Stewardship
"As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God's varied grace." - 1 Peter 4:10
Two years ago, we prepared and submitted a pastoral plan for the Cathedral of St. Joseph. I’m writing today to give you an update on the status of that plan and on what we hope to accomplish during its third and final year of implementation. Next summer, we will discern a new plan, with new goals for our parish family.
The first goal of our current plan is to implement a formal system of volunteer coordination. In order to successfully reach this goal, we pointed to the need for a Time & Talent form that was easy to use and understand and a better database for use by parish staff to record parishioners’ responses and track participation. During the past couple of months, our Stewardship Council has been working on an updated version of the Time & Talent form and brief descriptions for each of the ministries listed on that form. All of that material will be ready for distribution by August 11th. The Stewardship Council was fully aware of your concern that last year’s form was too complicated with all the various classifications assigned to each ministry. We hope this year’s form is much more user-friendly.
Since January, our staff members have also been working very hard to familiarize themselves with a new parish database software called Realm. We believe this software will make it easier for the Cathedral both to maintain volunteer lists and to communicate with those volunteers as needed, and we plan to launch it later this year. One thing that we have not yet achieved is the ability to distribute volunteering more evenly across the parish. Therefore, I am happy to have Mr. Steve Meystrik joining us on a regular basis, starting in January, to specifically oversee our volunteer coordination efforts. I am also grateful for the many parishioners who have been willing to become Virtus compliant since all of our volunteer ministries essentially require this compliance.
The second goal of our current plan is to implement a new youth group for high-school-aged members. Although we have not been able to complete this goal, we plan to begin it. Mrs. Julie Gramlich, Mrs. Barb Prasad and I are assisting Ms. Anna Porting, our new Director of Youth Ministry, planning and preparing ways to engage our junior-high and high-school-aged youth more frequently at the Cathedral. One of the consistent topics of discussion among priests, school faculty, and the laity is the absence of our youth at Sunday Masses. The Parish invests heavily in Catholic education to prepare future leaders for the Church, and we want to see a fruitful return on that investment. And so does our Lord! We will keep you informed of our ideas as they develop and are implemented.
Once again, please accept my sincere thanks for your prayers, support, and faithfulness as disciples of Christ.
Rev. Louis M. Nelen, Pastor & Rector
What Identifies a Steward?
Safeguarding material and human resources and using them responsibly are one answer; so is generous giving of time, talent, and treasure. But being a Christian steward means more. As Christian stewards, we receive God's gifts gratefully, cultivate them responsibly, share them lovingly in justice with others, and return them with increase to the Lord.
We plant seeds, knowing they hold hope for the future. We lay foundations, knowing much building must follow. There is a sense of liberation, however, in realizing this. We can do something, and we can do it very well. We can take the first step in making a difference, knowing that we may never see the end of the road, the results of our actions, the recipients of our giving. We receive and offer the gift of hope. The harvest will come.
Many of our days are spent "growing dirt," preparing the soil for future plantings. That is an act of hope. We know we are only workers, not the Master Gardner. Accepting the gifts of silence, light, the guiding Spirit and hope, we are co-creators of the future, which is in God's hands.
Pillars of Stewardship
The four pillars of stewardship are Hospitality, Prayer, Formation and Service. These pillars invite parishioners to experience, witness and live the stewardship way of life in response to their baptismal call to discipleship. Each baptized person is called to give of time, talent and treasure to strengthen these four pillars that support the parish community – your parish community.
Supporting the Cathedral of St. Joseph with your time and talent and treasure:
Parishioners are asked to renew their commitment of time, talent and treasure each year. Print this form or email info@cathedraljc.org and we will email a fillable form to you.
Stewardship 2023 Form
The fact we are Catholic is not only manifested in the beauty of our churches; it is in our daily living as generous stewards.
I invite you to consider the ways in which you make room for God in your life through your personal, ongoing faith formation; by your active charitable works; and by personal prayer and active participation in Mass.
Be not afraid to give yourself to Christ by being a generous steward. You will not regret it.