CATHOLIC STEWARDSHIP. Advent A Season of Hope. International Catholic Stewardship Council. e-bulletin December A STEWARDSHIP PRAYER for December

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1 Lord, International Catholic Stewardship Council CATHOLIC STEWARDSHIP e-bulletin December 2018 A STEWARDSHIP PRAYER for December As we journey through this Advent season, give us the wisdom to be good stewards of this time of grace, a time to be more prayerful, to listen more intently to Your Word; a time to allow our faith to grow and mature. Show us how to give witness to your Good News more fervently among our families, friends and those with whom we worship. Advent A Season of Hope Advent is a time of waiting and expectation; a season of quiet anticipation and preparation. We are waiting for our Lord to come into the world as the baby Jesus, born of the Virgin Mary in Bethlehem. We are also preparing for His return, His second coming as the shepherd-king, to restore harmony and right relationship to all creation. Advent is a season yearning for God to come and set the world right with perfect justice, truth and peace. It is a season of hope. Help us be more aware of those who are poor, lonely or suffering; and to serve them as if we were serving You. And fill our hearts with hope, so that we may make straight Your path with confidence and zeal, and prepare for the joy of Your coming! We pray this in Jesus name. Amen Advent is a time to emphasize preparation through prayer. While Lent emphasizes a spirit of repentance through prayer and fasting, Advent s prayers are prayers of humble devotion and commitment, prayers for deliverance, prayers of gladness and joyful expectation, prayers that await the light of Christ coming into the world. We do not shrink from those Advent scripture readings that reveal a strong prophetic tone of accountability and judgment. Christ s disciples expect the Lord to hold them accountable for what has been entrusted to them just as a spouse, parent, teacher or supervisor holds us accountable. And just as the steward was found faithful in small matters by the master, we too are confident that we will be found faithful and will enter the joy of the Master. We have absolute trust in the Lord s countenance. Assuredly, during Advent we anticipate the Lord s coming with hope. It is that hope, however faint at times, that keeps us from despair and the darkness of sin and its destructiveness. It is a hope that urges us to be kind, loving and compassionate toward one another. It is a hope that encourages our faith in a merciful God who continues to pour His grace upon us. We don t know when Christ will come again to bring human history to its completion. But we celebrate with gladness the great promise of Advent and we rekindle that positive, joyful spirit within us because we know, as Zechariah prophesied, that the light of Christ will shine on all who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, and He will guide our feet into the way of peace.

2 The Blessed Virgin Mary: Our Model of Stewardship Saint Stephen STEWARDSHIP SAINT for December The day after Christmas is called St. Stephen s Day to commemorate the first Christian martyr. It is also this Feast of Stephen that is mentioned in the English Christmas carol, Good King Wenceslas. Stephen was a Greek-speaking Jew living in Jerusalem. He became a follower of Jesus Christ and was one of seven individuals chosen by the twelve apostles to serve tables, look after the distribution of the community funds (alms), especially to widows, and assist in the ministry of preaching. Stephen was also a leader in the Christian group known as the Hellenists, a community that had its own synagogues where the scriptures were read in Greek. The Hellenist Christians maintained that the new Christian faith could not grow unless it separated itself from Judaism and specifically the Temple and the Mosaic law. The Hellenists also urged the expansion of the Church s mission to the Gentiles. The elders in a number of neighboring synagogues opposed Stephen and the Hellenists and charged him with blasphemy for saying that the Temple would be destroyed and that Jesus had set aside the Mosaic law even though Stephen maintained that Jesus came to fulfill the law, not set it aside. When dragged before the Sanhedrin, the supreme legal court of Jewish elders, Stephen made an eloquent defense of the Hellenist Christian teaching. He charged his accusers of trying to stifle the movement of the Holy Spirit, of persecuting those who spoke prophetically and of betraying and murdering Jesus. Then he looked up to heaven and began to describe a vision he was having of the recently executed Jesus standing on the right side of God. The council erupted into a furor and its members began shouting, covered their ears and ordered Stephen to be dragged outside the city and executed. As he was being stoned to death, Stephen asked God to forgive his attackers while the witnesses to his martyrdom placed their cloaks at the feet of Saul of Tarsus who consented to Stephen s death. Saul would later undergo a conversion experience and become Saint Paul. Saint Stephen was one of the most popular saints in the Middle Ages and in many countries his feast day of December 26 is still a public holiday. He is the patron saint of deacons and his name is included in Eucharistic Prayer I of the Mass. During the Advent and Christmas seasons, we have a number of opportunities to reflect on and honor the Blessed Virgin Mary, who is a model of stewardship par excellence. Mary teaches us the meaning of stewardship by her own life witness. On December 8, we celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, the conception of Mary in her mother s womb without the stain of original sin. On December 12, we celebrate Mary as Our Lady of Guadalupe. In 1531 she appeared to Juan Diego on a hill outside Mexico City. A life-size figure of the Virgin as a young, dark-skinned American Indian woman with the face of a mestizo was imprinted on his cloak. The image gave the indigenous people of the Americas assurance that our Blessed Mother was loving and compassionate toward them. On December 25, when we celebrate the Nativity of Our Lord, we celebrate the birth of Jesus through his mother, Mary. The Incarnation took place through Mary s own flesh, and the infant Jesus was nourished by Mary s own body. On January 1, Mary is honored as the Mother of God, the greatest of her titles. This title is the foundation for every other title attributed to her as she became the mother of God from the instant Jesus was conceived in her womb by the power of the Holy Spirit.

