Stewardship of Treasure: Generosity
“From the very beginning Christians have brought, along with the bread and wine for the Eucharist, gifts to share with those in need. This custom of the collection, ever appropriate, is inspired by the example of Christ Who became poor to make us rich” (CCC, 1351).
For the true steward, money has a spiritual component. When used according to God’s will, our income becomes a sort of prayer — which demonstrates our love and gratitude to God, and our real trust in His plan for our lives. Our spending habits are also a reflection of who and what we truly love. God asks us to love Him above all else. Do we?
Try challenging yourself in the following ways this year:
- Take a look at your current spending habits, and assess what expenses are preventing you from offering your treasure more selflessly.
- Ask yourself if your family budget reflects what you most love in this life so that your spending is a reflection of that love.
- Commit to giving a percentage of your income to God through the parish offertory as an expression of your love for God, Who withholds nothing of Himself from us.
For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be. Matthew 6:21
Why do we share our TREASURE?
Christian discipleship requires that we put Christ first in every aspect of our lives, including our finances. Are you grateful to God that you are employed? Do you recognize the blessings the Lord has bestowed on you financially? How will you commit to giving back to the Lord a portion of your income? As you discern the amount of your gift, remember that God calls us to give from our “first fruits,” not from our leftovers. Ask for the grace to put God first in your finances.
At St. Michael, we give to God according to the scriptural “tithe”, which literally means 10% of one’s harvest or income. Why should we determine the amount of our gift based on a percentage of income. We give the tithe because it is a scriptural benchmark that has been honored since the early Church (see Malachi 3:10).
Each family is encouraged to break up the tithe as follows:
5% to God through the parish offertory
1% to the diocese
4% to other charitable causes
If you’re unable to give the full biblical tithe right now, assess what percentage you can
give, and then move up by 1% or 2% increments each year until you can reach the full 10%.
CHALLENGE YOURSELF
If you know you should increase your level of giving, but find it difficult to do so, challenge yourself: “How much do I spend every month on entertainment and eating out? Does my spending reflect the priority of God in my life?”
Here's a resource to help you plan. My Catholic Giving Guide
Ways to Give
Give Online
Online Giving is available for our weekly offerings, as well as other parish collections. Donating is simple, safe, and secure and takes less than five minutes. You’ll be able to give to any of our collections and view complete financial records at any time. Set up a one-time or recurring donation by following these three easy steps:
That’s it. You can return at any time to edit your donation or to view your financial records. Frequently Asked Questions:Q: Which payment methods are accepted? A: Contributions from checking accounts, savings accounts, debit cards, and credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express) are all accepted. Q: Do parishioners receive receipts for their donations? A: Yes, all contributors enrolled for online giving will receive receipts via e-mail. Q: Is WeShare safe? A: Yes. We implement the safest security standards for online transactions and your privacy is protected at all times. We are certified with the Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standards (DSS) as a Level 1 Service Provider. |
In Mass via EnvelopesPreprinted envelopes are available for weekly and monthly offerings, as well as, special collections. Envelopes are mailed directly to parishioners on a quarterly basis. I'm interested in receiving envelopes:
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Contact
Dennis Emerson
Database Manager
817.510.2722
Donate Stocks
Make a bigger impact by donating long-term appreciated securities, including stock, bonds and mutual funds, directly to the Advancement Foundation and designated for the specific purpose you designate, such as offertory, sanctuary improvements, facility improvements, Christian Connection, etc. Compared with donating cash or selling your appreciated securities and contributing the after-tax proceeds, you may be able to automatically increase your gift and your tax deduction. By donating appreciated assets directly to the Advancement Foundation, you allow the Church to receive the full pretax value of those appreciated assets and you may avoid capital gains taxes. Click here to fill out the fillable PDF form, or contact Renée Underwood, CFRE, Associate Director, Advancement Foundation, 817-945-9441 for more information.
Are you 70-1/2 or older?
Through an IRA Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD), you can donate up to $100,000 from your IRA directly to the Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth Advancement Foundation to support your parish without having to pay income taxes on the money.
Ask your broker make the check payable directly to the Advancement Foundation and include a note about how it should be credited. Or, download this form!
Please mail the check to 201 Main, Ste. 1198, Fort Worth, TX 76102-3105.
For more information about Building Your Legacy, please visit http://advancementfoundation.planmygift.org/.
Car Donations
St. Michael has partnered with CARS a 501(c)(3) non-profit. Donating your car, truck, van, SUV, boat, motorcycle, ATV, RV, trailer or airplane has never been easier! Call 855-500-7433 or fill out the online form. 
Donate through Amazon
You shop and Amazon gives to St. Michael! AmazonSmile is a simple way for you to support St. Michael every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added benefit that Amazon will donate 0.5% of your eligible purchases to St. Michael.
GRATITUDE is the fundamental reason to GIVE
To be grateful is to recognize the Love of God in everything he has given us – and He has given us everything. Every breath we draw is a gift of His love, every moment of existence is a grace, for it brings with it immense graces from Him. Gratitude therefore takes nothing for granted, is never unresponsive, is constantly awakening to new wonder and to praise of the goodness of God. For the grateful person knows that God is good, not by hearsay but by experience. And that is what makes all the difference. - Thomas Merton