Strategic Pastoral Plan
- Letter from Bishop Gregory Aymond
- Mission Statement of the Diocese of Austin
- Current realities which mandate planning
- Plan components
- Priest availability and vocations
- Parish religious education, formation and evangelization
- Social concerns ministries
- Family life ministries
- Pro-life activities
- Black Catholics
- Hispanic ministry
- Catholic schools
- Stewardship
- Diocesan staff
- Facilities
- First steps
- Ongoing activities
- Gratitude
- A prayer
Strategic Pastoral Plan of the Austin Diocese
Stewardship
Planning Objectives
- Develop a plan to implement the U.S. bishops’ document on stewardship within parishes and other institutions within our diocese.
- Raise the awareness of parishioners as to their responsibilities to participate actively in the life of the church.
- Encourage and foster parish renewal programs and the development of small faith communities.
Stewardship was introduced into the Diocese of Austin in January 1996 with the opening of the Stewardship Office and was followed by publication of the parish stewardship program “Faithful Stewards of God’s Gifts” in June of that same year.
Stewardship involves the recognition and sharing of one’s own gifts as well as protecting and nourishing the gifts of others. As Christians, we understand that everything we have is a gift from God. Nothing is ours; we are only the caretakers of the gifts we have received. Because we have been so blessed by God, we show our gratitude through our actions, not just our words. The joyful sharing called stewardship is a vehicle for involvement as well as financial stability. “What stewardship is really about is our willingness to put all of our faith in God and in one another as we struggle to live as God’s good disciples.” (Rev. Samuel Hose, Catholic Spirit, January 2002) In order to invite people to share their gifts of time, talent, and treasure, we will educate the leadership (clergy and lay) in the true meaning of stewardship and support implementation of stewardship in all parishes.
Of the many challenges confronting our fast growing diocese, none is more critical than ensuring the availability of good pastoral care for all members of our growing Catholic community. Lay ministry is an essential resource in many facets of parish life. It is clearly important that we help the laity form a strong sense of stewardship in serving Christ and in leading others.
While significant progress has been made since 1996, just over 30 percent of the 126 parishes within the Diocese of Austin have some form of organized stewardship effort. Our present parish stewardship efforts include 14 parishes in the initial planning stage, 15 which use a stewardship approach deliberately but inconsistently, 17 which have an organized Stewardship Committee and renewal effort, and four with a strong integrated stewardship program. We have a long way to go to realize a strong stewardship diocese.
To consider our diocesan stewardship program successful, we should achieve a goal of no less than 80 percent of our parishes with organized or integrated stewardship programs. To reach that goal within five years we will implement a program designed to educate parish leadership across the diocese; assist and support parish leadership in implementing stewardship; raise Catholics’ awareness of their responsibilities to participate in parish life; and encourage parish renewal programs and small faith communities.