Stewardship
"Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give." - Matthew 10:8b
Every October Our Lady, Help of Christians Parish is asked to participate in the annual Catholic Stewardship Renewal (CSR). As parishioners, we are asked to reflect on the many gifts we have received from God, and then prayerfully discern how those gifts can be shared with others through prayer (attendance at weekend and Holy Day Mass) participation (using our time and talent to build up the parish) and sacrificial giving (pledging a proportional and sacrificial gift of treasure to support the ministry of the parish.
It is our yearly opportunity to purposefully and prayerfully review, redirect, reaffirm and recommit.
- Reviewing & Redirecting: How am I doing at striving to live as an active steward in my parish? How is my Mass attendance? How do I participate in the communal life of the parish? How well does my level of giving support the ministries of the parish?
- Reaffirming & Recommitting: Allows us to concretely proclaim “Yes! I am a part of this parish, and I am supportive of its mission and ministries!”
It is a way of concretely renewing our commitment to our parish and showing that – through that commitment – we belong to our parish family and are supportive of its vision, mission, and ministries.
Catholic Stewardship Renewal (CSR) Resources:
To view the opportunities available to participate in the life and ministries of Our Lady, Help of Christians, please see our Parish Ministry Guide.
To select and notify the parish of ways you would like to participate in the life of the parish, please fill out Our Lady, Help of Christians Time & Talent Commitment.
Once you have prayerfully considered what you can sacrificially give to support the ministries, including our school, and charitable offerings of the parish, please fill out Our Lady, Help of Christians Sacrificial Offering Commitment.
What Identifies a Steward?
Safeguarding material and human resources and using them responsibly are one answer; so is generous giving of time, talent, and treasure. But being a Christian steward means more. As Christian stewards, we receive God's gifts gratefully, cultivate them responsibly, share them lovingly in justice with others, and return them with increase to the Lord.
We plant seeds, knowing they hold hope for the future. We lay foundations, knowing much building must follow. There is a sense of liberation, however, in realizing this. We can do something, and we can do it very well. We can take the first step in making a difference, knowing that we may never see the end of the road, the results of our actions, the recipients of our giving. We receive and offer the gift of hope. The harvest will come.
Many of our days are spent "growing dirt," preparing the soil for future plantings. That is an act of hope. We know we are only workers, not the Master Gardner. Accepting the gifts of silence, light, the guiding Spirit and hope, we are co-creators of the future, which is in God's hands.
Pillars of Stewardship
The four pillars of stewardship are Hospitality, Prayer, Formation and Service. These pillars invite parishioners to experience, witness and live the stewardship way of life in response to their baptismal call to discipleship. Each baptized person is called to give of time, talent and treasure to strengthen these four pillars that support the parish community – your parish community.
The fact we are Catholic is not only manifested in the beauty of our churches; it is in our daily living as generous stewards.
I invite you to consider the ways in which you make room for God in your life through your personal, ongoing faith formation; by your active charitable works; and by personal prayer and active participation in Mass.
Be not afraid to give yourself to Christ by being a generous steward. You will not regret it.