Welcome to our Virtual Stewardship Office
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My church is composed of people like me. I help make it what it is. It will be friendly, if I am. Its pews will be filled, if I help fill them. It will do great work, if I work. It will make generous gifts to many causes, if I am a generous giver. It will bring other people into its worship and fellowship, if I invite and bring them. It will be a church of loyalty and love, of fearlessness and faith, and a church with a noble spirit, if I, who make it, am filled with these same things. Therefore, with the help of God, I shall dedicate myself to the task of being all the things that I want my church to be.
Welcome,
Thank you for taking time today in visiting our virtual Stewardship Office. It is our hope that the resources provided on this site will be of some help.
Stewardship is a high priority in our Diocese under the leadership of Bishop McManus. The U.S. Bishops’ pastoral letter of 1992, “Stewardship: A Disciple’s Response,” reinforces our commitment to work towards educating and assisting parishes and individuals in adopting this way of life.
I have had the privilege of visiting and meeting with 60 pastors and parish councils sharing ideas on Stewardship. Responses from these meetings have been inspiring! As you may know, Stewardship is life-giving. The Pastoral Letter on Stewardship, A Disciple’s Response states… “it all begins with a conversion of heart and mind.”
Our diocese, like many around our country, has specific and unique challenges. Many feel it has a lot to do with where we are located as a region; nevertheless, our universal and common link as baptized Catholics while we live on earth is that each of us should strive to be better Disciples of Christ. Stewardship, in fact, can be that catalyst for all of us. A renewal, if we choose to allow it, can awaken the soul to radically fall in love again with Christ or to come closer in relationship with Him.
We will be happy to assist the pastor and stewardship committee in this discernment and will provide complimentary materials for implementation and renewal for each process. I will be happy to make a presentation on stewardship to your parish council / stewardship committee.
God Bless you!
Michael Gillespie, Stewardship Director
508-929-4368
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the "Father of Stewardship"