McKenna Tithing
Newsletter
Page 2
SOME MASTERS OF COMMUNICATION
From Rev. Msgr. William M. Richardson, V.F., pastor of Harrisburg’s St.Patrick Cathedral.
"Our gift to God each weekend in the collection basket is a wonderful way to give thanks. Each time I take the basket from the gift bearers at the Preparation of the Gifts, I say a prayer asking the Lord to bless those who so carefully planned their gift to Him for use in His Church."
Rev. Kevin O’Donoghue who leads the flock at St. Cecilia’s Church in Brooklyn offers
"I wish that I could reward your generosity but I know that God can and will. You are wonderful generous parishioners."
Rev. Msgr. Joachim B. Beaumont, pastor of St. Elizabeth in Washington Heights, a section of Manhattan has inspired us many times. This time he sends his thanks right to the 'top.'
"Many thanks, dear God, for loving each of us so much."
From Rev. Richard T. Bolger, pastor of St. David in Willow Grove, PA, we have
"It is with a grateful heart that I thank you for your response to our tithing program which has been reflected weekly since we began last March. If you are still undecided on this way of giving back to God (5% for one’s church and 5% for one’s charities), I encourage your prayerful consideration. In any case, I thank you."
We have quoted him before in these pages, but Father William Benonis, shepherd of the faith community of Notre Dame de Lourdes in Swarthmore, PA, is worth quoting frequently. He seems to be a bottomless font of inspiration, and has shown us an infinite number of ways to thank and praise and inspire. Judge for yourself from the few examples that we offer below.
"At the onset of the New Year, when it seems altogether appropriate to express our gratitude to the PARISHIONERS, FRIENDS AND BENEFACTORS who serve our parish family faithfully throughout the year, it is likewise incumbent upon us to THANK OUR TITHERS whose faith commitment to trust God and put Him first have added a healthy glow to our financial complexion at this special time of the year. Please, all of you, be assured of our deep appreciation and lasting thanks. You are wonderful. God bless you!"
On subsequent Sunday’s:
"The pattern of growth in the number of Notre Dame parishioners opting to tithe is truly an inspiration. More are experiencing the quiet satisfaction that follows the faith commitment to return to our Good Father the first fruits of our income. Even the fabled spirit of Notre Dame parish continues to grow and spread. New parishioners tell us they heard of our family closeness even before they moved here. How fortunate we are to have this solid base to build on. We thank the pioneers in sacrificial giving for their courage and confidence in the Lord. We are grateful to one another for the moral support deeming us worthy to follow. Thanks be to God for Notre Dame’s faithful."
"Jesus gave His life. The glory and the boast of Christian stewards lie in mirroring , however poorly, the stewardship of Jesus Christ, Who gave and still gives all He has and is, in order to be faithful to God’s will and carry through to completion His redemptive stewardship of human beings and their world. What are we willing to give to express our love for Jesus and our gratefulness?
"Stewardship is a life-long conversion process in which we are called to identify ever more closely with Christ. . .to put on a new self created in God’s image. Our lifestyle must reflect a grateful awareness that God has given us all we possess and a generous heart o-pen to sharing God’s goodness with others.
"Here at Notre Dame we thank God that we are touched by the call to stewardship and have experienced a true change of heart concerning our giving even to the giving of ourselves generously. We know we are appreciated."
Rev. James Devlin, pastor of the parish family of St. Fidelis in College Point, NY, is a favorite of ours. He seems to have a unique and delightful way of looking at life. He is expert at combining humor and wisdom and leaving his reader with an unforgettable lesson. But see for yourself.
At Christmas time. . .
"There was once a great king who loved his people very much. In order to know them and understand them better, he would often disguise himself and walk among his people to see for himself how they lived and what he could do for them.
"On one of his journeys, the disguised monarch came to the hovel of a poor farmer who tilled a small plot of land. The king, pretending to be a traveler, asked if he might rest by the farmer’s hut and take a drink from his well. The farmer welcomed the traveler and not only gave him drink but also some of the bread his wife had packed for his lunch. The farmer and the traveler talked for a long time about many things. The king returned several times to visit the farmer whom he soon came to love as friend. Sometimes the king would help the farmer plow or seed, sometimes they would fish in the stream. The farmer would always have some bread or small piece of meat to share with his friend; the king would bring a small gift – nothing that would betray his royal background – for the farmer or his wife or one of their children.
"Then one day the king told the farmer who he was, showing him his royal ring. The king expected the farmer to ask some treasure from him, but the farmer just looked at the king with love and wonder. With tears in his eyes, the farmer said, ‘You left your palace and put aside your royal rank to come to this poor place, to accept my poor bread, to care whether my heart is glad or sad. While others receive rich presents, to me you have given a far more precious gift – that of your friendship. I pray only that you never take that gift away.’
"Our friendship with God is a gift from God to each of us. As we honor the Holy Family, we give thanks for our families. Thank you for your support this year."
[On another Sunday Father Devlin’s appreciation of humor was much in evidence:]
(Since we enjoy Father Devlin’s style and since humor is always in season, we have another offering guaranteed to elicit smiles.)
"An Illinois pastor has recommended that any parish not satisfied with its pastor should write to six other parishes that are also tired of their pastor. Then they should bundle up their pastor and send him to the church at the bottom of the list. According to the Illinois pastor, the parish should receive 1,634 pastors within a week, and one of them ought to be perfect. But watch out - if you break the chain you get your old pastor back!"
Courtesy of Rev. Msgr. James J. Howard,
Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter & Paul
Philadelphia
Once again our sincere thank you for your most generous contributions to the Gerry McKenna Tithing Ministry. We are constantly amazed at how the good Lord seems to work through you and all of us to keep this program going. You are wonderful and faithful and we are truly appreciative.