Stewardship & Discipleship

This summer I attended more local conferences and workshops than would normally be the case.  A couple of weeks ago I mentioned the four-day conference on gender dysphoria.  Another conference that I attended involved stewardship in parish life, which is a Beacons of Light pastoral planning pathway principle. As soon as I became pastor over twenty years ago,  I felt the responsibility and call to make sure stewardship is a value.  For, stewardship is the beginning and essence of our Faith.  Let me explain.

Stewardship is based on thankfulness for God’s gifts to us, most especially the gift of his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.  The more aware of our incredible giftedness, even if we carry some heavy crosses, the more joyful and content a disciple of Jesus we will be.  Of course, when I say disciple, I mean the wholeness of what discipleship means.  What is discipleship?
Briefly, discipleship sees a person trusting Jesus and continuing to grow in trust of him and his call in their lives.  Discipleship includes an ongoing curiosity to know and experience more of Jesus. It requires an ongoing openness and search for Jesus.  After experiencing Jesus the disciple longs to share their experience of him with others, in other words to evangelize them.  This cycle of discipleship ends when we are fully one with Jesus in heaven!

A comprehensive approach to stewardship in parish life will foster intentional discipleship by challenging parishioners to formally tend to their relationship to Jesus related to thankfulness for their time, talent and treasure and an opportunity to deepen their commitment.
Since I want myself and the people that I lead to become even more intentional disciples, I offer three weeks in the autumn of the year to formally consider stewardship.  Crescent Parishes entered into a process to consider stewardship for the first-time last year.

Wonderfully, I am most grateful and excited that we have Meg Anderson, Director of Stewardship and Outreach, who will help shepherd us in this process.  She and her husband Matt returned to and continue to deepen their active participation in the Catholic Church through essential stewardship values such as a warm welcome and a yearly invitation to consider thankfulness for time, talent and treasure.
Please pray for Meg, parish staff members and all Crescent Parishioners as we will formally consider Stewardship of Treasure on September 23-24, Stewardship of Time on Sep. 30-Oct. 1, and Stewardship of Talent on October 7-8.  Openness to and cooperation with this process will help us to receive Jesus’ grace to be better disciples, bring about the Kingdom better and increase the vitality of parishes!

First School Mass
It was a joy to celebrate the opening Mass of the Nativity School year two Tuesdays ago.  As Jesus relates, children live the kingdom best, particularly if they are being led best by their parents to know, love and serve Jesus in his Church.  I love the challenge of preaching to children, coming up with creative and engaging ways to offer them the Good News!

TMIY
I want to continue to proclaim how outstanding That Man is You can be for the men, spouses and families of our parishes.  Please encourage a man you love to participate!!

The Gensis of Gender: A Christian Theory Book Study        
Please see the extended promotional information for a lifelong faith formation offering that I am excited to lead:  a study of the book The Genesis of Gender.  Please note that the text can be purchased at a discount even if not participating in the study.  A gift of this book read by a child or grandchild helps expose the shaky foundations of some of the post-modern thought they assume is gospel, while at the same time making a strong case for the awesome eternal truths of our Catholic, Christian worldview.

Sincerely and with Love in Christ,
Fr. Pat