Seven Attributes of a Healthy Stewardship Parish

Michael MurphyExecutive Director

International Catholic Stewardship Councilmmurphy@catholicstewardship.org

Eucharist

Center of our life of faith “Source and Summit” of our lives Expresses mystery of the Triune

God Shares death-resurrection of Jesus

Christ

Eucharistic Insights

Church constantly lives out Christ’s dying and rising

Paschal mystery unfolds in our lives as we grow in faith

Paschal mystery transforms our communities and local church

Our Eucharistic communion is missionary

We are mission-minded – faith is expressed in evangelization and service

Discerning the Spiritual Vitality of Our Community

Sacramental Strategic Sustainable

Sacramental Inquiry

How does our parish community celebrate the full spectrum of

the sacramental life of the Church?

Strategic Inquiry

How does our parish location and history affirm a need for

its abiding presence and ministry?

Sustainable Inquiry

How does our parish exercise good stewardship of its resources, sustaining all aspects of the

Church’s mission?

“The Church is a kind of Sacrament or “Mystery”; a sign and instrument of communion with God and of unity among people.”

- Dogmatic Constitution on the Church

The Parish: A Popular Understanding

A canonical structure An organized community with

geographic boundaries, generally

A place for worship and celebration of the sacraments

An umbrella organization for a variety of religious activities and voluntary organizations

The Parish: A Deeper Reality

A communion of faith which is to be a sign of Christ’s presence in the world

A communion of memory, rooted in the New Testament’s witness

A communion that nourishes a sense of global communion

A pilgrim communion that looks to the future, to the coming of the Kingdom of God

A communion that, through its prophetic speech and prophetic activity, offers solace, comfort, affirmation or tension

Seven Attributes of a Healthy Stewardship

Parish

I. Create and Maintain a Parish Vision

Review, critique and communicate the parish vision periodically.

Integrate the Parish Mission Statement in all major decisions.

Involve parishioners in the annual planning process.

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II. Provide a Quality Worship and Prayer Experience

Critique your Eucharistic celebrations periodically.

Conduct additional communal prayer experiences.

Provide adult faith formation.

III. Create an Atmosphere of Hospitality and Inclusiveness

Commission greeters to serve at Masses. Accommodate the physically impaired. Make time for parish social activities.

IV. Empower Parishioners

Allow parishioners to give input into parish decision-making.

Involve more parishioners in ministry. Extend personal invitations to parish

service and follow up promptly.

V. Enhance Parish Outreach Efforts

Create opportunities for evangelization.

Provide outreach to the poor. Raise awareness of community

needs.

VI. Ensure Accountability and Transparency

Report regularly on the condition of the parish.

Start a Stewardship Education Committee. Ensure adequate communications to the

parish.

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VII. Teach Stewardship

Introduce the parish to stewardship through a formal process.

Integrate stewardship formation in the life of the parish.

Ask parishioners to prayerfully consider their own responsibility to the parish family.

A Community Pleasing to Christ

A Community

That listens before speaking,Welcomes without judging,Forgives without condemning,Announces the Good News without denouncing.

A CommunityWhere the simplest of our sisters and brothers will understand what others are saying;where the wisest of our leaders will know that they don’t know everything; andwhere the entire family of faith is embraced.

A Community

Where the Holy Spirit will feel at home because everything hasn’t been foreseen,and no plans settled without prayer,decisions made without discernment,aspirations quelled in advance.

A Community

Where the audacity to do something newwill be stronger than the habit of doing thingsas they’ve always been done.

Seven Attributes of a Healthy Stewardship Parish

Michael MurphyExecutive Director

International Catholic Stewardship Councilmmurphy@catholicstewardship.org