Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

News and Notes:  The Finance Council members of both parishes have agreed to conduct an Increased Offertory Campaign (IOC) this year to boost the income and to support the ministries and administration of our Collaborative.  We are going to start with Our Lady’s Parish.  In two weeks (October 18-19), I will speak at all the Masses there about this effort to increase the stewardship and sacrificial giving at OLA; lay men and women from OLA parish will speak at all the Masses the following weekend (October 25-26).  IOC brochures will be mailed to all registered parishioners.  The goal is to increase the weekly offertory by 20%, a very manageable target by parish fundraising standards today.  We are fortunate to have the services of Cornerstone, led by a man named Brian Raiche, whose firm has been very successful in running Increased Offertory Campaigns in scores of parishes around the Archdiocese.  St. Maria’s Parish will begin their campaign a little later in the fall, focusing on promotion of their OAP pledge method of donating and introducing the option of online giving.  In the coming weeks, I ask you to consider prayerfully your response to this request to increase your support of the mission of the Catholic Church in Lynnfield and surrounding towns that we serve.  I invite all our parishioners to ponder this question from the psalmist (Psalm 116):  “How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me?”  Let’s also pray for our children, their parents and catechists in both parishes as our Religious Education program begins this week.  Blessings to all of you in the week ahead!