May 2021
ST. VINCENT de PAUL
CATHOLIC PARISH
Meet Amy and Jackie Minton A Mother-Daughter Stewardship Journey
W Inside
3 Pentecost: The “Birth” of Stewardship
4 Stewardship Committee Invites Parishioners to Live their Faith Daily
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The Bible The Textbook of Stewardship
7 Women’s Guild
Continues Serving Faithfully During Pandemic
5819 W. Pleasant Ridge Rd. Arlington, TX 76016 (817) 478-8206 www.svdpcc.org
hen the going gets tough, Amy Minton is grateful to know that her Heavenly Mother will always be at her side — ready to lift up her heart, ease her mind, and refresh her soul. “I often pray to the Blessed Mother to give me the strength I need just to accept what is going on around me with my own children, as well as with my whole family,” Amy says. “Mary gave us such a beautiful example in how she turned her life over to God. I try to trust Him with everything that is thrown in my path, as we all have our trials and tribulations.” May is the month when we celebrate Mothers Day and honor the Blessed Virgin Mary as the Mother of the Church. And as she mothers her two children, Jackie and Nicholas, Amy seeks to walk in the footsteps of Our Lady, who served God generously and wholeheartedly. “I hope to imitate the Blessed Mother by trusting in the Lord and always trying to say ‘yes’ to the behaviors that He wants to see in me,” Amy says. “I always want to be the best person I can be, and be humble and obedient to God’s will as Mary was. I also hope to help my children develop a relationship with God, and teach them to turn to Him so that He can help them in every situation in their lives.” Over the years, Amy and her husband, Jesse, have sought to pass down the gift of faith to their children. “Jesse and I have always put church first,” Amy says. “When the children were growing up, we took them to Sunday Mass regularly, and we got involved in our parish however we could. We taught Religious Education, were involved with Vacation Bible School and helped with Confirmation retreats. I led Jackie’s Girl Scout troop as well, which always met at our parish. All of these things gave an example to our children and showed them how important our faith was.” continued on page 2
Amy Minton and family hike at Fall Creek Falls, Tennessee
ST. VINCENT de PAUL A Mother-Daughter Stewardship Journey continued from front cover Amy is also a member of the Women’s Guild, participates in a Bible study group, and enjoys helping out with the Fall Festival. She also coordinates Noreen’s Nourishment Ministry, which brings meals to families dealing with long-term-care oncology situations at Cook Children’s Medical Center. Looking back, Amy sees that she and Jesse are now reaping the fruit of their efforts. “Church has become very important to both of our children,” Amy says. “I believe that role- modeling is the best way to get your children to be involved in their faith.” Amazingly, Jackie continually inspires Amy to follow Christ and embrace the Catholic faith with enthusiasm and courage. “Jackie has always been such a beautiful example of love, and her devotion to her faith really sets an example for me,” Amy says. “While she was young, I showed her how to live out the Catholic faith, and now she shows me! Jackie goes to daily Mass, is kind to those around her, and doesn’t talk badly about others. She always speaks the truth and is not afraid to stand up for what she believes.” After high school, Jackie had an enriching experience serving with the National Evangelistic Team, or NET. “It taught her a lot about getting along with people and accepting everyone as God’s child,” Amy says. “During her time with NET, she also learned how to reach out to others and share her faith.” Recently, Jackie graduated from Belmont University with a degree in music. She is a songwriter and performer who just released her first album. “Jackie’s music lands somewhere between Ingrid Michaelson and Joni Mitchell — indie-folk, leaning more towards folk,” Amy says. “She writes songs that give encouragement and talk to peoples’ hearts.”
