Frequently Asked Questions about Being a Stewardship Household

When can I enroll as a stewardship household?
The period for enrolling as a Stewardship Household will close on August 1 and reopen in January.

What is a Stewardship Household at Our Lady of Mount Carmel?
It is a family that is living a way of life that is grateful and responsible for all that God has blessed them with and generously giving back to God of their time, talent, and treasure.

Why would I or my family want to make this commitment?
To experience the To experience the transformation, joy, and closeness to God that through truly living a Life of Stewardship can bring to the individual, the family, our Parish, the larger Church, and the world around us!

What am I agreeing to by signing the Covenant Agreement?
That your household will commit to increase your prayer life outside of Mass, that you will attend Mass on Sunday and Holy Days of Obligation, involvement in an ongoing parish ministry, and tithe a minimum of 7% of your gross treasure.

What do you mean by prayer life outside of Mass?
That by yourself or as a family you read the bible, pray the Rosary, go to Adoration, pray the Liturgy of the Hours, or any other personal prayer on your own.

Do we have to go to Mass every Sunday at Our Lady of Mount Carmel?
As Catholics we are obliged to attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligations, but we understand that you may be away on vacation or business or some other issues may not allow you to attend, so we are expecting a 75% attendance.

How will our attendance be tracked?
The easiest way to demonstrate one’s attendance at Sunday Mass is by participating in the parish envelope system.  Even if you choose to use the Surpay system, you should drop an empty envelope in the collection basket.

How often will my attendance, ministry, and tithing be checked?
A member of the Stewardship Committee will take care of this quarterly (every 3 months). That person will be a source of support and encouragement for the household as their commitment to Stewardship and to God grows, like a friend or companion on the journey.

What all does my 7% cover?
It covers all of your Sunday and Holy Day Collections and the Special Collections and the 10 Special Collections by the Diocese of Phoenix.  It does not cover CDA, the Building Fund, or the Help-a-Student envelopes.

If my household signs the Covenant Agreement, what parish services are at no cost?
Some of the services include but are not limited to Weddings, Marriage Preparation, Natural Family Planning, Adult Formation Classes, and Religious Education Fees.

How many household members must be active in ministry?
All adult Catholic and children of school age should be involved in some ongoing parish ministry.

What about ministries outside of Mount Carmel?
They will be evaluated on a case by case basis.

What ministries are included?
See the website for the list.

Who tracks our involvement in ministry?
The schools and each ministry head will be responsible for the tracking of their own ministry.

How do you verify our 7%?
When you come to sign the Agreement, you should bring in your most current tax return.  If your job status has changed recently, you may bring in your most current pay stubs.