Sep 27, 2024

Greetings,

I hope you were able to read the encouraging news concerning the state of the parish in last week’s bulletin. Here is the second installment of the more interesting points from the Status Animarum Report.

This past year 52 infants were baptized into the family of Christ here along with nine more over the age of reason. That was a jump over the previous year when we had 38 infants baptized and an additional four over the age of seven. If things maintain for the rest of the year as they have for the first part of this reporting season, we are on track to have another banner year for baptisms.

Nine adults and 54 children made their First Holy Communion this year which is again a jump over last year when we had 28 children, and three adults receive the Blessed Sacrament for the first time. Nine additional adults and 67 young ladies and gentlemen were anointed with Sacred Chrism and confirmed in the Holy Spirit between the dates of July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024. Abbot Gary Hoover OSB was our celebrant for all of those who were not brought in at the Easter Vigil. The previous reporting period we had 50 students confirmed and an additional three adults confirmed.

Marriage was the one category in which we saw a drop from the previous year. The previous reporting period we celebrated a total of 19 marriages while this year 13 couples of our community tied the knot.

This year at the Easter Vigil 13 people were brought into full communion with the Catholic Church as compared to the previous year’s four. Even deaths were up from the previous year at 34 to a total of 40 this year. Please say a prayer for the repose of their souls.

Here is who is financially supporting the work of the parish:

Average Number of Adults Contributing to the Collections Weekly:

• This Year: 655
• Last Year: 705

Average Number of Adults Contributing to the Collection Monthly:

• This Year: 439
• Last Year: 460

Average Number of Adults Contributing to the Collection Quarterly:

• This Year: 98
• Last Year: 95

Average Number of Adults Contributing to the Collection Annually:

• This Year: 160
• Last Year: 156 

The total number of those who contributed to the parish out of 1,858 households this year is 1,352 as compared to the 1,836 households from last year in which 1,416 contributed toward keeping the parish strong in mission. Thank you to everybody who helps out as they can. Overall, it was a great year. Let’s continue well the work of the Lord and I ask you to keep your parish and her mission in your prayers.

IN OTHER NEWS:

TEMPORARY CHANGE IN PARISH OFFICE HOURS: Cathy Sivec, our office manager coordinated and will be on pilgrimage to Rome and Greece with Fr. Bozek and Fr. Simone! The offices will close at 3pm from September 30 - October 9 at which point the hours will return to normal. During that time, we will have staff and volunteers covering the office. Thank you for your patience and understanding, it will be greatly appreciated!

HOLY HOUR TALLY: Thank you to those who adopted hours for our Eucharistic Devotions. Thanks to you there were always a number of people in the church over the three days. 166 people signed up for hours plus some groups such as “Junior High School Girls” and “Cross Country Team”. In addition to these numbers were all the people who came who did not sign up for a specific hour and the school children who came over with their classes. Putting all those numbers together we had hundreds of people visit the Blessed Sacrament during our Forty Hours of Devotion. That is why you are so awesome!

God bless,
Fr. Valencheck