Stewardship of Treasure

Stewardship begins with a renewed heart, one that recognizes that everything we have is a gift from God. It is from this foundation and perspective that we, once again, revisit our personal and communal commitment to living lives of stewardship.

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A steward is not the owner. A steward is the one entrusted with the household, the land, the resources, and the mission of another. That is the right way for us to understand our lives before God. Our families, our abilities, our work, our time, our possessions, and even the parish we love have all been entrusted to us. They are gifts placed into our hands by the Lord, and one day we will be asked how we used them.

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Each year, our parish invites every household to renew its commitment to stewardship. With this letter, I am asking you to prayerfully consider the gift of treasure, especially your regular tithe to the parish.

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The tithe is not simply a way to pay the bills, though, of course, the mission of the parish depends upon the generosity of parishioners. Your tithe helps make possible the worship of God, the formation of children and adults, the care of the poor, the work of evangelization, the maintenance of our buildings, the support of our clergy and staff, and the daily life of a parish that serves thousands of souls.

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But stewardship is deeper than that. God does not ask us to give because he is poor. He asks us to give because he knows how easily our hearts can become attached, fearful, or closed. A tithe is not simply money given away; it is trust made visible. It is a concrete way of saying that God is first, that his gifts are meant to bear fruit, and that our “yes” to him must become more than words.

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God has already placed the resources for his work into the hands of his people. Stewardship is the moment when those hands open.

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Enclosed with this letter is a stewardship commitment card. I ask every household to take time to pray, speak together as a family as appropriate, and make a renewed commitment to the parish offertory. For some, that may mean beginning to give in a regular and intentional way. For others, it may mean increasing your tithe as an act of faith. For all of us, it should mean asking the Lord what he is inviting us to do with what he has already entrusted to us.

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Please bring your completed commitment card with you, return it to the parish office, or mail it back to us. More important than the method is the prayerful decision behind it.

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Thank you for your love for our parish, for your generosity, and for the many quiet sacrifices you make. I am grateful to serve as your pastor, and I am confident that when we respond to the Lord with open hearts and open hands, he will continue to provide for the work he has placed before us.

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In Christ,

Fr. Randy