The Call To Stewardship
Every man, woman, and child is called to care for, and share, God’s gifts. Everything we have, and all that we are, comes to us from God as a precious and irreplaceable gift. The time we have been given here on earth, the skills and talents we have developed, and all of the material possessions come to us from God as generous gifts to be cherished, nurtured, and shared with others.
As disciples of Jesus Christ, we accept the call to follow him without counting the cost. In faith, we “let go” of any claim to absolute ownership or control—of our lives, our possessions, or our destinies. We place everything in God’s hands—confident in the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. We accept our vocation as disciples of Jesus Christ who are invited, and challenged, to make stewardship a way of life.

The call to stewardship is a profound, spiritual experience. But it is also very practical—affecting all aspects of our daily lives. Once we embrace stewardship as a way of life, we find that life is different:

Relationships, especially among family, friends, and co-workers, are influenced by a new spirit of generosity and sharing.

Time is no longer “wasted” but is cherished as a gift to be used wisely and well—for the things that matter most.

Gratitude becomes a dominant influence in our lives—teaching us to rejoice over our many blessings and to place all our hope in God’s provident care and abundant mercy.

Money matters (earning, saving, and spending) become means to an end, not ends in themselves. We share generously what we have because God has been generous to us.

Caring for the world around us (air, water, and land) and for the communities we form (neighborhoods, cities, and nations) become a sacred duty, the responsibilities of good stewards and good citizens.

Providing for the Church (Eucharistic stewardship) becomes much more than a weekly “obligation.” It becomes a privileged opportunity to give back (with increase) the many gifts we have received “from thy bounty through Christ our Lord. Amen.”

As Catholics, we recognize that the profound call to personal conversion that each of us has received from Christ is “heard” in and through the Church—in prayer and the sacraments, in worship and faith formation, in ministry and community life. Our parish is not simply a place to “stop by” once a week to fulfill an obligation. It is (or should be) an ongoing source of spiritual strength and a center for learning, teaching, and sharing our faith. Above all, our parish should be a community of faith where what is experienced in the Eucharist (communion with Christ and with one another) transforms our daily lives—at home, in the workplace, and in society.