Enjoying a guided tour of the San Diego Zoo
Nick, Amy, Jesse, and Jackie enjoying breakfast at First Watch
“I hope to imitate the Blessed Mother by trusting in the Lord and always trying to say ‘yes’ to the behaviors that He wants to see in me. I always want to be the best person I can be, and be humble and obedient to God’s will as Mary was. I also hope to help my children develop a relationship with God, and teach them to turn to Him so that He can help them in every situation in their lives.” — Amy Minton 2
A Letter From Our Pastor
The “Birth” of Stewardship
Dear Parishioners,
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s we celebrate the Feast of Pentecost on May 23, which is one of the most significant events in the life of the Church, I can’t help but relate the outpouring of the gift of the Holy Spirit upon the first disciples as “the birth of stewardship.” As a stewardship parish, we have come to understand it in our personal lives and our parish life as the work of the Holy Spirit, active and inspiring us to be the disciples Jesus called us to be, just as He did those very first disciples. It just makes sense to once again realize and acknowledge the work of the Holy Spirit in our decisions to be authentic disciples of Jesus Christ. As every parent knows, birth brings new life to every family, and the “birth of stewardship” here in our parish has brought new life to us, personally and communally, and continues to do so. We had a “Pentecost event” when the message of stewardship was first brought to our parish, and it hasn’t been the same since. Many curious people of our parish and from around the country ask the question, “How did all of this begin?” The only answer is, “moved by conversion, we knew stewardship was going to be the ‘plan’ for our future as disciples and as a parish.” It makes sense. For some, like me, it took a conversion of sorts to move us from unbelievers to believers, and from fear or suspicion to courage and confidence in the values and ideals of stewardship. Reading the accounts of the Acts of the Apostles, it wasn’t much different for them. Their experience is our experience and continues to encourage us to be open to the Holy Spirit at work in our lives. That “Spirit” renews the
“Pentecost event” in each of us, as we practice discipleship as we know it through the stewardship way of life. Also, as with each new birth, the life that begins needs to be nourished, nurtured and loved. Through our understanding of the four pillars of parish stewardship — hospitality, prayer, formation and service — we each are called to nourish, nurture and love our parish family with the gifts we bring to each other. And without ever really knowing how much of an impact we have on each other’s spiritual lives, we trust the Holy Spirit to continue the “good work of faithful stewardship” in each of us and to those around us. Isn’t that what the first Pentecost event started, and isn’t that what you see in our parish, especially since our own “birth of stewardship”? God has blessed our parish family and continues to do so, as the Holy Spirit continues to pour out gifts upon us and send us forth to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ. As we grow and mature in our stewardship efforts, how fortunate we are that the stewardship way of life has become our way of life. May we always give thanks to God for the Holy Spirit’s gift to each of us — for, when we do, it seems only natural to be inspired to live discipleship as it was intended to be lived in the first disciples and in each of us. Sincerely yours in Christ,
Fr. Philip Brembah Pastor
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ST. VINCENT de PAUL
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Stewardship Committee Invite
n 1992, when the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops composed Stewardship: A Disciple’s Response, the introduction to this pastoral letter served as a wonderful description of why stewardship is such an important part of living as an intentional disciple of Jesus: “Stewardship is an expression of discipleship, with the power to change how we understand and live out our lives. Disciples who practice stewardship recognize God as the origin of life, the giver of freedom, the source of all they have and are and will be.”
Ministry leaders at the 2020 Ministry Fair
Ministry information available at the annual Ministry Fairs, hosted by our Stewardship Committee
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In order to reinforce our dedication to stewardship here at St. Vincent de Paul, our parish has a Stewardship Committee. This group seeks to help the church reach out to parishioners and make active discipleship a part of their everyday lives. As Director of Stewardship and Ministry Renée Bader explains, there are various ways our Stewardship Committee fulfills this mission. “The Stewardship Committee’s role is to help the parishioners in our parish learn to live out true stewardship the way Christ intended it to be,” Renée says. “In our meetings, we discuss the needs of the parish and see what we can do to help out. We do our annual renewal at the end of January and early February, and we host ministry fairs. We also host an annual stewardship retreat.” This year’s retreat was held last month using a virtual format. With the global pandemic forcing many of us to find new ways to live out our faith at home, the retreat theme — “Starting Stewardship in Your Home” — was especially timely. As Renée points out, true stewardship is about learning how to serve God in your circumstance. At St. Vincent de Paul, we are blessed to have many parishioners who have chosen to follow this stewardship way of life. Since our Stewardship Committee was first formed in 2017, parish life at St. Vincent de Paul has continued to blossom. “It is growing,” Renée says. “This parish has always been a very active parish and very service-oriented, so we’re good at going out and being there for the community. But since we’ve been working on stewardship, we have a lot more people stepping up and willing to do things. “I’ve also definitely seen a difference in the prayer life of the church,” she adds. “We’re starting to see more people show up before Mass for the Rosary in May and October, and the fact that Fr. Philip arrives early for Reconciliation and still doesn’t have enough time to get through everybody — those things are a great testament to how stewardship is changing the hearts and lives of parishioners.”
