Our Annual Stewardship Renewal: Discipleship in the Risen Christ

This time last year, a global pandemic had just begun changing the way people all over the world live — and worship. While St. Anthony of Padua, like all Catholic churches, had to adapt to new ways of serving God’s people, one thing remained the same — the strong faith of our parish family. With this year’s Stewardship Renewal upon us, we look forward to the continued spiritual growth that is sure to take place in our community.

While our annual Stewardship Renewal usually takes place in the fall, Fr. Tom Donovan decided to wait for the Easter season this year. As our country looks forward with hope this spring to a return to some normalcy, we have a special opportunity to reflect on our lives as disciples of Christ.

“Things have been dormant for a while, but everything is going to start coming alive again soon,” Fr. Tom says. “Literally, we are restarting everything, so this is a time that matches the season. We’re coming back to new life now, so let’s look at what the basis of that life is — it is our discipleship in the Risen Lord.”

Fr. Tom hopes that parishioners will take the time this spring to ground themselves in a deeper understanding of stewardship as a reflection of our desire to live as disciples of Christ. This approach to service is not focused on “doing” but on “being” — being followers of the Lord fully alive and in relationship with Him.

“We have a lot of people who are willing to do anything for us, but they understand it as a ‘doing, doing, doing,’ and philanthropy without spirituality is not stewardship,” Fr. Tom says. “Our deeds, worship, and service are tied to that relationship with God. Before stewardship, we need discipleship first. Then that turns into something holy, instead of doing something simply out of duty or because that is what your family did. So we’re encouraging people to look first at their relationship with God and being good disciples of Christ.”

In a particularly unique way this year, we are offered the opportunity to reflect on our spiritual lives after a prolonged time in the “desert.” With the COVID-19 crisis, many parishioners have begun to cherish the Mass and the sacraments, even more, having realized that we cannot take these gifts for granted.

As the Church celebrates the highest feast day of the year — the Resurrection of our Lord — it is the perfect time to open ourselves up to spiritual rebirth as recommitted disciples in the Risen Christ.

“For many people, it’s been a yearlong Lent, and we won’t take Easter for granted again,” Fr. Tom says. “This is an opportunity for us to go down deep into that spiritual well and hopefully rise up new and refreshed and different. Let’s rebuild our faith life and make sure we

give thanks to God for having seen us through this as a parish community. Of course, we mourn those we’ve lost, but we also give thanks for all those who made it through and take stock of what it means to be a disciple of Christ and one of His believers.”

Over the next weeks, Fr. Tom invites all parishioners to take some time to prayerfully consider committing to live as intentional disciples by engaging more fully in their faith.

“When you get the commitment card, don’t just fill it out and turn it in without thinking about it,” he says. “Maybe you do need to do something different now. Maybe after 10 years on one committee, it’s time to do something different. Maybe it’s time to give something different. So don’t short-circuit the process — make it a prayerful or even a ritual thing to go through this process, listen to the talks, think about it, and let yourself be convinced.”

By keeping a commitment to stewardship at the forefront, our community is sure to emerge from these unprecedented times with a strengthened and renewed devotion to living out our faith together as disciples in the Risen Christ!

The Easter Season And Our Stewardship Renewal

■ Easter Sunday Kickoff: Fr. Tom will preach on what it means to be a disciple of the Risen Lord

■ Second Week of Easter: Guest speaker on stewardship, TBA

■ Third Week of Easter: Lay witness talks at the Masses

■ Fourth Week of Easter: Commitment cards will be collected

■ Fifth Week of Easter: First Communion and Confirmation

The renewal theme will be carried through Pentecost, and we will also host an outdoor festival at a time and date to be announced.