August 12, 2009

Conference speakers share tips on fostering stewardship in parishes

By Anna M. Basquez

Rev. Patrick York of the Diocese of Wichita, Kan., recounted for an audience of priests and deacons Aug. 6 that the legacy of giving in his diocese started with humble beginnings.

“In about 1977 or 1978 my father found himself without an occupation, which was a rough time back in those years, kind of like what we’re living through now,” Father York said.

His parents, with their four children in tow, all attending Catholic school, gave them memories of stewardship. His father became a eucharistic minister, a lector, and was a member of the pastoral council. His mother was also doing things for the parish.

“We were, all of a sudden, getting up on Saturdays, and going to help on parish work days,” he said. “What was going on was that mom and dad were giving of their time and talent, because they had no treasure. At all.”

Father York, who is pastor of Church of the Magdalen in Wichita, said that today all of his siblings are involved in some type of natural activity within their parishes and his parents give generously to the church. He said many families started out the same way in his diocese, which is internationally recognized for its success as a stewardship diocese that offers free Catholic education from grade to high school.

“It’s what they were taught,” Father York said about stewardship families. “It’s what they embrace. This has taken time. This is something we have to continue to do on a regular basis.”

Father York was among three panelists discussing how to promote spirituality of stewardship with an audience of about 80 for the third annual Stewardship Conference seminar for clergy at St. Thomas More Parish in Centennial. The conference, which was sponsored by the League of Stewardship Parishes, was Part I of a two-part conference which will continue for other church leaders on Oct. 24.

Denver Auxiliary Bishop James Conley defined “stewardship” as “the grateful response of a Christian disciple who recognizes and receives God’s gifts and shares these gifts in love of God and neighbor.”

Bishop Conley keynoted the speech “Spirituality of Stewardship,” encouraging priests to be a living example of stewardship and pointed to the Diocese of Wichita’s commitment to adoration as one of their success factors.

“It’s my belief that time spent before the Eucharist helped form grateful hearts,” Bishop Conley said about his former diocese, noting that when people committed themselves to spending time before our Lord in the Holy Eucharist, they came to realize the generosity of God and wanted to give something back to him in return. 

Father York said stewardship among the people starts with stewardship of the priests.

“It starts at the top. People need to see you pray in front of the Eucharist,” he said. “I have an hour in my adoration chapel and it’s the hour no one wants. I do not ask my people to do anything I wouldn’t do. If they give 10 percent, I give 10 percent.”

Father York suggested that every parish should have some type of stewardship renewal every year.

“Our schools are run on stewardship,” he said. “There is no option.”

Msgr. Jorge De los Santos, the vicar for Hispanic Ministry for the Archdiocese of Denver, said a sense of belonging to a church has most often led to that reciprocity.
“It’s, ‘I belong to the church and the church belongs to me. As it belongs to me, I should take care of the church,’” he said.

Msgr. De los Santos, who introduced stewardship to the high minority, low-income inner-city Denver parish of St. Joseph’s some four years ago, said he has, at times, encountered the problem of there being too many people to do not enough church work. At that point, there can be a discussion of: is there a way for those people wanting to help more to increase giving to the church from $2 to $5, or by giving up an hour’s pay to the parish?

Father Miguel Enriquez, of St. Pius X in Aurora, said what works best for his parish is focusing on spirituality.

“From spirituality,” he said, “they are able to share the gifts they receive from God.”

Other suggestions to boost stewardship included informing people at Sunday Masses more regularly about various ministries within the churches, and, sometimes in Scripture finding opportunities to make churchgoers aware of the sacrifices previous leaders within their specific parishes made to help make that church what it is.
Deacon Ron Michieli of St. Anthony Parish in Sterling said he developed a “tree of life” way of seeking the soul of spirituality in his parish. It’s a method of looking back at leaders in the history of the parish to make people aware of those who gave and what the result of their sacrifice was. He said he talks in “word pictures” by giving examples and tying it to Scripture.

“I really was impressed with the idea of trying to get people involved in the parish,” said Deacon William Trewartha, of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Fort Collins. “In getting people involved with the parish, their love will shine forth and everything else will fall into place.”

Janette Fayhoe, who is on the League of Stewardship Parishes, said stewardship becomes enhanced when priests themselves “live it.”

“There is an integrity of what they preach,” she said, “and they speak with passion about it.”

UPCOMING EVENT

A follow-up stewardship conference for parish leaders is set for:

When: 8 a.m.- 4 p.m. Oct. 24
Where: St. Thomas More Parish, 8035 S. Quebec Street, Centennial
Keynote: Charles E. Zech, author, “Why Catholics Don’t Give”
Program: Includes practical application to making stewardship a way of life in the parish and tips on enhancing the offertory.