Looking back at the weekly messages of Father Paul Counce, first published in The Carpenter, our weekly Parish Bulletin
Published: September 10, 2016
I am preaching about our Stewardship of Ministry this weekend. A good sense of grateful stewardship – using well the gifts, talents and resources that the Lord has blessed us with – immediately encourages us to consider the needs of other people. This means fellow parishioners in our own beloved Cathedral parish, but also many other needy people who live in our surrounding community of Baton Rouge, many of them now recovering from the recent Great Flood of 2016 – all of them worthy of the mercy of Jesus. Perhaps this is the time for you to become even more involved? When you minister on the behalf of Christ and honor the call of baptism that initiated your Catholic journey, you gift others with the love of Christ Himself. Just as others have done for each one of us throughout our lives, we reach out and work with those in need. Together with the faithful from every corner of our community and culture, we reassure everyone looking for love and hope. “God’s Mercy Surrounds Us” is the overall theme of this year’s diocesan Stewardship campaign, and it’s true: His touch is as close as our hands.
Getting more specific, St. Joseph Cathedral Parish offers a variety of service opportunities, ministries blessed by God through the involvement of many faithful parishioners committed to serve. Working together in many ways, we connect gifted people to the many needs within and beyond our faith community. From administrative tasks to care for the poor, from manual work to worship in church, from our front doors out beyond Cathedral Square to the community at large, there is much to do. Each ministry is a labor of love. And each parishioner – young, old, inexperienced or veteran – is a vital contributor to the work of building up God’s kingdom in our midst. This is especially important for us, for we are an “inten tional parish,” made up of persons throughout the Baton Rouge metropolitan area: we do not draw only from nearby neighborhoods but welcome those willing to come significant distances to be part of our welcoming community!
Before deciding how you will participate, please consider the areas that use both your gifts and talents and will draw you closer to the Lord. Pray about it!
After prayerful reflection on the blessings and gifts God has shared with you and your family, please indicate on the form printed in this week’s Bulletin your willingness to make a new, one-year commitment – or continue in an existing commitment for another year. In this way, you share your gifts and talents and enrich our Parish family. Then return the form to the Parish Office, either by mailing it in or bringing it by, or simply by dropping it into the collection basket at Mass either this week or next.
Of course, be reasonable in estimating the amount of time to give; don’t try to do “too much.” But don’t “do nothing” either! And consider doing something new: “term limits” don’t really exist in ministry, but there is such a thing as “spiritual stagnation.” Make sure your service is necessary and effective as well as personally fulfilling.
We also encourage you to mention to us any ministry not listed on the form that you think is important, are willing to organize, or in which you are interested in serving. Surely our list is never a complete list! If you want to help build up God’s Kingdom on earth in our beloved Cathedral Parish, we’re interested in providing you that opportunity!
Father Paul
