Parishioners Learn Ways to Share Their Time, Talents and Treasure at Stewardship Day

By Linda Busetti and Ed Wilkinson

If Jesus Christ walked the earth today, He would have His own radio station, be on television every evening, and have a presence on the Internet.

That was one observation by Bishop Robert Morneau, the keynote speaker at the diocesan Stewardship Day held Oct. 27 at Immaculate Conception Center, Douglaston.

Linda Busetti and Ed Wilkinson Photos 

Bishop Morneau made that point to explain how Jesus would make the most of the gifts and opportunities that God gives to build up His Kingdom and that making the most of every situation is simply good stewardship.

About 375 people participated in the day which was sponsored by the diocesan Office of Stewardship and Development. It opened with an 8:30 a.m. Mass celebrated by Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio, breakfast, and the keynote talk. Workshops on various themes were held throughout the day.

Bishop Morneau, an auxiliary bishop and parish pastor from Green Bay, WI., spoke about the spirituality of stewardship.

“Everything we have is a gift,” he said. “We are called to give back to God.”

Many times, he said, people take their gifts and talents for granted because “we are so blessed.”

He described the saints as people who recognized they had gifts, then developed them, shared them, and in so doing changed the world.

Sometimes, he claimed, people do not recognize their talents. He asked the congregation “When are you happiest?” and suggested that happiness involves using one’s own gifts.

He urged people to spend time doing what makes them happy. “Do not stay out of your gifted area for too long,” he urged.

Bishop Morneau explained that he often challenges Confirmation recipients “to give back one hour a week to the Lord for the rest of your lives” by going to Mass on Sunday. He further challenged his listeners to spend 20 minutes a day, reading the Bible, saying some prayers, or doing a work of charity like visiting a nursing home.

“The concept of stewardship has tremendous power,” he said. “It has the power to change one’s life and destiny.”
Once people discover their own talents and make a decision to use them for the kingdom, Bishop Morneau said, they must then develop them and that can be demanding.

He explained that being caretakers of God’s gifts demands that people take good care of their physical beings, their family and friends, the condition of the earth, their mental health, and they cultivate their minds with the best books, music, and art.

“Don’t settle for good,” he said, “read only the best.”
Stewardship also demands making the best use of our financial resources. Some people, he claimed, think stewardship is all about donating money, but he insisted that money is only part of the larger response of being a disciple.

“Stewardship is a disciple’s response, moving from self-centeredness to self-giving, from narcissism to being outward-going,” he said.

He quoted author Michael Mayne, “His (Jesus) is a vision of a world in which people are more concerned with giving than with having, with sharing than with possessing, with serving than with being served…”

Following the keynote address, three workshop sessions focused on Discovery, Discernment and Discipleship.
Each session had a track for pastors, laity and young people.

Before Session 1: Discovery, Arnie Fusco of Our Lady of Angels, Bay Ridge, shared with Alfred Nagler of St. Mary Mother of Jesus, Bensonhurst, ideas for meeting the challenges of stewardship in changing neighborhoods.
They then heard Mark Dollhopf’s presentation on “The Psychology of Giving.” Dollhopf, executive director of the Association of Yale Alumni, said the reason people “don’t give” is “they don’t feel involved…. When they know you are changing lives then they will give.”

“We don’t know how to do this,” one pastor told Dollhopf.

Dollhopf commiserated with pastors, saying sometimes they may “feel more like a dentist than a priest” having to extract money. “If people are not engaged, they do not give…. In a world that needs changing, how are you engaging people? Do they feel like they are making a difference?”

Teens from St. Gregory the Great parish, Crown Heights, listened carefully to their parish administrator, Father Caleb Buchanan, tell about his own vocation in a session for young people.

Father Buchanan spoke about his discovery of his own vocation to the priesthood.

“You’re going to come to key moments in your lives that are filled with decision-making and that’s when you find out the most about yourself,” he said.

“Stewardship is the discovery of the joy of the peace Jesus has for everyone of us and how to give back to everyone else the joy and peace you have found in yourself.

“To be alive as a disciple of Jesus means that you spend your life taking care of God’s Kingdom, God’s children, and God’s people.”

