Stewardship Ministry

Stewardship at Saint Margaret Mary
Here I am Lord, Is it I Lord?
I have heard You calling in the night.
I will go Lord, if You lead me.
I will hold Your people in my heart.
Welcome! Thank you for visiting us.

What is stewardship?

It is the response of a disciple of Christ for the blessings and graces received. Bishop Clark wrote at Thanksgiving time, November 2005, quoting Bishop Robert Morneau of the Diocese of Green Bay, “gratitude is the cornerstone of Stewardship. All is gift for those who see life with the eyes of faith.”

Is this something new?

It is as old as the Bible. In Genesis (22:1), “God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.”” This is the ancient Hebrew response of the good servant. It is a response found repeatedly in the Old and New Testaments. In 1992, the Catholic bishops of the United States issued a pastoral letter titled Stewardship: A Disciple’s Response. 'Stewardship' is the reply to God’s call.

Why is stewardship necessary now?

Many things change with time. The workplace and business have changed with globalization and restructuring. Health services have changed with new medical procedures and medicines. Finances have changed with 401K plans and debit cards. The way we communicate has changed, allowing you to read this message electronically. Our faith community must also change. We need to renew ourselves to be better stewards of God’s gifts to us.

How do we respond to God’s call?

We can respond individually: contemplatively (in prayer) and actively (by doing 'good works'). We can respond as a faith community: contemplatively (in the Mass) and actively (through parish ministries). Stewardship embraces all of these–all the ministries we currently have in our parish. It seeks to make us aware of our personal calling and the calling given to our faith community. We are called to prayer and to help each other.

Why do we want to do this?

The writer Anna Quindlen, in her June 2000 commencement address at Villanova University, expressed it simply: "...if you do not do good, too, then doing well will never be enough". Success in this world is not measured by doing ‘well’, rather by answering God’s call. Stewardship is the disciple’s response to that call.

What is the plan?

About eight of your fellow parishioners have been meeting monthly since April 2007. We have a plan encouraging all to participate in the steward’s journey through life using the gifts given to us by God to do good for others.
We are a small group, with busy schedules, like yours. We seek your help and support. Join us in our Stewardship Prayer.
If you are ready, click here to join us on our journey.
To learn more about our Stewardship team, click here.
The group leader is: Marie Bianchi (click to send an email)