Stewardship

Pope Francis on the Parish

I would like to stress one thing: the parish remains valid! The parish must remain. It is a structure that we must not discard; it is the home of God’s People. The problem is how the parish is organized!

There are parishes… who scare people off. Parishes with closed doors… But there also parishes with open doors, parishes where when someone comes to ask a question, they are told: “Come in, make yourself at home, what can we do for you?” And someone listens to them patiently, because caring for the people of God requires patience; it takes effort!

Managing a parish takes effort nowadays... The Lord has asked us to get a little tired, to work and not to rest… A parish is exhausting if it is well organized.

The renewal of the parish has to be a constant concern... It has to remain a place of creativity, a reference point, a mother, where inventiveness finds expression. When a parish does all this, it becomes a missionary disciple, a parish that goes forth.

He Could Have Done It on His Own

God could have done it alone. Take creation for example. He formed all of creation without the help of humans and that has been running pretty well without us for the past billions of years. So, through creation, God has proven that if he wants to do something on his own… he could do it on his own.

God could have saved humans on his own as well. Jesus could have come as a powerful ruler, a superhero, or an “ubermensch” and simply routed the foe and established his Church without the help of others. Of course, that would have made him a tyrant and us a little less than abject slaves. But he didn’t choose to do this.

Rather, the God who created all things on his own did not establish his Church on his own.  Jesus Christ did not come as a tyrant, a dictator, or a Greek god to establish a Church by force.  Jesus determined that the best way to establish a Church was to invite his disciples to share in the work of the Church.  When Jesus Christ came he chose twelve Apostles and sent them out to “make disciples of all nations, baptizing them…and teaching them. (Matt 28:19-20)” These disciples in turn were tasked to make other disciples and to become “one Body in Christ. (Rom 12:5)”

Jesus Christ shared his work of salvation with his disciples. He made the members of his Church “stewards of God’s gifts (1 Pet 4:10)” and stewards of “the mysteries of God. (1 Cor. 4:1)” In other words, Jesus has so established the Church that we cannot be disciples without being stewards. Stewardship is the active element of our discipleship.  As this year’s stewardship theme asks:

Who are you following?

Jesus constantly invites us to imitate him in the work of the Church.

This is your opportunity to discern how God has invited you to live out your discipleship through your generous stewardship. Discipleship is your pledge to follow Christ as your Savior.  Stewardship is your pledge to serve the Church even as Christ served (Mk 10:45).  Like the rich young man, God calls us to not only keep his commandments, but he also invites us to follow him in generous service.

Jesus could have established a Church on his own; but he didn’t.  He chose to invite his disciples to share the work of his Church as stewards.  How will you respond to Christ’s invitation to live out your stewardship?

Eight Fundamental Beliefs of Stewardship

We Believe…

1. Everything we have received is a gift from God (i.e., life, love, health, talents, family, vocation, etc.), therefore we are called to develop and share our gifts sacrificially, generously, and proportionally.

2. Stewardship is primarily about faith.  It is an invitation by God for the faithful in each parish to grow in a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ.

3. Stewardship is a spirituality that builds a way of life, expressed not in a single action or even in a number of actions but in an entire way of life. It is a committing of one’s total self to the Lord.

4. Stewardship is characterized by hospitality, prayer, formation, and service.

5. Our bishop, pastors, and parish leaders have a crucial responsibility to live stewardship and motivate the faithful to follow their lead in order for stewardship to be a spirituality that builds a way of life.

6. Stewardship should be integrated into all aspects of parish and diocesan mission and ministry.

7. The universal Church, including parish and diocesan missions, should be supported primarily by the generous, sacrificial, and proportionate sharing of time, talent, and treasure of parishioners to their parish.

8. We are called in scripture to return to God the first of our fruits, through our tithe.
    

Suggestions for a Steward's Personal Growth in Faith

• Prayerfully prepare in advance for Mass every Sunday and Holy Day of Obligation.

• Commit to an hour each week in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

• Spend 15 minutes a day in personal prayer.

• Refrain from gossip.

• Attend Mass on a weekday.

• Pray Grace at meal times (even in restaurants).

• Read one paragraph of the Catechism of the Catholic Church daily/weekly.

• Share a meal with family removed from distractions of TV, phones, etc.

• Read Rediscover Catholicism by Matthew Kelly.

• Go to confession at least once a month.

• Visit someone who lives alone or is homebound.

• Discuss the Catholic Faith with my children/parents.

• Read the Bible for 25 minutes a week.

• Pray for the monthly intentions of Pope Francis (found on our website).

• Invite a friend or neighbor to Mass.

• Pray together with my family.

• Join a formation or prayer group in the parish.

• Refrain from complaining.

• Pray the rosary at least once a week.

• Practice hospitality by greeting others at Mass.

• Unplug from all social media for a period each day.

• Answer this question:  What more can I do in order to reach the deeper, more personal level of discipleship called forth by the New Evangelization?

Cardinal Thomas Collins' Pastoral Letter on Stewardship
 

Stewardship Prayer