What is Stewardship?
Dependence on God
A simple definition of stewardship is taking care of something that belong to another. As Catholics, we recognize that everything we have is a gift from God. We can take credit for nothing. Everything we have and everything we do is a result of some gift that God has placed into our hands. Stewardship is a way of life, that brings joy and is life-giving. When we understand that we are simply caretakers of what God has entrusted us with, and take our role seriously to prayerfully discern where he is calling us to give those gifts, it is freeing.
Proportionate Giving
Stewardship calls us to realize that each of us is called to give as God has given to us. We no longer base our giving on what others are giving. We no longer excuse ourselves from giving because we do not see others giving. Rather we give in proportion to all that God has given to us.
Prayer – Spending Time with God
Stewardship involves spending time with God. Recognizing that every day is a gift from God, we strive to spend some of each day with God, through prayer, Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, scripture reading, or silence. During this time we ask God how He wants us to use the gifts He has given to us.
Participation – Sharing Talent:
Stewardship involves sharing talent. Recognizing that God has given each individual unique skills and talents so that together we can do the work of Our Lord, we strive to share our own talents, as well as to encourage and welcome others to also use their talents to participate in the mission and ministry of the Church.
Accountability:
Stewardship calls us to recognize that just as in the Parable of the Talents, each of us will someday be asked by God to give an accounting of all that we have done with the gifts that have been given to us. Likewise, parish communities that embrace stewardship must be accountable to the community for the way in which the parish uses the gifts entrusted to it.
