Every day children in our society are bombarded with hundreds of advertising messages.  Current estimates are that the average child receives thousands of advertising messages a day.  For the most part these messages tell our children that they are not good enough unless they wear the right clothes, drink the right soda, or even carry the right cell phone. It is important that in Church our children hear a different message!

Our PSR children need to hear the stewardship message—that God has given them many unique and special gifts.  They need to hear that Jesus loves them just as they are.  Moreover, they need to realize that they have something to share with the rest of the world.  For this reason, we now offer the Children’s Offertory Envelope Program, which will allow our children to place their own gifts to God in the Offertory basket each week.

Every student will have the opportunity to participate by personally filling out their weekly envelope and placing it in the offertory basket at Mass. We have selected envelopes that invite each child to share how they lived their faith each week. I hope that you will find them to be good conversation starters for your family.  The envelopes also allow the children to write down a gift of time to prayer, or the talent that they have shared that week in service to others.  We will be reporting the results of the Children’s Offertory Program periodically on the website and in the bulletin.

This program IS NOT to raise more money for our parish.  The purpose is to teach the children the joy of giving and the fact that they need to be good stewards and give back to God out of gratitude for all that God has given to them.

One of the primary purposes of this effort is to teach children that it does indeed feel good to give.  It is good for children’s self-esteem to know that they have something to offer back to the Church.  For that reason, it is more important that a child puts in a nickel, dime, quarter  or even a dollar from his or her own allowance and feels proud of that contribution than putting in money from Mom’s or Dad’s wallet, which is meaningless to the child.

To see blank envelope click here

Questions and Answers for Parents

Here are some of the ways our children have lived their faith: (Green are new this year.)
Asking my mom what I could do to help her out
Help care for my PopPop
Visiting the grounds/shrine at the Catholic Diocese of Nashville
Watching Mass on TV while being home sick
Helping cook dinner
Being kind to my mom and dad.
Praying and reading the bible and share the love of Jesus Christ
This week I lived my faith by:
Helping my sister
Helping my brother learn about Jesus
helping my teacher clean the classroom
Saying a prayer at night
Hearing the Lord and learning more about him and praying and singing to him
Praying for my grandparents recovery, helped my family prepare meals, and talked to my sister about God/church & class
Following the Lord in anyway I can and try my best in everything. And pray for food. I will try to help God the best way I can
Helping my brother at Mass
For being with my family and being here on planet earth. I feel like that I am not alone.
Helping my mom clean the house
Talking to my friends at school about Jesus school
Going to Church and trying my best to listen and control my body.
Helping my teacher at school
Living, loving, listening
Spreading the Lord’s good word
I helped my faith by helping others and telling the truth.
Played nice
Practicing for the Nativity Pageant
Listening when Mom Mom talked to me and doing as I was told
Helping Mommy and being kind to my family
Playing fairly and helping my mom
Loving God and others
Visiting the National Basilica and Shrine of Mary, Queen of the Universe in Orlando, Florida
Learning about Advent
Helping my Spanish teacher teach Spanish to my class by serving as her classroom assistant
Sharing my artwork of the Holy Family with my family
Inviting my grandmother to worship at our church while she was visiting my family.
Being kind and worshipping God
Loving all and loving my father
Treating others the way I would like to be treated
Learning about the rosary
Visiting St. Francis Xavier Shrine in Maryland
Visiting St. Francis Xavier Shrine
Using the gifts God gave me in Math to help a friend with their classwork by showing how to solve the math problem
Helping my friends in school
Helping Daddy on the farm
Being nice to MomMom
Helping Mommy
Helping my sister on the farm
Listening to MomMom
Coming to Church
Prayed at night
Learned Bible stories
By taking time to pray
Helping football team accomplish goals and praising Jesus, God and Mary
Praying at night
Helping around the house
Going to church
Being a good sister
Adhering to God’s Commandments
Planting acorns we got from last weeks PSR
Helping mom and dad
Praying at night
Sharing with my sister
Love
I followed my lent promise.
I was honest and helped others.
Help my family
Doing as my parents told me. Helping out around the house.
Being at Church
Making my First Reconciliation
Remembering to be respectful to my parents and Mom Mom and Pop Pop
Helping Others
Listening and doing what Mommy said
I tried
Being kind to others
Helping at home
Being polite
Helped my dog
Practicing the Lords Prayer
Honoring my parents
Listening to my mom and dad
Living and loving my life
Walking my dog
Praying
Being kind to others
Helped my family by doing what they say
Being nice to classmates
Sharing my special pencil sharpener
Helping mommy collect eggs
Being good at the auction
Helped Mom Mom
Cleaned up my mess
Practicing the “Our Father” prayer
I told my family and friends how I’m attending PSR now and how much fun it was and how I’m so excited to learn about Jesus!
Praying the rosary
Helped with hospitality for Confirmation reception at Holy Cross
Praying for my grandmother who has cancer.
Praying the rosary and fasting
Rosary
Praying the rosary every morning before school with my mom.
Praying the rosary each morning.
Praying the rosary
Listening
Coloring the Advent Wreath
Doing my chores
Listening to my mommy
Telling my friends
Doing the rosary
Doing the rosary
I did one rosary
Helping my MomMom
Telling the truth
Helped somebody who was hurt
Helping my friend
Following house rules
Being good to my little sister
for God and mommy.
I helped my pop-pop cut down banana trees.
I helped my aunt at our Parish Appreciation Dinner.
Giving my friend a snack when they were hungry.
Helping my friend with math in school
Spending time with my family
I could of been jealous about something but I decided to be excited for someone.
Giving gifts to my teacher at school and PSR.
Honored Veterans with my chorus at a Veterans Home in Milford and a program at Clayton Elementary.
Bringing in can goods for a shelter.
Spending time with my family.
Creating a poster about Advent for PSR. And I won!
Helping out at First Reconciliation
Giving money to the Ronald McDonald House
Helping others at school, being Kind
I went to Mass with my dad.
Being a good friend.
Helping the kids at my class, being nice to my friends
I learned about Saint Patrick!
Helping a friend when he was upset
Praying with my best friend and my brother
I helped people in my school.
By going to PSR and going to Mass
Helped the CRE set up for a meeting
Bought a friend a water bottle at a dance when he didn’t have money
Helping my mom-mom feed the horses
Reading the Bible
I did 3 laps of the Prayer Walk.
Saying grace every single time I eat.
Going to Cowtown to cheer other people as if they are brand new. Amen.
I help my mom with the dishes.
When my friend was sad, I made her feel better.
Going to Saturday Mass to altar serve for somebody who couldn’t go.
I want to pray for my mom that she is happy in heaven.
Giving up my electronics for lent. Amen.
Helping my grandma make dinner.
I cleaned the basement with my mom, dad and sister.
Praying.
Feeding the dog. I helped Grams clean and cook.
Helping my sister with different tasks. I also made the honor roll for the second time.
Helped my grandma.
Held the door for my classmates and nice to my brother.
Helping my Mom with the dishes.
I complimented a friend.
I pray every night to God and Jesus. Amen.
Helping my old teacher Mrs. Tracy again.
I helped my teacher with the mailboxes.
I helped my friend with a math problem.
Helping my family and classmates including my teacher.
Praying “dailey”
I be nice to my friends and family
Helping my parents and doing my chores
Helping my teacher. Also my teacher helped me get caught up with everybody in my class because I was in Disney.
Working hard
Being respectful
Helping others. Amen
Helping my Mom and Dad. Amen
Preparing for Jesus. Amen.
Helping my friends
Yesterday, I told my friends how great Jesus is.
Helping my Mom and Dad, also my teacher
Helping my mom, dad, dog and sister
Being brave

