PROVIDENCE – At an age when most hardworking people want to pause and enjoy life, a group of seniors with limited English proficiency is determined to learn a new language that will help them to improve the quality of their lives.

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Read the full letter from the U.S. Bishop’s here.

Three convictions in particular underlie what we say in this pastoral letter.

1. Mature disciples [...]]]> Stewardship: A Disciple’s Response

As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God’s varied grace
(1 Pt 4:10).

Read the full letter from the U.S. Bishop’s here.

Introduction

Three convictions in particular underlie what we say in this pastoral letter.

1. Mature disciples make a conscious, firm decision, carried out in action, to be followers of Jesus Christ no matter the cost to themselves.

2. Beginning in conversion, change of mind and heart, this commitment is expressed not in a single action, nor even in a number of actions over a period of time, but in an entire way of life. It means committing one’s very self to the Lord.

3. Stewardship is an expression of discipleship, with the power to change how we understand and live our lives. Disciples who practice stewardship recognize God as the origin of life, the giver of freedom, the source of all they have and are and will be. They are deeply aware of the truth that “The Lord’s are the earth and its fullness; the world and those who dwell in it” (Ps 24:1). They know themselves to be recipients and caretakers of God’s many gifts. They are grateful for what they have received and eager to cultivate their gifts out of love for God and one another.

The Challenge

In some ways it may be harder to be a Christian steward today than at times in the past.
Although religious faith is a strong force in the lives of many Americans, our country’s dominant secular culture often contradicts the values of the Judaeo-Christian tradition. This is a culture in which destructive “isms’ — materialism, relativism, hedonism, individualism, consumerism — exercise seductive, powerful influences.

There is a strong tendency to privatize faith, to push it to the margins of society, confining it to people’s hearts or, at best, their homes, while excluding it from the marketplace of ideas where social policy is formed and men and women acquire their view of life and its meaning.

The Choice

Christians are part of this culture, influenced by it in many ways. In recent decades many Catholics in particular have entered into the mainstream of American society. That has been a remarkable achievement. Often, though, this process also has widened the “split” between faith and life which Vatican II saw as one of “the more serious errors of our age” (Gaudium et Spes, 43). Thus American Catholicism itself has taken on some of the less attractive values of the secular culture.

For example, although religious people often speak about community, individualism infects the religious experience of many persons. Parishes, dioceses, and church institutions appear impersonal and alienating in the eyes of many. Evangelization is not the priority it should be. How to use people’s gifts and charisms, how to empower the laity, how to recognize the role of women, how to affirm racial, cultural, and ethnic minorities, how to overcome poverty and oppression — these and countless other issues remain vexing questions, as well as opportunities.

Also, while many Catholics are generous in giving of themselves and their resources to the Church, others do not respond to the needs in proportion to what they possess. The result now is a lack of resources which seriously hampers the Church’s ability to carry out its mission and obstructs people’s growth as disciples.

This pastoral letter recognizes the importance of church support, including the sharing of time, talent, and treasure. But it situates church support in its broader context — what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.

This also is the context of stewardship. Generous sharing of resources, including money, is central to its practice, and church support is a necessary part of this. Essentially, it means helping the Church’s mission with money, time, personal resources of all kinds. This sharing is not an option for Catholics who understand what membership in the Church involves. It is a serious duty. It is a consequence of the faith which Catholics profess and celebrate.

This pastoral letter initiates a long-term, continuing process encouraging people to examine and interiorize stewardship’s implications. At the start of this process it is important to lay out a comprehensive view of stewardship — a vision of a sharing, generous, accountable way of life rooted in Christian discipleship — which people can take to heart and apply to the circumstances of their lives. Concentrating on one specific obligation of stewardship, even one as important as church support, could make it harder — even impossible — for people to grasp the vision. It could imply that when the bishops get serious about stewardship, what they really mean is simply giving money.

The Vision

Jesus’ invitation to follow him is addressed to people of every time and condition. Here and now it is addressed to us — Catholic citizens of a wealthy, powerful nation facing many questions about its identity and role in the waning years of a troubled century, members of a community of faith blessed with many human and material resources yet often uncertain about how to sustain and use them.

As bishops, we wish to present a vision that suits the needs and problems of the Church in our country today and speaks to those who practice Christian stewardship in their particular circumstances.

What we say here is directed to ourselves as much as to you who read these words. As bishops, we recognize our obligation to be models of stewardship in all aspects of our lives. We must be stewards in our prayer and worship, in how we fulfill our pastoral duties, in our custody of the Church’s doctrine, spiritual resources, personnel, and funds, in our life-style and use of time, and even in such matters as the attention we give to personal health and recreation.

As we ask you to respond to the challenge of stewardship, we pray that we also will be open to the grace to respond. We pray that the Holy Spirit, whose gracious action conforms us to Jesus Christ and to the Church, will enlighten us all and help us to renew our commitment as the Lord’s disciples and as stewards of his bountiful gifts.

Please allow us the opportunity to introduce ourselves.

My name is Victoria Almeida, an attorney and shareholder with Adler Pollock and Sheehan in Providence. I am also Vice Chair of the Diocesan School Board, a Dame in the Order of Malta, and beneficiary of 16 years of Catholic education having been educated by [...]]]> Dear Friends–

Please allow us the opportunity to introduce ourselves.

