Psalm 116:12 How can I repay the Lord for all the good done for me?

Psalm 116:12 How can I repay the Lord for all the good done for me?

Stewardship is our response to God's Goodness.

St. Marguerite d'youville is a Stewardship Parish

In 1955 Pope Pius XII titled Marguerite d'youville "Mother of Universal Charity. She was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1990. Her feast day is October 16.

On September 1, 1993 Our church took the name St. Marguerite d'youville Catholic Church.

From its founding St. Marguerite has benefited from the Stewardship of its parishioners.

The Stained Glass windows and St. Edwards gardens are two enduring examples of our stewardship.

All the Stained Glass in St. Marguerite was produced by 30 parishioners taught the art of stained glass making by fellow parishioners Judy and Dave Adanich.

The project was conceived by our first pastor Fr. Don Caron and was brought to fruition under the direction of pastor Fr. Brendan Doyle.

The project took over two years and involved over 4,398 worker hours to complete. All the work was done by parishioners including the design of each window. The artist that illustrated the windows were Jessica Plasman and Marta Suarez. 131 panes of glass were produced. When the deadline approached for the project to be completed, 120 parishioners came forward to lend their support for the project. The material was provided at cost $51,887.50 by the Adanich s who were in the stained glass business and had the skill and access to direct the project. The cost of the windows without the stewardship of our parishioners would have been hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Great care was taken in the selection of each window which depict the Sacraments, scenes from the gospels and the works of mercy.

The first window on the right represents the Corporal work of Mercy: Visit the Imprisoned. St. Joseph Cafasso is the patron of the imprisoned. Dismas to the right of St. Cafasso is the thief that hung to the right of Jesus. He repented and went to heaven. The cross is the Jerusalem Cross.

The second window on the right depicts Jesus with the children. Some of the Children are in modern clothes. If you look closely, you will see the names of some of the children of the stained glass workers written in the children's hair. The cross is the Russian Orthodox Cross.

The third window shows the Prodigal Son being received into the arms of his forgiving father. The cross is the Saint Jerome Cross.

The fourth window represents Give Drink to the Thirsty. On the left Saints Martha and Mary give drink to Jesus when he visited their home. On the right Saint Brigid of Ireland, a dairymaid, gives milk and butter to the less fortunate. The cross is the Greek Cross.

The fifth window on the right depicts Jesus Feeds the Multitude the multiplied loaves and fishes. The cross is the Patriarchal Cross. If you look closely you will see that some of the fish have features like lips and eyelashes, etc.

The sixth window on the right depicts Jesus Restores the Blind Man's Sight. The cross is the Passion Cross.

The seventh window on the right represents Clothe the Naked. On the left is St. Vincent de Paul who's mission of providing clothes to those in need lives on today. On the right is Saint Martin of Tours, a warrior, who split his cape with a sword to warm a beggar. The cross is the Moline Cross.

The first window on the left represents the spiritual work of mercy: Pray for the Living and the Dead. On the left St. Pio (Padre Pio) is well known for his prayerfulness and stigmata. On the right Saint Therese of the Little Flower is known for her prayers and showers of roses. The cross is the All Saints Cross.

The second window represents Shelter the Homeless. On the left Saint Benedict Joseph Labre' provides shelter to homeless youth. The rosary in his hand is not in the window but is attached to the window. On the right Saint Elizabeth of Hungary worked with her husband to shelter the homeless persons in their kingdom. She showed spring flowers inside her cape during the winter. The basket of flowers are hand painted. The cross is the Anchor Cross.

The third window on the left depicts Jesus with the Samaritan Woman at the Well. The cross is the Four Ermin Spots Cross.

The fourth window shows Jesus walks on the Water to calm the sea. The cross is the Latin Cross.

The fifth window represents Feed the Hungry. Our patroness emulated all the Corporal Works of Mercy. She always provided food for all in her care, even when the cupboards were barren. The cross she wears around her neck is attached to the glass. The cross is the Bottony Cross.

The sixth window represents Care for the Sick. On the left, Saint Michael the Archangel is depicted because he is the patron of the sick. The scales of justice in his hand are attached to the glass. On the right is Saint Theresa of Calcutta. She is known for her work caring for the sick. The cross is the Maltese Cross.

There are two windows in the chapel known as the Holy Family Chapel. In the window closest to the alter a joyful angel greets you. She is carrying hand painted lilies. Lilies symbolize purity. The cross is St. Brigid's cross.

The second window contains the Blessed Virgin Mary on the right. The regal crown of jewels around her head is befitting the Mother of God's only Son. The rosary In her hand is attached to the glass. On the left is another joyful angel. The rose in her hand and on her gown, wings and ground are hand-painted.

Saint Edward's Garden is in the woods to the left as you enter the church property.

The garden was the brainchild of pastor Fr. Brendan Doyle and was created by parishioners Ted Johns and Bill Bruton.

It was to be a place for mediation and the location for Easter Sunrise Service.

The garden is named after Saint Edward the Confessor. He became interested in religious affairs and care for orphaned children and built St. Peters Abbey in Westminster England. He died on January 5 1066 and was canonized in 1161 by Pope Alexander III.

The garden memorializes the brother of Bill Bruton, a young Alter Server named Edward, who died while serving mass February 1957 at age 11. At the age of 8 he studied the mass missal and by the age of 9 could recite all the prayers. He applied to the seminary at the age of 10. He was buried in the cassock and surplice he was wearing at the time of his death. He is buried in Silver Springs, MD at the Gate of Heaven Cemetery.

The garden also memorializes Amanda Johns the daughter of Ted Johns. You will find benches with their names at either side of the alter. Placed in one of the pedestals of the alter are some items that were in Edward's pocket when he died at mass.

Since the garden was completed many parishioners have added improvements to the area.

Eagle scouts have been instrumental in improving the area with: The blessed Mother grotto with benches. Wooden seats for the alter area. The Entrance Portico. Meditation benches along the path. Station of the cross markers placed along the path.

A group of female parishioners constructed a "rosary chain" in the path around the chapel area. A large concrete cross can be seen a few feet into the garden. This starts the rosary. There is a concrete center piece at the start of the circular path. The group constructed the "beads" from concrete formed with pie plates with marbles on top. The leaves and mulch on the ground made the rosary difficult to maintain so the beads have been placed of to the side.

We are blessed by many talented parishioners who have dedicated time and treasure to making St. Marguerite the living, loving, vibrant and Eucharistic community it is today.