Fr. Steve Zabala Reports on CTK Stewardship Parish 2018 Performance
Fr. Steve Zabala used all of the weekend masses of March 2 and 3 to report on the use of stewardship donations for 2018. Fr. Steve officiated in all the masses and deliberately shortened his homily so he could spend 10 minutes to report on how the Parish Pastoral Council had used the stewardship funds.
The Stewardship Committee had collected PhP 8.9M for 2018. Of this, 38% was turned over to the diocese as part of the CTK parish’s long-term commitment to channel roughly 40% of donations as financial assistance to: a) diocesan catechists working in the public elementary and high schools, b) the poorer parishes in the diocese, and c) subsidy for seminarians. Taking out 4% as part of its regular evangelization talks and promotional expenses, the Stewardship Committee allocated the remaining 58%, or PhP 5.1M to the PPC as its pastoral fund.
Fr. Steve proudly pointed out that 68%, or over two- thirds of the pastoral funds went to the various programs and projects of the Social Services and Development Ministry (SSDM), based on the Treasurer’s year-end report (enclosed). CTK’s social action advocacies include scholarships for high school and college students, feeding programs for the most malnourished public elementary school children, livelihood and skills training, medical and dental missions, prison apostolate, and catechism. For 2018, P2.3M was spent for financial assistance of the 150 or so scholars, under the aegis of Ladies of Charity and Knights of Columbus, the two implementing ‘agencies’ of SSDM for its scholarship program. Last year saw the very first UP graduate from the ranks of the CTK scholars.
Fr. Steve pointed out CTK’s seniors ministry, a.k.a. Sunrise Ministry, as well as the various youth programs – PREX Youth, Mustard Seed Ministry for pre- communicants, Days with the Lord, etc. He also noted the various formation and evangelization programs, such as the School of the Word, sponsored by Verbum Dei, and Rediscovering Our Catholic Faith, sponsored by Couples for Christ. Fr. Steve made sure to mention that CTK has more than 150 lectors and commentators, more than a hundred Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, more than 25 greeters and collectors, 45 altar servers, and 25 choirs, making it one of the largest, if not the largest liturgical group in the diocese.
Another aspect of CTK parish life that Fr. Steve pointed out is that CTK stages 10 masses every weekend, aside from the daily and weekly village masses, plus hosts several weddings and baptisms on a regular basis. CTK is also the most welcoming parish, through its Coffee After Church program, where parishioners who drop by for coffee and snacks get to find out how they can contribute their time, talent or treasure in the service of the parish community.
Fr. Steve acknowledged everyone’s contributions in 2018, not only financially through regular collections, second collections, and steward donations but also for the time and talent of the many lay volunteers that have enabled the various social action and evangelization programs of the parish and the diocese. He thanked the parishioners for being generous and being good stewards of the gifts that God had given everyone and giving life to the parish slogan, ‘Stewardship As a Way of Life’. He encouraged everyone to continue to contribute in 2019, and remain steadfast Stewards for God.
