STEWARDSHIP - A WAY OF LIFE

My name is Mary Jane Jones. I would like to share with you my journey as a disciple of the Lord.

In October 2002 your Pastoral Council began discussing the possibility of preparing and presenting to the Parish an in-depth study of the American Bishops' Pastoral Letter "Stewardship - A Disciple's Response." In January, your Pastoral Council together with the other parish leadership groups met in monthly retreats to study the Letter and to plan its implementation in our parish. The Mission in February 2004 was a part of this effort. This is not something new in the Church. It is part of our Judeo-Christian heritage. The Letter itself is 12 years old and based on Hebrew and Christian scripture. And we are not alone in this endeavor. Other parishes in the Archdiocese have already taken this spiritual Journey successfully and others are just now beginning their journey. At this year's stewardship convention we heard about a parish in Georgia whose parishioners consciously embraced stewardship as a way of life more than 10 years ago with growing success every year and great spiritual benefit to all. As I listened to the story of that parish I heard echoes of my own church, and wanted more for it.

Like St. Paul's friend Timothy, my journey began through my parents. My parents were Italian immigrants. They expected the six of us youngsters to be civilized, disciplined, studious, respectful, responsible and loyal to the Church. If we earned money in outside jobs, part of it was put into our own Sunday envelope at church and the rest in a school bank account for university. Mother was the heart of our home. Besides all the things that mothers usually do, she was a daily communicant, said the rosary daily out loud after dinner and we were expected to take part. She attended every wedding and funeral in the parish. Do you know that those concerned were touched that she cared enough to be there and always mentioned her in later years. After my father died she became a member of the Third Order of St. Francis, the Franciscan lay organization. She followed the rule for lay members religiously and then elected to be buried in her habit, a privilege the Franciscans extended to their lay members. After all these years, my brothers, sister, and I still talk about her example. Did we think of it as discipleship or stewardship? Hardly. At the time we just thought of it as Italian. I suspect that many of you had similar experiences and just didn't think of them as stewardship.

Years passed and a door opened. My husband and I moved into the Juanita area with three parishes to choose from. I joined St. John Mary Vianney Parish and fell in love. Ministry began almost immediately and has continued to this day. It was not always easy. Sometimes it took a lot of work. There was a whole new body of music to learn, how to prepare the environment, how to read properly, how to design an evening prayer service, how to build a parish campus, how to maintain a building, how to research art objects, and on and on. From all that I gave, what did I receive? More than I ever imagined. The reward was in the doing, in the realization of all the efforts of a team as we worked together to accomplish a goal.

In the market place before retiring. I took a position in a skilled nursing facility and saw the face of God in the health providers and the 1,200 patients admitted every year for nine years. My favorites were the long term care residents, who many times did not have family and were so appreciative of even a "good morning" or "see you tomorrow" or a caress on the cheek. It broke my heart when the facility was closed because of bottom line considerations.

Along the way my prayer life gained depth and I began a lifelong conversation and ever deepening relationship with God.

Only recently have I realize that I had witnessed stewardship as a child and have been practicing stewardship as a way of life. I have been a member of this parish for 30 years, 25 were a celebration of ministry. Fifteen years ago a parishioner introduced me to tithing and another door opened. Currently I serve on your Pastoral Council, your Stewardship Commission, the Art and the Facilities Committees. It may seem like a lot, but it doesn't feel that way. Each of these bodies meets once a month for 2 hours each, a total of 8 hours. There is room for more and I have just recently signed up for retraining as a Eucharistic minister. I still have plenty of time for family and friends, outside interests, my little house and awesome garden and even myself. It has not always been easy, but whatever was needed was always there. Sometimes quite different than I expected. God is always exceedingly generous and I have always received much more than I have given.

God only asks that we acknowledge Him as the author of all that we are and all that we have. We are asked to receive the gifts given to us gratefully, to develop them, to share them with others - especially those in need - and then return them to Him. This is the meaning, the reality of our Parish Mission Statement and the Stewardship Prayer. I urge you to read them every day. I also encourage each of you to develop your own personal mission statement. Mine is right out of the old Baltimore Catechism. "To know, to love, and to serve God in this world, and be happy with Him in the next." After my prayers I always add the request that God help me to become the person He intended me to be. I have discovered that Christian stewardship is the way for me to become that person.