In order to discover Jesus, Father Buchanan suggested that young people “make space for God and stop all the noise so Jesus can talk to you.”

“You’re plugged in too much,” he suggested, referring to iPods and cell phones.

He recommended that young people attend weekly Mass, even if their parents do not.

“Give something back to God so that someone else can see the Kingdom joy of God.

“The best way to take care of yourself is by taking care of someone else in Jesus’ name.”

He called upon them to use their talents by singing and dancing and joining the parish choir, and to share their treasures by making donations in the church collection. “You have to learn the meaning of the word sacrifice,” he said.

When they share with others, their own sense of self-worth “will go through the roof,” said Father Buchanan.

“Beginning the Journey – Stewardship 101” by Father Joseph Agostino of St. John the Baptist, Bedford-Stuyvesant, was presented in the chapel in English, Spanish and Haitian with simultaneous translation by Sister Alice Michael, SUSC, and Father Hilaire Belizaire. Jenny Ortiz of the parish stewardship committee offered practical advice. She said you know that stewardship is working when you see changes in the life of the parish – the youth visiting a nursing home, “the evangelization committee knocking on doors” or children collecting food in CCD class. “That is a stewardship effort when you see it flowing in and out of your ministry. Then you have a stewardship parish, not just a stewardship team.”

Theresa Facciuto, a parishioner of Ascension parish, Elmhurst for 30 years, joined sisters, Rosa and Rosita Tan at lunch. They fill many roles in their parish – lectors, choir, counting the envelopes, etc. As in many parishes, it’s the same parishioners who wear many hats. They agreed that it is important to make new people feel welcome and to get them involved.

After lunch, in Session 2: Discernment, Al Winesman of the Gallup Organization, offered practical advice to pastors on “Strengths-Based Leadership.” College Hall was full for “Como le dedueldo al Senor lo que me ha dado?” presented in Spanish by Father Angel Ciappi from Puerto Rico.

Meanwhile, in McEntegart Hall, Angela Louis, DRE from St. Bonaventure-St. Benedict, Jamaica, challenged the youth to let God transform their “attitudes” so they can “go and serve God.”

In the chapel, Msgr. Joseph Malagreca, pastor of Holy Cross, Flatbush, encouraged the audience to discern their stewardship gifts through prayer, considering what “you find joy in,” and asking others to point out your strengths.

Final talks focused on Discipleship. Father Larry Searles, SJ, presented a session, “El Caminar del Discipulo,” in Spanish to a full auditorium in College Hall. In the chapel, Patricia Leonard shared a prayer that “as disciples…we are able to live the vision of Jesus.”

In Room D, Msgr. John Bracken, Vicar for Temporalities, introduced Darla Romfo, president and CEO of the Children’s Scholarship Fund, noting the large number of children in Catholic schools in the diocese who benefit from these scholarships as part of a “wonderful partnership.”

On the youth track, Manuel Rodriguez of St. Teresa of Avila, S. Ozone Park, had the young people on their feet and roleplaying to examine what makes a good steward.
In Room 134, Auxiliary Bishop Guy Sansaricq sat at one end of a long oblong table for a discussion on Discipleship in Haitian.

Evaluations of the day were filled out, but the learning did not have to end there. Arnie Fusco was among those who plan to follow up with the Pastoral Institute Lay Leadership Formation Program. The Stewardship Elective, will be presented Nov. 10, Dec. 1 and Jan. 12, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., at St. John the Baptist Church, Bedford-Stuyvesant.

For more information, contact Marion Albaugh, Office of Stewardship and Development, 718-965-7300 ext. 1604.

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Bishop Morneau’s
Stewardship Prayer

Generous and loving God,
You call us to be disciples of your Son Jesus
and good stewards of all your many gifts.

Open our minds and hearts to a greater
awareness and deeper appreciation
of your countless blessings.

Transform us through the power of your Spirit
to nurture a Stewardship way of life
marked by faith-filled prayer,
service to our neighbor,
and generous sharing.

Teach us to be faithful servants of your gifts.
With Mary’s help, may we return ten-fold
the gifts entrusted to us.
We pray through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

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