s Parishioners to Live their Faith Daily “We’re starting to see more people show up before Mass for the Rosary in May and October, and the fact that Fr. Philip arrives early for Reconciliation and still doesn’t have enough time to get through everybody — those things are a great testament to how stewardship is changing the hearts and lives of parishioners.” — Renée Bader, Director of Stewardship and Ministry Moving forward from this year’s renewal period, the Stewardship Committee hopes to continue growing and helping the parish spread the message about the beauty and rewards found in the commitment to share of our time, talent and treasure in thanks for God’s abundant blessings. “We’re blessed with the group we have right now, but we’re definitely looking to add a few people to add to that,” Renée says. “We have people who are new to the parish and have young children, some who have been here a while and have teenagers, and some who have been here almost from the beginning of the parish”. “It is great to have completely different viewpoints on the parish,” Renée adds. “It really helps to get that perspective. Having the Stewardship Committee helps give me a better picture of what the needs are of the parishioners, from the pews of the church. We are looking
The annual Ministry Fair, hosted by our Stewardship Committee
The 2020 Ministry Fair
for individuals from all walks of life because we truly want the ministry to be a good snapshot of our parish.”
If you are interested in learning more about the Stewardship Committee here at St. Vincent de Paul, please contact Renée Bader, Director of Stewardship and Ministry, at 817-478-8206, ext. 204, or rbadersvdpcc.org. 5
ST. VINCENT de PAUL The Bible
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The Textbook of Stewardship
ave you ever wished that life came with an instruction manual? What a valuable resource that would be! Whenever you find yourself running in circles, this instruction manual would give you step-by-step instructions on how to fix the problem and reroute your course. Well, here’s some good news. For those living a Christian life, there is such a manual — the Bible. Sometimes referred to as the “textbook of stewardship,” the Bible is a bountiful resource for the presentday Christian. Written by anointed prophets and sages, this collection of divinely inspired parables, poems and letters is full of testimonials that express the blessings that come from true discipleship, conveyed through lives of stewardship. Stewardship is not a new concept. The Bible gives proof to this claim through passages such as the 26th chapter of the Book of Deuteronomy. We read Moses’ words, as he tells the Israelites to offer the choicest portions of their harvest to God: “When you have come into the land which the LORD, your God, is giving you as a heritage, and have taken possession and settled in it, you shall take some
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first fruits of the various products of the soil which you harvest from the land the LORD, your God, is giving you; put them in a basket and go to the place which the LORD, your God, will choose as the dwelling place for his name… ‘Now, therefore, I have brought the first fruits of the products of the soil which you, LORD, have given me.’ You shall set them before the LORD, your God, and you shall bow down before the LORD, your God” (Dt 26:1-2, 10). St. Paul briefly touches on the essence of stewardship when he said, “In every way I have shown you that by hard work of that sort we must help the weak, and keep in mind the words of the Lord Jesus who himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’” (Acts 20:35). Again, in St. Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, we read about living a life of Christian stewardship: “Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Cor 9:6-7). While this is well and good, what does it mean for the present-day Christian? Why should it matter that
the Bible alludes to stewardship in various passages? It shows us that Christians and Jews have struggled with and benefitted from the concept of stewardship for thousands of years. It ties the message of stewardship to the role of a Christian disciple. It gives proof that stewardship and discipleship go hand-in-hand. It offers encouragement to us, that stewardship is in fact a foundational component of the Christian life, a way of life that one of the founding fathers of the Church — St. Paul — preached about and advocated. The Bible is indeed the textbook of stewardship. It lays out the steps we must take to become true disciples of Christ. Reading and meditating upon God’s Word is always a fruitful exercise. Those who regularly delve into Scripture often develop a deeper understanding of Who God is, how and why He loves us, and how we can show Him our love in return. As you strive to become a grateful steward and live the life of Christian discipleship, develop a love for Sacred Scripture. Allow God’s Word to nourish your soul regularly, and watch as stewardship changes from a foreign concept to an integral component of your daily life.
