I write to you today to let you know something that is very important in the life of our parish family. For over 10 years, Divine Mercy Catholic Parish has experienced a rich and vibrant history – a beautiful story of hope, progress, and promise; a story of our spiritual love for the Lord. Through the dedication and commitment of the clergy and laity, the Lord is being worshipped; the Good News is continually preached with fidelity to the tradition of the Church; and parishioners of all ages are deepening their love of God and neighbor. With numerous parish ministries, a rich sacramental presence, and an outstanding educational institution, Divine Mercy Parish continues to strive to meet the spiritual and pastoral needs of this dynamic family of faith. 
 

Stewardship: A Way of Life

I have been in conversation with a number of our longtime parishioners, and I am edified by their sense of commitment to our parish. They have made many sacrifices over the past decades so that their Catholic faith might be passed on to the next generation. In all these conversations, I have never heard a word of regret. In fact, as I have looked at those who have built up our parish with their gifts, they seem to have been changed by their experience of sharing their “first fruits” with the Lord. I see this as well in our parishioners of other age groups, especially our “newcomers” who are active and involved in the life of the parish. There is something about the experience of being connected to something bigger than ourselves that provides a sense of meaning, purpose, and direction. It is true, as Sacred Scripture says, “it is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).
 
Stewardship flows out of an understanding that everything we are and have is a gift from God. Stewardship is not just a program; it is a complete lifestyle. The basis of stewardship is a life of total accountability and responsibility, acknowledging God as Creator and Owner of all. Stewards, as disciples of Jesus Christ, see themselves as caretakers of all God's gifts. Gratitude for these gifts is expressed in prayer, worship, offerings, and actions as stewards share these gifts willingly with one another. Good stewards often demonstrate their stewardship by giving of their time, their talent, and their treasure.
 

The Gift of Time

 Service to our Church and parish family consists of offering our time in ministries such as serving the poor, volunteering at school, cleaning the church, and taking communion to the home bound. The gift of time spent in prayer is even more important.
 

The Gift of Talent

 God blesses each of us with unique talents that we can use to serve our Church and fellow parishioners. By offering back those God-given talents to the Church and one another, we are able to bless Him in return.
 

The Gift of Treasure

Though this is often the most difficult gift to offer back, experience shows that giving of your financial resources often produces the most fruit in the lives of those who make the sacrifice. Good stewardship means prayerfully considering giving from our financial resources, without guarantees of a return or gratification. Yes, this often requires stepping out in faith, when the diversion of financial treasure to the Church would seem to create a hardship.
 
We must remember that no one can out do Jesus in generosity! And He instructs us, "…do not worry, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear?'… indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things … strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Our financial blessings can help accomplish God's work by supporting our parish's mission and its many ministries. In this respect, we are making a "return" on the Lord's contribution through the many gifts He has bestowed on us.
 
Those who practice these principles will tell you that stewardship produces much joy in the lives of those who voluntarily give of their time, talent, and treasure. No doubt, the spiritual benefits outweigh all else. Stewardship generally deepens people's faith and will ultimately change their lives.
 

A Call to Action 

As you join our parish family here at Divine Mercy, I hope you will support the mission and ministry of our parish to assist us in continuing to spread the Good News of the Lord. The Church is asking you to step out in faith by trusting that God will supply all your needs. All that is required is the return of your first fruits, not leftovers–your substance, not your surplus. Stewardship is about giving over, giving up, and giving back to God. All that we are and all that we have is God's gift to us. All that we become is our gift to God.
 
After you complete the New Parishioner Process, a parishioner number will be assigned to you.
 
If requested, Parish Stewardship Envelopes will be mailed to you with an assigned envelope for each Sunday. Please make use of these envelopes as a good steward of the gifts that God has bestowed upon you! If you are already registered and would like to receive weekly contribution envelopes, click here.
 
For your convenience, Divine Mercy Catholic Parish offers Electronic Giving. If you prefer to give online (instead of using the weekly envelopes) you can register for Electronic Giving by visiting our parish website: www.divinemercyparish.org/online-giving. There you will find step-by-step instructions to easily enroll in our E-Giving program.   
 
For parents planning to enroll their students is St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School, please be aware that there is a minimum contribution that needs to be made to the Church in order to qualify for the supporting parishioner tuition rate. That minimum contribution is $500 per calendar year. 
 
The work and mission of Divine Mercy Parish never ends. We have hopes and dreams of becoming a family of faith that is more fully alive in proclaiming the Good News of the Lord. I hope that you and your family will join us as we continue the mission entrusted to us by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
 

In Conclusion

My constant prayer is that you and your family “may find Christ here and bring Christ to the world.” To help this prayer become fully alive and fully realized, Divine Mercy Parish has focused on always being Christ-centered in our mission. From divine worship to education, from the celebration of the Sacraments to our outreach to the poor, from our catechetical programs to our focus on youth and families, we are dedicated to ensuring that the Catholic Church is present and meeting the needs of our parishioners.   

As a parish family, we are grateful for the educational opportunities provided for many years, by our Parish School. Many people talk about the “St. Elizabeth Ann Seton difference” where children at every level are inspired to learn and achieve academic success and grow in the practice of our Catholic faith. Integrated into each school day is an adherence to Catholic doctrine and the Christian values of reverence, respect, and responsibility, the cornerstone of our commitment to develop the whole person and prepare him or her for a happy and meaningful future. Our faith-based education extends beyond the classroom to guide our students in the many athletic and extra-curricular endeavors that are available at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic School. Any questions that you may have concerning enrollment in SEAS should be directed to our Principal at (504) 468-3524.

I am also grateful, to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for the numerous ministries which provide catechetical, formational, evangelization, and outreach services to our parishioners. Our parish staff and ministry coordinators work diligently to meet the temporal and spiritual needs of our parishioners. You will find a listing and description of all the ministries within this website. I ask that you prayerfully discern where God may be calling you to be an instrument in building up His Kingdom by offering your time, talents, and financial resources. Questions concerning our various parish ministries should be addressed to our Parish Office at (504) 466-5016.

Just as the Apostles dropped their fishermen’s nets and followed Jesus 2000 years ago, so we are called to follow His example in our world. Jesus was a person of faith and action and, as He said in Matthew 7:21, He expects the same of us: “None of those who cry out, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of God, but only the one who does the will of My Father in heaven.” Jesus made it clear in the Scriptures that being good stewards of our time, talent, and treasure is part of the will of His Father. May God continue to bless all of us here at Divine Mercy Parish as we embrace both the joys and the struggles of our pilgrimage together!
 
With warmest, personal regards, I remain,
 
Sincerely in the Lord,




Reverend Father Robert T. Cooper                                    
Pastor                             
RTC/cji