Event organizer hopes conference will change the way people think of the topic

VANCOUVER—Corinna Siy hopes to change the way Catholics think of stewardship with an upcoming conference on the oft-misunderstood topic.

“People tend to think stewardship is about money,” said the Archdiocese of Vancouver’s stewardship coordinator. But “that’s really just a small piece of it.”

For Siy, an active member of St. Anthony of Padua parish, being a steward means recognizing everything each human being has – life, abilities, talents, training, and possessions – is a gift from God.

“Often we talk about ‘time, talent, and treasure,’” Siy said. While the phrase may be a helpful way to describe our gifts, it’s become so overused “people roll their eyes when they hear it.”

A better way of looking at the subject is “discipleship,” Siy said.

“Once we’ve become a disciple, we’ve made that conscious decision to follow Jesus. That’s where stewardship comes in,” she said.

“Everything we have is a gift from God.”

That means every talent, degree, job opportunity, and even the ability to make a living are gifts from God, who “allows us to enjoy these gifts,”Siy said, and our response should be one of gratitude and a willingness to give back.

She hopes to attract parish leaders and anyone who wants to deepen their faith as disciples to the Western Canadian Catholic Stewardship Conference June 9-11.

“I think the most important thing would be to really connect with Jesus. He is the one who drives us,” she said.

The conference, which is held in a different Canadian city once every two years, is coming to Vancouver for the first time.

It will include Mass and Eucharistic Adoration as well as speakers such as Archbishop J. Michael Miller; Ron Huntley, director of pastoral ministries in St. Benedict Parish, Halifax; and Deacon Keith Strohm, who participants may recognize from parish missions or the Vancouver archdiocesan One Conference.

“We’re hoping people will encounter Christ and their hearts will be transformed, which will then give them the drive to do something (to help renew) their parishes,” Siy said. “Stewardship is a way of life.”

The three-day conference will be held at the Sheraton Vancouver Airport Hotel in Richmond. More information is available at www.wccsc.ca.