The Principles of Catholic Stewardship of Time, Talents and Treasure:
“As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God’s varied grace.” (Peter 4:10)
The word “stewardship” refers to the Catholic approach to the gifts that God has bestowed upon us. Stewardship is living out a commitment to be Christ-centered rather than self-centered. Profound gratitude, justice and love become the fundamental motives for giving back to God. Everything that God has given to us is intended to serve the divine plan. Therefore our life is to be lived in gratitude toward God. In a variety of ways, we as disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, share out time, talent and treasure to build up the Church and make our world a better place.
“The promotion of the practice of stewardship is important for the mission of the Church and for the spiritual well-being of each individual Christian. Everyone benefits from the sacrificial gift one makes of his time, talent, and treasure.” – Pope Benedict XVI
“The Eucharist is the great sign and agent of this expansive community of charity.” (ibid) Drawn into communion with God and one another, parishioners begin to more fully live out the threefold mission of Christ as priest, prophet, and king--the mission which, through baptism, confirmation, and the Eucharist, we all share.
We share in his priestly mission by uniting ourselves to Jesus and his sacrifice on the cross with the offering of our daily activities through him back to God. “During the celebration of the Eucharist these sacrifices are most lovingly offered to the Father along with the Lord’s body. Thus as worshipers whose every deed is holy, the lay faithful consecrate the world itself to God.” (Lumen Gentium, 34)
Beginning with the time they spend in liturgical worship and prayer, and flowing into the joy and patience with which they undertake their daily actions, parishioners participate in Christ’s priestly mission. That is why, in order for a parish to grow in stewardship, its parishioners must first grow in prayer, share in worship, and be sustained in the Eucharist.
We share in the prophetic mission of Christ by carrying out “the ability and responsibility to accept the gospel in faith and to proclaim it in word and deed without hesitating to courageously identify and denounce evil.” (Chrisifideles Laici, 14) The opportunity, then, to participate in the prophetic mission, comes in many forms. In education, we can teach the gospel to all ages. In our daily lives, we can demonstrate how we live the Good News.
In a stewardship parish, the teaching mission of the Church is recognized and strongly supported. Parishioners have the opportunity to share their time, talent and treasure in educating others through Parish Schools of Religion and Catholic Schools, through RCIA, through adult education, and through sacramental preparation for parents and children. They have the opportunity to evangelize. Further, they share the good news in how they live as disciples in their homes, work, parish, and community.
By spreading God’s kingdom on this Earth, we share in Christ’s kingly mission. All Christians are called to exercise this kingship, “... above all in the spiritual combat in which they seek to overcome in themselves the kingdom of sin (cf. Rom 6:12), and then to make a gift of themselves so as to serve, in justice and in charity, Jesus who is himself present in all his brothers and sisters, above all in the very least (cf Mt 25:40).” (ibid)
The kingly mission is one of service. In a stewardship parish, parishioners strive to carry out the words of 1 Peter 4:8-11: “Let your love for one another be intense, because love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaining. As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God’s varied grace.” Stewardship parishes foster a warm, welcoming atmosphere. Parishioners find many opportunities to serve each other with the gifts God has given them. In addition, parishioners look for ways to reach out to the community through works of social justice.
II. An Active Stewardship Committee is in place.
Forming a Stewardship Committee is the single most important element in ensuring the ongoing education, nurturing and development of stewardship in the parish. Experience tells us that one of the primary factors contributing to the ongoing and long term “success” of stewardship is having an active stewardship committee. Members of the committee are not only leaders of the stewardship process, but they are also role models for other parishioners.
The stewardship committee should, within some structure and accountable manner, be affiliated with the parish pastoral council, rather than the finance council, to emphasize that stewardship is a spiritual commitment on the part of the individual, not just a way to raise money.
Members of the Stewardship Committee should:
• be spiritually motivated.
• be actively involved in the parish.
• exemplify stewardship by their own gifts of time, talent and treasure.
• have the ability to envision where stewardship can take the parish.
• be able to communicate well.
• be accountable.
• have good organizational skills,
• have a willingness to share their faith with others.
• generally represent and be knowledgeable of all the spiritual, educational and social ministries and activities within the parish.
With the above membership qualities, the stewardship committee can attend to and assist in all the concerns that enable parishes to maintain their community of faith, love and service.
