Support Needed for Faith-Based Education

Dear Parishioners,

I want to express my thanks to those who attended our Holy Week services in such great numbers. Your presence is a sign of your devotion to Jesus Christ.

This was also the first Holy Week for our new Holy Father, Pope Francis. He continues to give all of us many examples of goodness, humility, and tender pastoral love for the family of God.

Our new Holy Father is calling each of us to come out of the comfortable religious practices that keep us protected from the demands of living our faith in our every day life. When we step outside ourselves we are able to attend to the needs of others: those who long for a sympathetic ear, and those who are in need of comfort or help.

Our new Holy Father calls us to move beyond our own ministries, and internal parish structures and programs. Pope Francis reminds us that when we keep within ourselves, we lose our evangelical instincts. We become managers not apostles. We cannot forget that the church exists to evangelize. The gift of faith that we have received is to be shared with others.

As I reflect on the words of Pope Francis I am reminded of the challenges of evangelization in our own parish. We evangelize by providing faith-based education in our parish school and faith formation programs, especially our Autism and the Sacraments program. By reaching out to our young people we are sharing with them the beauty of our Christian faith.

Our children in turn, reach out to their parents, who in some cases are brought back to the sacraments because of their children. Through your support for our St. Vincent de Paul Society we are able to provide for those in our community who are in need of help.

If our school and faith formation programs are to remain strong, your help is needed now. Your generous support to the PASS program allows us to provide tuition assistance to many students whose families are experiencing financial hardships. In order for our Autism Program to keep responding to the needs of families whose children are on the autism spectrum your financial support is needed.

At present I need $35,000 to make up this year’s loss in tuition. In most cases those who owe tuition will eventually make up their tuition when their financial situations improve. Unfortunately, cash flow is needed now to provide for the every day expenses of the school and faith formation programs. With your generous support we will be able to keep evangelizing and sharing our Christian Faith.

If you are not able to make a donation at this time please pray that God will provide for our needs, as we try to understand, and do His will as a parish community.

May God bless you abundantly for your generosity and prayers. Be assured a remembrance in all my Masses and prayers.

In the name of the Risen Jesus,

I remain,

Roger C. Gagné

Pastor