Kacie Yamamoto reading from the pulpit at St. Stephen Church on her Confirmation day. (Photo courtesy of Kacie Yamamoto)
Instead of ‘graduating’ from church commitments after confirmation, I found myself doing even more
By Kacie Yamamoto
Special to the Herald
Time, talent and treasure. I remember the day that my confirmation advisor, Carmen Saito, who I call Aunty Carmen, introduced this idea to me and five other high school students preparing for confirmation.
Before then, I had viewed the sacrament as a graduation of sorts, thinking that once I was confirmed, I had completed my duties in the Catholic faith. Yet, it was Aunty Carmen’s stewardship lesson that showed me that my involvement with my parish was far from over.
She instructed us to find two adults in our church community and ask them how they gave of their time, talent and treasure to the parish. I remember talking to two people who had been involved with the church community for as long as I could remember — one by making food each week for breakfast and the other by helping refurbish the church’s surrounding gardens. After speaking with them, I noticed that for both, their contributions were things that they genuinely enjoyed doing. Cooking and gardening are everyday actions, but in using them to benefit more than just themselves, they suddenly became so much more.
I think that this concept was what Aunty Carmen had wanted us to gather before we got confirmed: what was our time, talent, and treasure to contribute to the parish? How were we going to stay involved even after our confirmation?
So, it was with this mindset that I started serving as a lector following my confirmation in 2015. Initially beginning as just a way to appease Aunty Carmen, I soon found much personal satisfaction in reading. I noticed myself stopping to comprehend the scripture meaning and trying harder to apply the lessons I found in them to my own life in ways I hadn’t before. I looked forward to spreading God’s word each week and in doing something for my parish.
The following year, I began volunteering as a teacher’s aide with the kindergarten religious education class. I made connections with people of all ages, from my 4-year-old students to my 18-year-old friend who volunteered along with me. I enjoyed making crafts with the children and playing spontaneous games of Rock-Paper-Scissors with them. I began excitedly anticipating each week’s class sessions and going to Mass even more than before.
All of a sudden, I had found ways to contribute my own time, talent, and treasure to my church community. These actions, like those of the people I asked that day three years ago, are arguably not huge. Yet, I feel fulfilled spending some time with a few kindergarteners and honing my public speaking skills as a lector. In following my confirmation advisor’s words and in sharing these qualities, I’ve realized why I’m still so connected with my parish and, more importantly, with my faith.
By giving something, I’ve created a reason to stay involved with the faith. In the same way that I thought going to church before confirmation was to reap the reward of eventually “graduating,” I’ve realized that going to church afterward is for a different kind of reward: the feeling of usefulness and contribution.
My time, talent, and treasure earned me a place in the church. I’m the girl who lectors and teaches religious education in the same way that other people are “the man who always lets people borrow books” or “the lady in the choir.” I’ve created for myself an identifier that gives me a sense of belonging and keeps me tied to this community.
Although Aunty Carmen’s lesson came at a time when I was ready to finish my Catholic duties, somehow my faith has only grown stronger. In contributing my time, talent, and treasure, I’ve realized that while I may be giving back, I’ve always been on the receiving end.
Kacie Yamamoto is a senior at Moanalua High School where she’s the yearbook editor. She is a parishioner at St. Stephen Parish in Nuuanu.
