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Kitkateybug
Guest
I am only asking if you do anything, or what have you done for your parish. Based on some recent situations in my parish, I’m just curious. This is not meant to turn into an “i’m better than you” thread.
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BVM_1221
Guest
Money. $50/week. About $200. I am retired, single, in fairly good health, so can afford it. $200 is about 5% of my take-home pay.:yup:
With the permission of my Spiritual Director, another 5% goes to Alcoholics Anonymous OR such Catholic groups as get my attention. So 10%, otherwise known as tithing.
Repeat, I can afford it, this in no way makes me “Holier Then Thou”. :dts::dts::dts:
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baltobetsy
Guest
Well, I used to donate my time and talent as a cantor, until things changed in the music department and cantors began to be paid. As I was in dire financial straits at the time (and still am), I accept the payment gratefully. If things get better, I’ll stop taking the paychecks.
Betsy
Betsy
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Apollos
Guest
I teach in the school and sing in the choir.
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puzzleannie
Guest
well I work for the parish so what I do is my job. What I do as a lay volunteer I do in other venues than the parish, so that I will not encroach on what should be the initiatives of parishioners. What I have noticed in the time I have been here, that a parish that was notorious for non-involvement and non-interest in parishioner-led apostolates, has become easily the most active, involved, caring parish for miles around. This is because some newcomers have brought a spirit of caring, concern, outreach and evangelization with them and “infected” other willing parishioners who seemed to have been waiting for the right leadership.
I am not talking about ministries properly led and started by the priest and pastoral staff, such as RE, adult formation, service of the liturgy, evangelization and so forth, but the “optional but truly Christian” activities such as feeding the hungry and the other works of mercy. We always had a St. Vincent society, which lagged when the deacon died, but new volunteers and new creative ways of fundraising generated by concerned parishioners have expanded what they are able to do and the number of people they are able to assist. In the process they have involved literally hundreds of parishioners who were always willing to help but did not know how, in various aspect of their new endeavors.
Some are involved in improving the physical plant and grounds, some are involved in the social service projects, some in new prayer ministries, devotions and seasonal spiritual offerings such as Lent retreats and advent days of recollection, and have increased participation and attendance in the standard things like divine mercy Sunday, rosaries, holy hours, rosary crusades and the like.
There is a group who make rosaries for evangelization purposes. Every child in CCD, every new parishioner, everyone received into the Church or confirmed, everyone who walks in the office and asks for one gets a beautiful rosary. This group includes people I have never seen outside Mass before. Another group organize parish socials, which had languished in the past because the person who used to do it got tired of trying to do it with no help and support. Now there is a team that comes together and organizes, prepares, serves and cleans up. At first it was just a couple of people who started everything, but leaders for each of these mini-apostolates have come forward and even where the “starters” have dropped out those efforts that really contribute to parish life continue.
My personal feeling is the reason for this is that the parish embraced Disciples in Mission, under pastoral staff leadership, more strongly than almost any other parish in the diocese, and that even before that, the pastor instituted regular holy hours with adoration. I am sure there are other factors including a changing demographic in this area, but I have seen it before and regular intentional small group reading and prayer with scripture, and regular parish holy hours and restoration of adoration are truly miracle workers.
we also have a capital campaign going on, and some new people have come forward to lend their talents to that effort as well, but it is not the whole reason for revitalization of the parish. Even before the diocese started DIM we had paid director of adult evangelization who, with Father, worked over at least 3 years to “evangelize the active Catholics” and teach basics of the faith, start small faith and prayer groups in the homes, and that process trained facilitators and leaders so there was a growth in people willing and confident in their own abilties and knowledge. So each effort along the way has set the stage for more. This is a very good parish in which to belong.
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LMReggcellent
Guest
Well we simply can’t afford to give as much as our church is asking the parishioners to give. But every week I put money in the basket- the amount that I pay for my two prescription medications plus what I paid to ride the bus that week. The reason is to thank God for the prescriptions as an option to keep me well and thank God for the bus; my only source of transportation.
I am also going to start my second year of teaching the first Communion CCD class in a few months and I help in the office when help is needed. This Easter was my second year of decorating eggs for the parish (that’s what I do - decorate eggs & sell them on my website & craft fairs). I have designs special for my church and sell them after masses on Palm Sunday - all of the money goes to the church.
I am also going to start my second year of teaching the first Communion CCD class in a few months and I help in the office when help is needed. This Easter was my second year of decorating eggs for the parish (that’s what I do - decorate eggs & sell them on my website & craft fairs). I have designs special for my church and sell them after masses on Palm Sunday - all of the money goes to the church.
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Claire_from_DE
Guest
What a great witness to how God provides! It’s true we can’t outdo Him in generosity so we may as well serve the parish in any way we can according to our means and the time we have available after we have met our duties and obligations.
Instead of saying what I do for my parish, I’ll tell what others do in my parish and a neighboring one. One woman teaches an adult bible study two days a week. There’s a volunteer cleaning crew that keeps the church really nice for us. The ladies who cook and prepare for funerals and other events are volunteers too. One lady teaches a class for autistic kids and does a great job. People keep the church library in order. The Knights of Columbus do all kinds of good works a lot of us never hear about. One lady who has bad arthritis is in church all the time praying for people who ask her help. A lady who’s also in poor health makes rosaries and gives them to many places and people, another one repairs rosaries for free. Several volunteers are doing a vacation bible school this month. Some men and teens have been working on the grounds. Some people do a weekly vigil at an abortion clinic. Then there’s the people who count the collections, who take communion to the sick, who are involved in religious ed and RCIA, who volunteer at the homeless shelter or the problem pregnancy center, who welcome newcomers, who took pictures and worked on many phases of our parish directory, who made or donated items for the parish sales and auctions, who sell Free Trade coffee and crafts after mass, and the teenagers who serve mass and help out the younger altar servers. I’m always finding out about things other people are doing, but rarely from the people who are doing them. And I haven’t even mentioned all the things our priests, the parish staff, and (unpaid!) deacons do which are far beyond their ‘jobs’.
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