Stewardship at Christ the King Parish: Aging Gratefully

Missionn is not like a business transaction…The Holy Spirit works as He wills, when He wills, and where He wills; we entrust ourselves without pretending to see striking results. We know only that our commitment is necessary. – From Pope Francis’ Evangelii Gaudium.

This 2019, Christ the King Parish celebrates its 40th year and also its 14th year as a Stewardship Parish. Promoting the Spirituality of Stewardship began on September 17, 2005, when Bishop Honesto F. Ongtioco, D.D, was parish priest. The vision of the Stewardship Program was for the parish “to be a community where everyone is a witness to Christ’s call to stewardship as a way of life.” The mission was to “continuously evangelize the parish community on the Spirituality of Stewardship” and to “enable the parish community by providing them with the means to share their time, talent, and treasure.”

Stewardship is an expression of discipleship. It guides all our thoughts and actions. Stewardship is a Christian’s response to God’s infinite love for us.

Sustaining the program for 14 years and for the parish to have continued as it has for the past 40 years, would not have been possible without the Holy Spirit and the offering of time, talent, and treasure of all who serve in and come to the parish.

Activities were pursued to allow parishioners to grow in their understanding of Stewardship: from the holding of formation talks; to themed hand-outs and prayers of the faithful during masses; distribution of prayer cards and refrigerator magnets; fellowship with offerors; the publication of Stewardship booklets; designating the first Sunday of every month as Stewardship Sunday, and working with Village Coordinators/ Stewardship Promoters, among others.

The Stewardship Program provided support for the parish’s Gawad Kalinga Project, Pabahay ng Diocese, two runs of the 7 Habits of Highly Successful Families and reached out to the poor within and beyond the parish in our Year of the Poor Project.

Offerings of treasure likewise support the various ministries in Christ the King and in the Diocese of Cubao. These include support for: catechists and seminarians, poor parishes, feeding programs for children, prison apostolate, and financial assistance for scholars.

Stewardship is an expression of our gratitude for all that we have received. While the parish continues to share its blessings, the challenge is to be more faithful, faith-filled, and generous in the coming years. We look forward to growing more in our practice of Stewardship as a Way of Life. Through prayer and good works, the Holy Spirit will continue to touch all in different ways, each according to God’s plan for them. Through more Stewardship testimonials and activities, the parish aims to share more and take the lead in serving the Lord and our neighbor, not only within the parish, but also in the Diocese of Cubao and in the Philippines. With this, Christ the King Parish will continue to age gratefully and truly be a Parish for Others.

In a recollection talk, Fr. Ramon Maria Luza Bautista, SJ shared St. Ignatius of Loyola’s Suscipe (Receive):

“Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, and my entire will, All I have and call my own. You have given all to me. To you, Lord, I return it. Everything is yours; do with it what you will. Give me only your love and your grace, that is enough for me.”

Stewardship is realizing that all we have is a gift from the Lord. It is trusting Him with all that we have. We have been blessed so we may also bless others. As stewards and as a parish, may the Suscipe be the constant prayer of our lives and our hearts.