Diocese prepares to honor faithful Stewardship
By ETC staff
The Stewardship and Communications Office expects hundreds of nominations for the 2009 Faithful Steward Awards which will be given out this summer.
“We saw so many parishes and individuals stepping up to help those in need during the days following Hurricane Ike that I believe we will deluged with nominations, said Letty Lanza, director of Stewardship and Communications.
“In fact the phone calls about the nominations have already started. We are delaying the event until July to give parishes that have been busy with recovery efforts enough time to get their stuff together,” she said.
“I’m encouraging many of our parishes and missions to submit themselves for the parish award because they did outstanding things during the hurricane and have grown tremendously in their stewardship,” Lanza said.
Names of individuals for the Msgr. Richard DeStefano Faithful Steward Award can be submitted to the Stewardship and Communications Office for consideration. A selection committee will review entries for individuals prior to their nomination. A submission for nomination form will be on the diocesan website soon and in upcoming issues of the ETC.
All nominees will be honored at a special reception and ceremony scheduled for July at which the recipient will be announced.
Parishes and missions can submit a DVD, power point or scrap book for consideration for the Bishop Curtis Guillory Parish Award. That award will be given to the parish that has made the greatest stride this year on its journey to Total Stewardship. The recipient of that parish award also receives a monetary gift to provide for training and formation in Stewardship.
“We are not looking for the best stewardship parish in the diocese. We are looking for the parish that has made the biggest change,” said Jackie Bonvillion, an associate for the office.
“Parishes and missions should consider whether they have more people attending daily Mass, whether they’ve added adoration or a prayer group. Are more people involved in ministry? Do they have an active stewardship committee? Has the percentage of parishioners giving to the diocesan appeal and their offertory increased? What has their parish done for their local community?
“And, of course how did they help out during the hurricane? Those are just some of the things the selection committee will look at,” Bonvillion said.
The Msgr. Richard DeStefano Faithful Steward Award and the Bishop Curtis J. Guillory Parish Award will be presented at the awards ceremony and reception scheduled for 3-6 p.m. July 26 at the St. Anthony Cathedral Basilica School Gym.
Submissions must be made to the Stewardship and Communications Office by June 30 to be considered. This deadline was extended to accommodate the many parishes suffering setbacks from Hurricane Ike.
