The Spirituality of Stewardship

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The goal of stewardship is to increase the engagement of everyone in the life of their parish, inviting us all to become more involved in the myriad of different ways to serve others.

To learn more about the spirituality of stewardship, please watch this video message from Cardinal Collins:

Embracing Gratitude Webinar (originally aired on March 20, 2023, 9:30 - 11:00 a.m.)

As Cardinal Collins concluded his remarkable journey with us as our Archbishop, we recorded a video with him titled, "Embracing Gratitude". During the conversation, Cardinal Collins offered a closing reflection on the spirituality of stewardship. To watch the recording, click below.

Stewardship Reflections for Parish Bulletins

To assist parish communities in spreading the message of stewardship among the faithful, we have created stewardship reflections written in light of the weekly Sunday readings for Years A, B and C for use in parish bulletins, websites, and other relevant publications. If you do not have the space for the full reflection, a brief summary of it is included for your convenience.

Year A

Year B

Year C

Stewardship Prayer Card (with translations)

As children of God, prayer is central in our life of faith. If you would like a supply of stewardship prayer cards in English (which include the Prayer of St. Michael on the reverse) for your parish or group, please inquire by emailing us at formation@archtoronto.org. We would be pleased to send you a complementary supply, while quantities last. Translations of the stewardship prayer are below.

prayer card

Cardinal Collins' Pastoral Letter on Stewardship

We invite you to read Cardinal Thomas Collins' Pastoral Letter on Stewardship. The letter is both a reflective guide and an urgent exhortation for Catholics to be aware of God’s gracious gifts and to live fully, gratefully, in service to others.

The letter unpacks the meaning of “deep stewardship” in everyday Christian life: the acknowledgment that we have received everything from God, and are “asked to make good use of what has been entrusted to us” with “creativity and boldness” while regularly examining how we use the gifts God has given us.

In light of the Pastoral Plan, stewardship challenges us to a deeper conversion, both as individuals, and as a community, to give generously of our time, talent, and treasure, and to be totally, joyfully engaged in discipleship in both our parish home and the wider community as a whole.

To assist you, we have prepared some additional resources––whether you are sharing the letter in a parish, reading and discussing it in a group setting, or as an individual as spiritual reading. Some of these resources include: Prayers of the Faithful and bulletin announcements, points to facilitate a group discussion, suggested questions for personal reflection, an Examination of Conscience, etc.

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Translations of the Pastoral Letter on Stewardship

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Highlights

Cardinal Thomas Collins’ Pastoral Letter on Stewardship is organized into four sections.

Section One: The Meaning of Stewardship –– This section explores the reality that we are invited by God to be good stewards of His gifts. “If we truly have the spirit of stewardship, we will not let God’s gifts go to waste, and we will not selfishly cling to them, but use them graciously to serve others, and in doing so give glory to God.”
Section Two: The Spirituality of Deep Stewardship –– This section explores the concept that deep stewardship is not fundraising. “We can only be satisfied with deep stewardship, which means a profound inner conversion as individuals and as a community in which we become committed to living generously in every way, as the Gospel calls us to do.”
Section Three: Reasons to Become Involved in Stewardship –– The reasons being: it is Biblical, fruitful, realistic, comprehensive, continuous, proactive and it addresses the engagement dilemma. “Stewardship calls for nothing less than both individual and communal conversion, rooted in faith and fruitful in action.”
Section Four: The Way Forward –– To continue to develop vibrant parishes, it is key that we try to increase active engagement. "It is a lively faith family that challenges us as disciples to do great things for Jesus, in the spirit of the Acts of the Apostles."

Social Media

Help us spread the word about Cardinal Collins' Pastoral Letter on Stewardship on social media. Feel free to link back to our homepage Parish Vitality & Stewardship

Please use the hashtag #stewardshipTO

Don't forget to follow the Archdiocese of Toronto on

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

Prayers of the Faithful

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Based on the four sections of Cardinal Collins’ Pastoral Letter on Stewardship, see the PDF for some suggested Prayers of the Faithful that a parish can use to invite parishioners to prayerfully consider sharing their time and talent with their parish community for the enrichment of all.

Bulletin Announcements

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If a parish would like to invite parishioners to learn more about the spirituality of stewardship by reading Cardinal Collins’ Pastoral Letter, see the PDF for suggested text you can use in your bulletin.

Discussion Questions

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If you are reading Cardinal Collins’ Pastoral Letter on Stewardship in a parish group setting, see the PDF for some suggested questions and bullet points you can use to help facilitate a deeper conversation.

A Stewardship Examination of Conscience

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Questions for Personal Reflection

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See the PDF for some questions to assist one to prayerfully reflect upon their role as stewards in daily life.

If you have any questions, please contact

Quentin Schesnuik