This may sound like a “tall order,” but experience has shown that the makeup of the parish stewardship committee directly corresponds to the success of the parish stewardship effort.
Responsibilities of the Stewardship Committee include:
• Allotting time at each committee meeting to not only pray, but to study and reflect on stewardship.
Source Material: * Bible
* Stewardship “A Disciple’s Response” - Bishops’ 1992 Pastoral Letter on Stewardship
* The Disciple as Steward - A six-week small group
study of the Pastoral Letter
• Avail themselves of all appropriate opportunities to enhance education and understanding of stewardship by attending diocesan, regional or national stewardship conferences, workshops or seminars.
• Seek out and provide stewardship resource materials for use of the committee or parish at large.
• Provide ongoing stewardship education for the parish pastoral council, finance council, other key parish organizations, parish administration (staff) and parishioners in general.
• Work with the parish pastor and staff to plan, design and implement an annual parish stewardship (time, talent and treasure) renewal and follow-up process.
• Present and/or assist in the recruiting and training of parish individuals and/or couples to share their personal stewardship testimonies (witness presentations) during the annual parish renewal process.
• Prepare and have available for distribution prior to each annual renewal a parish ministries and activity booklet or sheet reflecting all of the current parish ministries, organizations and activities. This should include a description of each ministry, organization or activity, along with the names and phone numbers of the leaders of each.
• Review and evaluate comments, criticisms and questions that may accompany the annual time, talent and treasure commitment forms completed by parishioners. Determine appropriate response (mail, phone or personal visit).
• Periodic evaluations of the parish stewardship renewal and follow-up process.
• Work with pastor and parish pastoral council in developing programs for welcoming new parishioners -- within which would include literature and a discussion on stewardship.
• Promote planned giving, the “Stewardship of Assets,” within the parish community by providing periodic wills and estate awareness seminars. This would also include promoting, encouraging and assisting in the establishment of parish and/or school endowments where appropriate, as well as making parishioners aware of established diocesan and related agency endowments.
III. Parishioners give proportionately, generously and
sacrificially of their time, talent and treasure.
Stewardship includes and is organized into three areas of giving: time, talent, and treasure. All three of these areas are precious resources, not created by us, but given to us by our loving Father, who asks us, as stewards, to use them wisely and generously in bringing others to Him. “God wishes human beings to be His collaborators in the work of creation, redemption, and sanctification; and such collaboration involves stewardship in its most profound sense.” (Stewardship: A Disciple‘s Response)
Parishioners in a stewardship parish come to realize, over time, that all their time, talent and treasure are God’s gifts to them. Only with His gift of life, with the rising and setting of His created sun, do we have the hours of each day to spend as we choose. Only with His gift of the talents and skills that we cultivate and apply, are we able to work and play. Only with His bountiful generosity of these skills He creates in us, and the circumstances of life in which He places us, are we able to acquire the monetary income and material possessions that we have.
True stewardship means giving back to God proportionately, sacrificially and generously in not one, but all three of these areas. Each area is an integral part of ourselves; to hold onto any of them is to hold back from giving ourselves over completely to our Father, as Jesus did. “Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus, who, though He was in the form of God, did not deem equality with God something to be grasped at. Rather, He emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, He humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.” (Phil 2:5-8)
In stewardship we are called to give proportionately of our gifts, not in equal measure nor in comparison to that given by others. Each of us, for reasons known only by God, receives varied levels of gifts. We are called to return those gifts accordingly in a sacrificial and generous manner.
The area of time can be described as who we are; the area of talent as what we do, and the area of treasure as what we have. Below are explanations of how parishioners in a stewardship parish use and give of their time, talent and treasure.
Time:
Time is the result of God’s precious gift to us: Life. Because He gave us life, He also gave us time. Our time on this Earth is very limited compared to the Eternity that awaits us. Since God created us to know, love and serve Him in this life so that we may be happy with Him in Eternal life, our use of time should work toward that end. We are called to holiness--to be disciples--therefore the ways in which we spend our time reflects who we are and who we want to become. To be good stewards of time-knowing, loving and serving God--means spending time with God, with family, with work, with our parish and community, and with relaxation.
Good stewards of time devote themselves daily to God in prayer. They spend time with family in order to build and sustain what John Paul II calls the “little church.” Whether in or out of the home, they give appropriate time to work.