My name is Victoria Almeida, an attorney and shareholder with Adler Pollock and Sheehan in Providence. I am also Vice Chair of the Diocesan School Board, a Dame in the Order of Malta, and beneficiary of 16 years of Catholic education having been educated by the Sisters of Mercy at Mercymount, St. Mary Bay View, and Salve Regina University. I am an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist at my parish, Our Lady of Fatima, as well as at St. Francis Chapel and City Ministry Center. I am also former President of the Rhode Island Bar Association.

My name is Bernard Jackvony, a fiduciary litigator with the law firm Pannone Lopes Devereaux & West located in downtown Providence. I had the pleasure of serving Rhode Island as Lieutenant Governor in the late 1990’s and previously served as a Captain in the United States Marine Corps. I have served as a member of the Board of Trustees at Bryant University for the past nine years and am presently involved with the St. Mary’s Home for Children as well as the St. Thomas More Society.

Collectively, we serve as Co-Chair’s of the Anchor of Hope Fund.

The Anchor of Hope Fund was established in the year 2001 by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence. Originally named the Rhode Island Inner-City Scholarship Fund, the Anchor of Hope provides significant need-based financial assistance to students attending Rhode Island Catholic schools irrespective of race, ethnicity, gender, or religious affiliation.

Today, this fund seeks to provide a quality Catholic education to those children most in need of our help. The Anchor of Hope Fund also attempts to cultivate the intellect, self-confidence, and faith of students who could not otherwise afford a Catholic elementary or secondary school education. The Anchor of Hope Fund also supports families and their children in building stronger communities with a hope-filled future for society.

Every year more and more families seek assistance in meeting rising tuition costs. The reality is that a majority of these schools are in Rhode Island’s urban areas. Many of the children they educate are those most at-risk due to challenging socio-economic factors. Our Catholic schools are crucial to the success of these students who – as experience shows – thrive academically and socially in a Catholic school environment.

An amazing fact is that 99.5% of Rhode Island Catholic secondary school students graduate, and 98% of those graduates continue on to college and ultimately serve our nation as leaders in business, public service, law, education, and medicine. Perhaps most importantly, Catholic school students leave Catholic schools not only with a high quality education but also with an education that is steeped in ethical and moral values that will serve them well as productive citizens in the global community.

Although the success of Catholic schools is unparalleled, school operating expenses necessitate unavoidable increases in tuition. The need is significant, and with the support of faith-filled leaders like you, we can continue to provide the value of a Catholic school education to Rhode Island children who are most in need of our help.

We would like to share with you a definition of stewardship borrowed from another Diocese that we believe you will find spiritually fulfilling and uplifting. It is impossible to explain all there is to stewardship, for stewardship is also part of each individual’s personal conversion process.

 Stewardship is based on the spiritual principles of the Old Testament and the teachings of Jesus Christ; and where it has been implemented, both givers’ and receivers’ lives have been changed.
 Stewardship is a way of life, a way of thanking God for all His blessings by returning a portion of the time, talent, and treasure allotted to us.
 Stewardship engenders a spirituality that deepens our relationship with the Lord. Stewardship involves intentional, planned and proportionate, giving of our time, talent, and treasure.
 Stewardship addresses both individual parishioners as well as parishes themselves.

Stewardship is such an integral part of the Diocese of Providence and the Anchor of Hope Fund. As charitable community members, you have the ability to assist children in need in immeasurable ways. Providing guidance and support to this effort is Samuel Ragosta, Assistant Director of Stewardship and Development for Catholic Education with the Diocese of Providence. As Co-Chair’s of the Anchor of Hope Fund, we are pleased to both personally and professionally support the Anchor of Hope “Sponsor a Student” Campaign.

This all important Diocesan program allows both corporate and individual leaders the opportunity to assist in providing a Catholic education to the children of our state. A full breakdown of tuition costs per individual school can be found by visiting the Diocese of Providence Catholic Schools website at www.catholicschools.org. However, on average, the cost of elementary Catholic school education as of this writing is approximately $4,500, while the average tuition cost of a secondary Catholic school education is $10,500.

The Diocese of Providence and The Anchor of Hope Fund is a licensed 501 ( c ) 3 organization and, as such, your gift, to the extent allowed by law, is tax-deductible. The Office of Stewardship and Development recognizes that in today’s economy, an organization and or individual may not be in a position to fully allocate $4,500 to Catholic school children however may still be interested in assisting those in need. Thus, we ask you to prayerfully consider the following options:

 Monthly Tuition Assistance $450.
 Quarter Tuition Assistance $1,125.
 Half Tuition Assistance $2,250.
 Three Quarter Tuition Assistance $3,375.

Each and every dollar the Anchor of Hope Fund receives directly impacts children in our community attending Catholic schools. The reality is that the majority of these students qualify for financial assistance at or around four times the state poverty level. While we are hoping to obtain financial donations in the amount specified above, we appreciate and value all donations and welcome any contribution both corporations and individuals can make. Please note that assistance is provided to those individuals who demonstrate the greatest financial need as verified by an independent provider.

Please feel free to contact us directly should you have any questions. You may also contact Sam Ragosta, Executive Director, at 401.277.2121, or visit our website at www.providencediocese.org. On behalf of the Office of Stewardship and Development, the Catholic School Office, the Catholic Schools and their students, the Anchor of Hope Executive Committee, and the entire Diocese of Providence, we thank you in advance for your generous contribution. God bless!

Sincerely,

Bernie Jackvony, Esq
Victoria Almeida, Esq