Sharing knowledge
Be nice to my friends and family
Giving candy to a kid who had no candy on Halloween
Doing my chores
Doing morning prayer with my stepbrother
Helping others when they need it.  And trying my best to pray.  And respecting others and being as nice as possible.
Lily has been the teachers’ helper.
Sharing my time by taking my dog outside and being honest and helping my family.
Alex participated in a walk for Turner’s Syndrome to help raise money and awareness on Saturday.
I cleaned my room.
Passing out papers for my teacher
I helped my classmate put a paper where your supposed to.
I helped my teammate score a goal at my soccer practice.
Lily helped little kids off her school bus.
Helping Mommy and Daddy.  Being good in school.
I help fund raise for shelter dogs.
I helped my friend in Math class.
I helped someone pick up their stuff when they dropped it.
Being nice to my family.
I helped kids at school because I’m safety patrol.
I had a good day at school.

going to Church, Amen.
Lily has been helping a friend at school.
Being nice to other people and respecting others.
Being honest:
Spent time with my brother over break.
Using clean and respectful language.
I helped my parents with cleaning and cooking this Thanksgiving.
Not swearing and not using bad words.
I helped a friend.
Taking time to pray.
Reading Bible stories.
Being nice to my brother and sharing my toys.
Being respectful and not hurting everyone.
I prayed almost every night this week.
I held the door open for somebody.
I prayed the whole rosary.
Celebrating and honoring Veterans during a ceremony at school.
I prayed for my Mom on all souls day.
Going to Church
Loving God, Jesus
Being honest
Going to PSR
I did chores in my house.
Giving a hug to someone who needed a hug
Keep calm and love God.
Making sure I say my prayers during meals especially in public.
Listening to my teacher and being nice to my friends.
Doing good and helping others.
Loving.
I helped mom in the house.
Saying my prayers before bed. Reading about Daniel and the lions.
I learned Heaven is about God and Jesus.
Doing what my parents say.
Volunteering for the Agape. I helped with setup and cleanup.
I did’t fight my mom on taking shower.
I have been helpful with my little sister.
Sharing my time, talents and treasure.
Listening to my teacher.
Helping create teddybears for St. Judes and other hospitals for sick children.
I played with the new girl at school and made her feel welcome.
Helping others and being honest.
Prayed every night this week.
Being nice to my brother.
Behaving good this week.
Reading the Bible.
Respecting and helping my family and friends, taking time to pray, helping others, and keeping the Lord’s Day holy.
I dint want to go out side but I did anyway.
I gave money to “hurricain” victims.
I helped my Grandma water her flowers.