Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time

News and Notes:  Join us for the 9AM Mass at St. Maria Goretti Parish on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 24…a great way to thank the Lord for all the good he has done for us.  Speaking of gratitude, our thanks go to Greg Bruno and all the members of the SMG Finance Council, along with folks from our Collaborative Development Committee for their presentation at St. Maria’s Town Hall meeting on October 27.

We are blessed with very capable and committed Co-Chairs of our current Development Campaign (which is entitled “Faith, Action and Hope”):  Maryanne Rooney Hegan (SMG) and Richard Mazzola (OLA).  They are ably assisted by Elizabeth Basile, Dave Drislane, Ellie Drislane, Elaine Frontero, Paul Halloran, Jr. Beverly Merritt and Len Morrison.  The goal of this Committee is to boost the Offertory in each of our parishes, by asking all our families to consider prayerfully an annual commitment of 3% of their annual income; and if they are not already an “intentional giver,” to consider doing so by pledging an amount and donating it online, through their bank, or by using envelopes (such as the OAP pledge program at SMG or regular parish envelopes in both parishes).    For many years now, the percentage of “intentional givers” among registered parishioners at OLA and SMG has been in the neighborhood of 12-13%.  To secure funding of our mission going forward, and to ensure that both parishes will be fully operational for decades to come, we obviously need to improve that figure.  In thinking about your own financial support of your respective parish, I offer you this quote from St. Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians, Chapter 9, verses 6-8 for your reflection:  “Consider this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.  Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.  Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work.”   Next weekend (November 19-20) is Commitment Weekend in our Collaborative, when everyone will be asked to make a pledge of a financial contribution to support their particular parish in the upcoming year. 

Blessings to all of you in the week ahead!