Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time

News and Notes: Thanks to our Collaborative Development Committee for their work on this year’s Offertory and Capital Fund pledge campaign.  Now that we have released our Annual Report and are hearing this weekend the presentation of our fellow parishioners detailing the needs of our parishes, it is time for all of us to respond to the question posed in Psalm 116: “What return shall I make to the Lord for all the good he has done for me?”  As stewards of our Catholic faith, our places of worship and other buildings as well as our grounds, we are called to follow the example of the widow in this weekend’s gospel, and contribute to the upkeep of our spiritual home from the substance of our treasure, not just from our surplus.  Our Finance Council has budgeted an increase of 3.5% in our Offertory budget this fiscal year.  This is the money we need to pay our “nuts and bolts” operating costs every week: salaries and benefits for our hard working employees; our utilities; our supplies; the weekly cleaning of our buildings.  In particular, we need to get a steadier stream of income (through envelopes and online giving) to ease the cash flow issues that become problematic from time to time.   We also have various Capital projects that cannot be deferred much longer, such as the roof on the Collaborative Business Office at OLA and the roof on the Church at SMG.  This is our sacred duty, to be faithful and generous stewards of the faith and the assets that the Lord and our predecessors have entrusted to us.  Please consider prayerfully your pledge to support the mission of your parish in the year ahead.

In our rotation of churches for our Thanksgiving Day Mass, it is St. Maria Goretti Parish’s turn this year to host this liturgy.  It will take place on November 22 at 9AM.

Many thanks to our Veterans for your service to our country…and blessings to all of you in the week ahead!