The impact of stewardship can reach far beyond your own parish, much like it has for my parish, Immaculate Conception, here in Willoughby, Ohio.
Through our parishioners’ generous commitments of time, talent, and treasure, Immaculate Conception has not only been transformed through stewardship, but also has been blessed with the chance to impact the lives of thousands of people on the other side of the world.
It was around 2007, about a year or so after Immaculate Conception began working with Catholic Stewardship Consultants to become a stewardship parish. Our Finance Council began discussing an initiative to help start a medical clinic in the Congo through our sister parish relationship with Sts. Peter and Paul. The leadership of our parish made the commitment, even if they had to sacrifice from the parish budget, to support the Congo Clinic — out of the parish’s need to give.
With that money sent, the pastor of our sister parish, Msgr. Ngindu, was able to begin construction on a medical clinic in the Congo. The financial support has continued and increased over the past six years, and finally, after years of hard work, prayer, and generous stewardship, construction is now complete, thanks in large part to the people of Immaculate Conception Parish. The Medical Center will serve around 10,000 people in and around the village of Kananga.
If you would like to read more about our mission in the Congo, click here for a story that will appear in the March edition of the Immaculate Conception stewardship newsletter. The Congo is a very dangerous place where Christians continue to be persecuted, but as evidenced by this remarkable story, through stewardship, anything is possible.
Through our parishioners’ generous commitments of time, talent, and treasure, Immaculate Conception has not only been transformed through stewardship, but also has been blessed with the chance to impact the lives of the people on the other side of the world.
