. How do we grow from a "scarcity mindset" to an "abundance mindset?" What’s the difference, anyway, between the two?

The common characteristics of a scarcity mindset that lead a person, group, parish, or community to emphasize “survival rather than mission” are a fear of loss, a focus on the immediate over the long-term, a greater emphasis on comparison and competition over collaboration, a resulting stress over fear of exhausting resources, and a real frugality with resources. Considering the nature of the scarcity mindset, it is easy to imagine one with this mindset turning inward, as the whitepaper states. Fear is the strongest and most disruptive of these scarcity mindset qualities. Fear limits people in multiple ways, one of which is that it prevents them from experiencing the abundant life Jesus offers. 

Flipping the qualities of a scarcity mindset, one can strongly glimpse the attractive abundance mindset available to us. This mindset is rooted in love, not fear. The abundance mindset keeps one focused on the overall mission/aim/goal and not the moment, thus seeing others not as competition but as collaborators to help reach the goal. The abundance mindset emphasizes prudence over panic, honestly assessing what is available now to realize the mission. While one assesses, one also seeks what is needed to further the mission. As a person makes progress and adjustments, it is all in service to the mission. Mission motivates actions and the use of resources. As people progress toward the goal, others will join the effort and add to the available resources. A strong mission attracts people and resources! Mission moves hearts to be generous. If the mission is to proclaim the Gospel, help people meet Jesus Christ, and build the Reign of God, and if one’s focus is firmly fixed on this mission, resources will follow. There is no need to be frugal, just prudent and focused. 

I have a story about abundance that I would like to share. Some 12 years ago, when we were in the early stages of establishing our parish high school, finances were tight. Still, motivated by the mission of creating a high school that would open its doors to students who financially could not attend the other Catholic high schools in the diocese, we plowed ahead. Those early years were challenging in many ways, and philanthropy was not abundant. It was a Saturday in December, around the 9th, and the mail arrived at the parish office. I clearly remember curiously taking in my hands a number 10 envelope addressed to the school without a return address in the corner. The handwritten school's name and address were unique. As I opened the envelope, I found inside a bank check for $50,000 payable to the school. There was nothing else in the envelope with the check. The donor clearly wanted to remain anonymous. $50,000! I was so grateful because I knew the generous donation would enormously help the mission.

If you think that is an edifying story, flash forward with me to one year later, roughly around the same time, the second week of December. The same scenario played itself out.  I received an almost identical envelope with another check, payable to our young school for $50,000! It was another anonymous donation. $100,000 anonymously donated in 12 months! I will never forget the abundant generosity of this still anonymous donor. Until I left my former parish assignment, I would assiduously check the mail every early December for a distinct, white, number 10 envelope without a return address, hopeful of another anonymous donation. 

Astutely, you may be thinking, how are two anonymous donations examples of an abundant mindset? Great question. For me, here’s the connection. Our mission at our school was to provide a quality Catholic secondary education to students who could not afford to pay tuition at an existing Catholic high school in the diocese. We embarked on this mission with virtually no money in hand. We had a school building, three grades to start, and permission to go forward. We undertook this initiative with full vigor, giving our all to the mission. That is where there was abundance. There was abundant effort in the planning and execution of this bold experiment. God provided in varied ways; money was just one of those ways. 

So, the abundant mindset is very important and distinct from the scarcity mindset when embracing and pursuing something true, good, and beautiful. We should not be frugal with our efforts, using the resources and resourcefulness at our disposal. We should not be afraid to search for the help of others to share in our ministry and mission. Let’s apply this to ourselves for a moment. If we pursue the personal mission of holiness, becoming the men and women that God has made us to be, becoming saints, and if we pursue this with all our being, God will help and send people to help us. The effort of striving for holiness is not something to give scarcely but abundantly. There’s nothing to fear or hold back from God our Father. He wants us to succeed. He’s very generous to his children. As St. John Paul II urges, become who you are. Abundance and abundant life await.

-Bishop James Ruggieri