3 Growing Together as a Stewardship Community by Leisa Anslinger, Associate Department Director for Pastoral Life, Archdiocese of Cincinnati In previous articles, we have explored steps we may take as parish stewardship leaders to discern the ways in which we will form parishioners to embrace stewardship as a way of life. We have established the need to keep the vision of the parish faithful living and growing as stewards in community in mind, knowing that we will never fully live this vision this is a process of lifelong conversion in Christ. We have considered the ways we listen to parishioners and learn from their experience, as they take the call to live as stewards to heart. The next step in this discernment process is to align the message with the vision and the current experience of the community: what do these new stewards need to hear at this time in order to grow? In other words, we know where we want to go (our vision); we know where we are (what Special Advent/Christmas Member Savings! REGISTER NOW for the 57 th Annual ICSC Conference to receive the special International CathoLic Stewardship Council Advent/Christmas $ member only conference 419* registration rate of We Are Stewards of the Church October 6-9 Sheraton Grand Hotel Chicago, Illinois It is important at this juncture to acknowledge that no two people are exactly alike in the ways they live and grow in faith. we have heard and observed in the experience of our community); now, we begin to consider what steps we may take in order to move from where we are to where we want to be. What steps will we take to help our fellow stewards accept the call to discipleship and to grow as good stewards? It is important at this juncture to acknowledge that no two people are exactly alike in the ways they live and grow in faith. There is no one size fits all. Yet, if we listen carefully to parishioners, we will have a sense of how our faith community is growing in gratitude and responding by caring for others and sharing their many gifts, at this time, in this place. We may hear common points of misunderstanding; we might become aware of untapped potential within particular parishioners, groups, or ministries; we may become aware of ways in which people are living and growing as stewards beyond the boundaries of parish or diocese. How would you describe the ways your faith community is living as good stewards at this time? What steps might you take to lead parishioners closer to the vision of living as stewards in community? Register by phone at online by clicking here, or at ICSC@catholicstewardship.org *Hurry, this special rate begins December 1, 2018 and ends midnight December 31, 2018!

4 An Asian-Pacific Stewardship Conference Profile: Reverend Manuel Catral Adapted from an article by Mila Glodava, Director of Stewardship and Administration, St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Denver, Colorado. On September 14, St. Peter Thelmo Parish, located on the northernmost tip of the Philippines, took a direct hit from Super Typhoon Mangkhot, the Category-5 storm that left a trail of death and destruction on Guam, the Philippines and mainland China. Undaunted by the storm, however, the members of this parish community, led by their pastor, Reverend Manuel Catral, resolved to restore the parish campus and its ministries through their stewardship efforts. new parish became alive with activity. Notably, parishioners undertook economic development projects such as soap making, establishing a cooperative pharmacy, and discovering more effective ways to farm. They were also able to build a church from a portion of their offertory collection without any large contributions. At his next assignment, St. Joseph the Worker parish in San Jose, Baggao, Cagayan, Father Catral used the same his successes, Father Catral has recently been appointed stewardship coordinator for the archdiocese. Father Catral will make a presentation on the prophetic witness offered by a parish practicing stewardship at the first Asian-Pacific stewardship conference of the International Catholic Stewardship Council to be held February 4 to 7, 2019, at the St. Paul Renewal Center The parish was able to build a church from a portion of their offertory collection without any large contributions. stewardship introductory formula with equal success. The parishioners at St. Joseph built a church there also through increased giving to the offertory collection. Today, Father Catral is working to replicate the stewardship successes of the first two parish communities at St. Peter Thelmo. Because of in Alfonso, Cavite in the Philippines. In cooperation with Socio Pastoral Institute, the purpose of the ICSC conference is to introduce Christian stewardship in the Catholic tradition and Catholic philanthropy to Catholic dioceses of south, southeast and central Asia and countries of the Pacific Rim. Although Father Catral was ordained to the priesthood in 2001 for the Archdiocese of Tuguegarao, he did not learn about Christian stewardship until 2005 when he attended a conference in Manila on the spirituality of stewardship. His interest was piqued because he was just starting a new parish community, Holy Family Parish in Solana, Cagayan. The members of the worshipping community were extremely poor. Father Catral initiated a series of intensive stewardship formation sessions on the spirituality of stewardship, emphasizing themes such as communion, co-responsibility and accountability. As a result, the

