Southwark parish wins International Stewardship Award

l - r: Bishop Donald Francis Hanchon, Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit, Fr Doug Bull, Teresa Keogh

At the 55th ICSC (International Catholic Stewardship Council) conference in Atlanta, Georgia, Fr Doug Bull from Holy Cross, Catford, in the Archdiocese of Southwark, accepted the International Recognition for Christian Stewardship Initiatives Award on behalf of his parishioners. Making the award, the ICSC highlighted high levels of parishioner involvement, creativity and the grounded spirituality that permeates Holy Cross.

Over the past three years, Holy Cross has been developing a parish community modelled on the spirituality and practice of Stewardship. Fr Doug Bull, Parish Priest of Holy Cross, said: "Stewardship is not for the parish, but for every one in the parish. It’s about each person’s relationship with God." He accepted the award on behalf of every member of the parish, saying: "the response of each person is the key to the success of Stewardship at Holy Cross. I wholeheartedly recommend it to any parish. Over the last 3 years, we have had great joy in engaging with Stewardship both as a spirituality and as a way of life."

Teresa Keogh, co-author of a Stewardship Gratitude Journal and part-time adviser for Stewardship in the Archdiocese of Southwark has been working alongside the team from Holy Cross. She stressed that this award is in recognition of parish’s broad understanding of what this spirituality can do: "Stewardship has given the parishioners the tools to recognise and develop their relationship with God. Every parishioner undertakes simple acts of prayer and spirituality. Giving of oneself in grateful response is at the heart of Holy Cross; everyone has recognised their giftedness and is using the gifts that God has chosen for them in the parish and in the world."

Canon John Weatherill, parish priest in Purley, has been instrumental in encouraging a diocesan focus on Stewardship. He expressed his delight in the recognition that Holy Cross has received: "Priests and lay people from the diocese have been attending the ICSC conference for a number of years and the idea that this spirituality can translate to an English context has been developing. Now we have a practical example which others can adopt and adapt into their own context. We are extraordinarily pleased that a Southwark parish has now been recognised internationally through this award."

The conference theme was “Stewardship: A Disciple’s Response.” Archbishop Joseph E Kurtz of the Archdiocese of Louisville, Kentucky, delivered the keynote address sharing his passion for justice, charity and love for the poor.

Other parishes in Southwark wishing to explore how they can get involved a culture and spirituality of stewardship should contact Teresa Keogh: tkeogh1209@aol.com