The stewardship of time also includes the giving of time to the parish and community. Often this giving of time works in tandem with the giving of talent. For example, in order for one to use their God-given skill to cook for a parish dinner, to teach in a parish school of religion program, or to repair parish facilities, one must spend the necessary time. However, there are other ways to give time that flow from our love of God and others, which do not require specific talents. Lingering after Mass and taking time to introduce oneself to new parishioners and talk with them is one example of how to give time. Serving on a prayer line, visiting the sick or attending rosaries and funerals of those in the parish we didn’t know personally are other ways. Making phone calls to other parishioners to invite them to participate in parish events is yet another way to give time.
Finally, the stewardship of time means using some of the time God has given us to refresh ourselves so that we will be able to serve well. Maintaining the proper balance of time for God, family, work, church, and self is often challenging. Often, what helps is remembering that all time is given to us through God’s gift of life, and that He gave us life so that we may come to be like Him and share heaven with Him. It is good to periodically ask ourselves the question, “How is this use of time helping me grow holy?”
Talent:
When we consider the many skills and abilities God has given others, and us we begin to see how truly remarkable His generosity is. What we choose to do is usually the result of the talents God gives us. Because He has created each of us with a purpose in mind, He gives each of us certain and varied talents.
Stewards of talent recognize that using the abilities God has given them, whether with family, work, parish, or recreation, should serve Him by serving others. As with the use of time, stewardship of talent asks us to share what God has given us generously, not only in our homes and in our work, but also in our parish community. The parish provides many opportunities to share one’s talents.
Beyond cultivating their own God-given talents, good stewards also cultivate the talents of others. Often, it takes a personal invitation from one parishioner to encourage another to use their talents for the work of the church. By pointing out another’s talent to them and giving them the inspiration to come forward and try, parishioners act as mediators for the Lord. “... People do not hear the Lord’s call in isolation from one another. Other disciples help mediate their vocations to them, and they in turn are meant to mediate the Lord’s call to others.” (Stewardship: A Disciple ‘s Response)
Treasure:
In St. Peter’s first epistle, there appears a stewardship quote which demands much reflection and a favorable reaction on the part of all Christians. “Each one of you has received a special grace, so like good stewards responsible for all these different graces of God, put yourselves at the service of others.” (1 Peter 4:10) This scripture quote, also referenced within an earlier characteristic, is the foundation on which the U. S. Catholic Bishops based their 1992 Pastoral Letter on Stewardship “A Disciple’s Response”
“Special Grace” is understood as being that gift of life and material resources. These graces are received by each of us in indescribable varieties and inestimable quantities. Reflecting upon these numerous gifts of grace, which are given out of God’s infinite bounty and not in virtue of any merit of our own, our personal reaction should be to “put ourselves at the service of others.”
True stewardship is taking care of and sharing all that we have and all that we are--our time, talents and treasure. Why, then, is it so important to share our treasure?
Money and all of the things we possess (our treasure) are gifts from God that we are asked to care for and generously and sacrificially share for our own benefit and the good of others. It is important for us to share our money and all of our material resources for two reasons: First, because all the good things that God has made(including money) are meant to be shared, and second, because each of us has a need to give.
Why do we need to give? We need to give our money to individuals and families in need, to the church, and to other worthwhile charitable organizations because giving money is good for the soul and because we need to return thanks to a loving God for all of the many blessings (graces) each of us has received.
One of the most frequently asked questions in any stewardship educational program is “How much do I have to give?” The answer (from a stewardship perspective) is nothing. We don’t have to give anything. “How much do we want to give?” is the question that stewardship asks. Stewardship is not minimum giving. It is maximum giving. That means giving as much as we can, as often as we can, from the heart as a faith response because we are generous stewards who want to share our time, talent and treasure with others.
Frequently, in discussions on the treasure aspect of stewardship, reference will be made to “the biblical tithe” (giving 10 percent of income) and other norms that could provide helpful guidelines for generous giving. As disciples of Jesus, each of us has a responsibility to support the Church and to contribute generously and sacrificially to the building up of the body of Christ. The emphasis in the Bishops’ Pastoral, Stewardship: A Disciple ‘s Response, is not on “tithing” (giving a fixed percent of income), but rather on giving according to our means. In many ways, this is a far more challenging norm. It challenges us to be good stewards not only in how much we give away, but also in what we do with all our resources. (Stewardship and Development in Catholic Dioceses and Parishes: A Resource Manual)