Financial Stewardship

Today's Gospel invites us to reflect upon the understanding of stewardship. Jesus shows that a legitimate government exerts some obligations on its citizens. Correspondingly, God expects from us sacrificial giving in His name.

First, let me acknowledge that for you to come to church today means that God plays an essential role in your life. I want to thank you for being here and being involved at St. Catherine Labouré. Through your continued giving we have accomplished many things including maintaining our beautiful campus. The Renew, Revitalize, and Rejoice campaign that concluded a year and a half ago was successful and enabled us to improve most of our capital needs.

The ongoing To Teach Who Christ Is capital campaign will help attend to other capital needs including the gym roof which continues to leak. We also hope to change carpeting in the school and the church as well as perform rectory and convent repairs and maintain the parking lot. I thank you for your continued donations towards the To Teach Who Christ Is capital campaign. We will continue updating you on the progress of the campaign as well as encourage you to keep up with your pledges. If you have not been getting your updated monthly pledges, or if you think the pledges are not recorded as you directed, please contact me at the rectory or the campaign office in the Archdiocese of Chicago at 312-534-8500.

At the beginning of October, we posted the annual report in the bulletin that explains both sacramental and financial standings of the parish. This annual report as well as the Sunday contributions reports seek to show our transparency in reporting the finances and the ministries of the parish. The baptisms, weddings, and funerals have remained the same. Our youth program boasts of an estimated 54 interested teens while those who attend most of the youth activities total 25. Members of the parish council and I continue to reflect on ways we can increase active participation in the church. We are also aware that the Renew My Church program initiated by Cardinal Cupich will impact the ministries we host at St. Catherine Labouré. I will invite your input as soon as the Northbrook-Glenview grouping is asked to plan our collective implementation of Renew My Church.

Our Sunday collection has seen a slight increase. I encourage your regular and generous participation in the Sunday collection so that we can meet our operational needs. I thank those who have stepped up their stewardship participation each year which helps us keep pace with the yearly increase in the expenses. I encourage you to give serious thought to the amount you give to the church. I know that the traditional ten percent biblical tithing can be more than some can provide. However, I ask that whatever you have designated to be your church donation, you consider increasing to five percent and ten percent. I then respectfully ask that you make the percentage a priority to keep up with the commitment. Know that I am grateful for the generous gifts that we receive from the faithful parishioners all because you value this parish. May God continue to bless your generosity. Others spend time doing ministries all of which would require money to accomplish. Through volunteers, we save on expenses. Others give to other noble charitable organization all of which advance the message of the Gospel. I thank you for your time and for all that you do at St. Catherine. You genuinely know to give to God what belongs to God.

May God bless you and your family.

Fr. Maina
With you a Christian, for you a priest.