Women’s Guild
Continues Serving Faithfully During Pandemic
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efore the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the St. Vincent de Paul faith community was busy — of course, we gathered for Mass, as well as for many ministry meetings and fundraising events. In March 2020, all of this came to an abrupt halt. If we’ve learned anything over this past year, it’s just how important our family and friends are to us. We’ve also come to have an even fuller appreciation for our brothers and sisters in Christ. The members of the Women’s Guild at St. Vincent de Paul can’t wait to get back to the face-to-face fellowship very soon. Although they’ve continued with virtual meetings, via the Zoom video conferencing platform, it can never fully replace being in the same room together. “We are hopeful that we will be able to start meeting again in person at some capacity this fall, if not the first part of 2022,” says Janice
Members gather for a 2019 Women’s Guild meeting.
Carter, current Women’s Guild President. “ In the meantime, we still are doing good work for our parish and our community as best we can.” The members of the Women’s Guild at St. Vincent de Paul focus on service and fellowship. Any
“We seek to serve our members and their families, so that they may come together to learn about, to grow in love and respect for, and to care for each other and our Savior. We seek to offer a family environment by extending our hearts, hands and prayers to others in times of need, sickness, grief, joy and happiness so that the love of Jesus may take on a real and physical nature.” — Janice Carter, Women’s Guild President
woman, 18 or older, is welcome in the Women’s Guild. There are currently 120 members. Before the pandemic, members met at 6:30 p.m. on the third Monday of each month in the Johnson Activity Center for a meal followed by a program or activity. During some months, they have prepared for upcoming events — in September, members have worked on the baskets they sell at the Parish Picnic, and in March, they have stuffed Easter eggs for the annual egg hunt. Before Lent, they have also held a special Reconciliation event. During May, they place special flowers on the altar to honor Mary. “In May, we also honor a mother or grandmother with a new baby in continued on back cover
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ST. VINCENT de PAUL 5819 W. Pleasant Ridge Rd. Arlington, TX 76016 (817) 478-8206 www.svdpcc.org
MASSES Saturday Vigil: 5:30 p.m. Sunday: 9 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. Weekdays: (M/T/Th/Fr) 8:45 a.m. in the church
(Wed) 6:00 p.m. in the church
Holy Days: 8:45 a.m. and 7 p.m. Confessions: Saturday: 4-5 p.m. in the chapel
Women’s Guild the family with a ceramic cross given out at a meeting,” Janice says. The Women’s Guild exists to serve the community and parish financially, as well as through prayer. It also provides important social opportunities, as members are there for one another in times of sadness, joy, and everything in between. “We seek to serve our members and their families, so that they may
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come together to learn about, to grow in love and respect for, and to care for each other and our Savior,” says Janice, who got involved when she moved here from the Houston area. “We seek to offer a family environment by extending our hearts, hands, and prayers to others in times of need, sickness, grief, joy, and happiness so that the love of Jesus may take on a real and physical nature.”
The Women’s Guild also assists with altar flowers, and the group pays for liturgical and baptismal garments. Their annual tea fundraiser benefits the St. Vincent de Paul Society. They also support, through funds and work, Catholic Charities, Arlington Pregnancy Center, Open Arms Health Clinic, Beautiful Feet Ministry, Meals on Wheels, and the Sisters of St. Mary Namur, to name a few.
If you would like to get involved in the Women’s Guild, please contact Cathy Buckingham at 817-229-2590 or Cathy.Buckingham@sbcglobal.net.