Stewardship is about being grateful, responsible stewards of the gifts we receive from God. The tradition of giving back to God and to the church comes from the Biblical practice of “tithing,” which means to give back a tenth of our earnings to God (Numbers 18:26). The Catholic Church sees stewardship as more than simply contributing money to the Church; it’s also about contributing time and talents, and treasure for ministry and mission. It’s about reaching out to build relationships from a perspective of abundance and love.
St. Hyacinth is a Stewardship Parish. This means that as a parish community we are striving to embrace stewardship as a way of life. Stewardship is the recognition that all we are and possess are gifts from God. It reminds us to keep God first in all aspects of our lives.
As the U.S. bishops remind us in their pastoral letter, “Stewardship: A Disciple’s Response,” that we are obligated by God’s generosity to “receive God’s gifts gratefully, cultivate them responsibly, share them lovingly in justice with others, and return them with increase to the Lord.”
To be a stewardship parish means to be a parish that reflects the Catholic Church in the first century. The description in the Acts of the Apostles of the early faith community is the blueprint for what it means to be a stewardship parish:
“The group of believers was one in mind and heart. No one said that any of their belongings was their own, but they all shared with one another everything they had.”(Acts 4:32). A stewardship parish is simply a parish made up of believers who recognize that they own nothing, that they are simply caretakers, stewards of all God has entrusted to them.
At STHY, we invite you to:
† Pray. Prayer is the beginning of stewardship. Only when we spend time with God in prayer are we spiritually prepared to offer ourselves in service to others. In prayer we come to grow in our love for Christ and in our desire to reflect Him more beautifully.
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock…” Revelations 3:20 † Act. Just do it. Knowing what your talents are and what time you are able to give is important. Review the many Ministries active in our parish and choose on ministry to get involved with or recommit to this year.
“It is in giving that we receive”. St. Francis of Assisi † Give. In thanksgiving for the many gifts God has given you, please make an effort to support financially the many good works that St. Hyacinth Parish offers.
“A person whose hands are full of parcels cannot receive a gift.” C.S. Lewis We ask you to reflect on our commitment to be good stewards of our time, talents and treasure. Gratitude is at the heart of stewardship. The Christian steward acknowledges that all good gifts come to us through the hands of our loving Father. Stewardship is a way of life that leads the Christian to share his/her time, talent and treasure with others out of gratitude to God. In God’s great care, our grateful giving leads to joy, peace, and a sense of fulfillment. This is ‘Love in Action’.
Jesus said: “
I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly..” (John 10:10) As we move forward with our 2016-2017 stewardship renewal drive here at STHY, lets recall how to say “Thank You”. When we are children, our parents insist that we say “thank you” to those who have given us a present or even a little complement. Hopefully, our parents’ early instruction has taken root in our lives and we have developed an “attitude of gratitude” with “Faith, Family and Future in Action.”
The Month of October is Respect Life Month. Next Sunday October 1st, is Respect for Life Sunday, and there will be a ‘Prayer Chain’ to witness against the horrors of abortion. Those that are interested are called to meet in Guyot Hall at 1:00 pm and then gather on Center Street to stand silently from 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm. If you are not able to be a part of the prayer chain, please pray for those who will be participating for our community.
Come join us this Fall for an exciting new parish bible study on Luke: The Gospel of Mercy. Of all the Gospels, only Luke is known as “The Gospel of Mercy”; and it is Luke that the Church draws from in a special way during this Jubilee Year. Come discover St. Luke’s unique insights into the heart of God. The selected study is studied within the context of the whole Word of God, Sacred Tradition and the Magisterium. Each lesson includes study commentaries written by leading Scripture Scholars and authors; references to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Papal encyclicals, Writings of the Early Church Fathers and the Saints. For your convenience, there will be morning (10:00 am- 12 Noon) and evening classes (6:30 pm- 8:30pm) beginning on Tuesday October 4. The two groups meet
once a week in the Meeting Room 1. Registration fee is $25.00 to cover the cost of materials.