This weekend
This weekend I am giving the Annual Report on the state of our parish. The report, which will be in the bulletin, includes a lot of information. The staff works very hard to get it ready. I’m happy to inform you that we are doing really well. We finished the year with a surplus. Our capital campaign was a huge success and our participation level is one of the best in the area. Last year we added 107 new families. Heartfelt thanks to everyone who contributes to our parish life. May God bless you all for your efforts. They certainly have borne good fruit.
On Snow Removal
I received a couple of questions about our snow removal recently, so here are the facts. I assure you we do our best to get the sidewalks and parking lots, including the KGS lot, as clean and safe as soon as possible. It is, however, impossible to get everything cleaned up while it’s still snowing. It’s too expensive to have the plows come multiple times during the same storm. Our contractor does the best he can. Many times he is here in the middle of the night trying to get everything ready for the 7:00 AM Mass and the beginning of the school day. Our plow service has already cost us $5,150 this year and more snow is on the way. .Last year it cost $9,700 for the whole year. Thanks for your patience and please be careful when you get out of your cars on Alling Street. Sometimes those bricks are a little more icy than the concrete walks. Thanks for your understanding.
As Some Of You Heard
On February 17th I will be starting a 4 month sabbatical. When our tragedy happened a couple of years ago our Provincial suggested I take some time off and rest a little. I just didn’t feel I wanted to leave the parish until I knew everything here would be alright. Then the proposed KGS development happened and we had to fight the zoning change, so I put off the sabbatical. Then my Mom needed to move from her house, so I didn’t go. Then she became ill and there was no way I was going away when she needed me. Then the parish decided to purchase the KGS building and that took a lot of work and negotiations, so I didn’t go. Then it was decided that we needed to start the capital campaign, and you know the drill. In all of my time here at St. Paul I never really took an extended vacation, so now I’m finally going to go away. Rest assured you are in very good hands. The Archbishop has appointed Fr. Raymond as the temporary administrator from February 17 until June 17. Fr. Tim and Fr. Peter are also more than willing to do their part to keep everything going. I’ve told the staff that when I get back rested, they better put their running shoes on. Thank you for understanding and please pray that God inspires me to use this time that has been given to me well.