5 Ten Things You Can Do for the Poor at Christmas In this new liturgical year, the Gospel of Luke urges us to be mindful of the poor and suffering among us. There are many things we can do during the Advent and Christmas seasons to assist efforts to alleviate hunger in our communities. Whether you volunteer individually, as a family or as part of a group or parish, the possibilities for serving the poor are almost limitless. Consider doing one or more of the 10 suggestions below: 1. Pray for the poor, and ask God to transform your own attitudes about those in need, realizing that all of us are poor in some way before God s grace. 2. Suggest that a petition be added to the Prayers of the Faithful asking that the members of the parish community open their hearts to the poor. Whether you volunteer individually, as a family or as part of a group or parish, the possibilities for serving the poor are almost limitless. 3. Collect food items for a food pantry in your community. 4. Volunteer to assist a pantry for a day of sorting, bagging or distributing. 5. Buy fast food gift certificates to give out to people you see who need a meal or to those who request your aid on our downtown streets. 6. Ask your pastor or church staff if you could collect fast food and other gift certificates to be handed out to those in need who stop by the parish. 7. Volunteer at your parish or neighborhood soup kitchen. 8. Get your parish involved in observing World Hunger Sunday every year. 9. Make your own generous financial gift to an organization that serves the poor. 10. Think about ways to use your professional skills in a volunteer capacity at your chosen anti-hunger organization. There are many programs, including Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) screening and application assistance centers, food banks, and other anti-hunger organizations, that can use your help to make sure that all eligible people have access to nutrition assistance and anti-hunger programs. You will find rich rewards in fulfilling these stewardships tasks. For Jesus said that whatever we do for one of the least of his brothers and sisters, we do it for him (see Matthew 25:40).

6 A STEWARDSHIP MOMENT December 2018 First Sunday of Advent Weekend of December 1/2, 2018 In the Gospel on this first Sunday of Advent, Jesus warns his disciples about the end-time. He urges them to be vigilant, spiritually awake, to pray, and to avoid self-indulgence, spiritual malaise and a preoccupation with anxiety. Jesus advises against a lifestyle that embraces both earthly pleasures and worry. These will not matter when the Lord asks for an account of our stewardship. Stewards realize their lives are not just about the here and now. They know themselves to be reflections of God s active presence in the world and witnesses of the Lord s promises. As we begin this season of hope, let us reflect on what it means to devote every waking moment in our lives to the Lord. Second Sunday of Advent Weekend of December 8/9, 2018 In today s second reading, Saint Paul prays with joy and confidence for his friends in the Christian community at Philippi. He is encouraged that the community has partnered with him to proclaim the Gospel. He sees Christ s active presence and plan of salvation at work in the community. God s overarching plan is unclear to us. But when we see evidence of God working through others, doesn t it give us reason to hope that Christ is alive among us? Does the witness of others help our own prayer lives? Does it inspire us to be partners with others in promoting the Gospel? Food for thought in this second week of Advent. Third Sunday of Advent Weekend of December 15/16, 2018 In today s Gospel we hear the prophet John the Baptist being asked an insightful stewardship question: What should we do? Each group wants to know the appropriate response to John s call; each reply points to how they should treat others. John does not simply say, Be baptized. Rather, he points them to their jobs and personal relationships. John s message is simple: judgment is near, and repentance includes treating others well. We should be willing to share what we have with those in need. To listen to John the Baptist is to be called to account. Do I give only of my excess, or am I the good steward who is willing to make daily sacrifices in order to help others? Fourth Sunday of Advent Weekend of December 22/23, 2018 As we draw close to the great Feast of the Nativity, we hear the bold stewardship proclamation twice in today s second reading from the Letter to the Hebrews: Behold, I come to do your will, O God! Who is this Jesus? Who are we that we should follow him? Many want him as a friend, a guide, a king, an advocate. We long to see the face of God. Jesus reveals the nature of God, the servant sent to give us new life in Him. Take time to ponder: Do we have the courage to follow Jesus? To show others the face of God? To say to the Lord: Behold, I come to do your will? The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas Day) Tuesday, December 25, 2018 In today s Christmas Mass at dawn we hear from the Gospel reading that God has entered quietly into the world. Not into the great city of Jerusalem, but into a small village about five miles south. Not into a noble family, but to an outcast couple keeping the newborn in a manger. Not announced by royal edicts, but to common shepherds, the first human heralds of Christ s birth. As Christian stewards we simply allow Christ to live in us no matter what our circumstances happen to be. We allow Christ to share his love with us and reflect that love out to others. We now are the heralds of Christ s Incarnation. What an unimaginable gift from a generous Lord. Good stewards rejoice in this gift and give glory to God. Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph Weekend of December 29/30, 2018 The ultimate aim of Saint Paul s Letter to the Colossians is to teach the community how to deepen its relationship with Christ Jesus. His list of virtues summarizes the ideals of communal stewardship: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. For Paul, practicing these virtues opens our hearts to Christ as individuals and as a worshipping community. This is how the Christian community ought to live. This is how its members should behave in their dealings with others, particularly with fellow believers. As we approach a new year, how might we embrace one of these virtues more fully in order to deepen our relationship with Jesus? International Catholic Stewardship Council ICSC@catholicstewardship.org (800)