August
27,2006
Merry
Christmas
Estelle
Farewell
So far over 250 people have let us know they plan to attend the farewell
for Estelle Peck on Wednesday evening, September 13th. If you’re
coming, please be sure to pick up a free ticket after masses this weekend
or at the Parish Center during the week. If you’d like to help
by being on the food committee, please leave a message for Paul Clagnaz
at
333-0580.
Off
to College?
Are you going off to college? Is your child going to college? At St.
Brigid’s we like to stay in touch via occasional e-mails as we
send photos and news from “home”. College students wishing
to be connected through our “Letters from home” can sign
up online here
or you can mail or
e-mail thecollege names and e-mail addresses to Father Ralph and he’ll
put them on the list.
Census
Continues
Of the approximate 6,000 families we usually send mail to, we’ve
received completed Census booklets from over 4,000. So we’ve got
a ways to go.
Is your booklet in?
e-mail Father Ralph:
Past Columns:
August 20: Wine or No Wine
August 13: Mangia...
August 6: Mixed News
July 30: Impossibly Little
July 23: Come away!
July 16: Got a Mission?
July 9:Missing God
July 2: Jesus Interrupted
June 25: One Here, One to
Come
June 18: A Father's Gift
June 11: Charity Begins
At Home
June 4: Turning Silver
May 28: Eight Years •
Eight Months
May 21: If Any
May14: Celebrating Mothers
May 6: Celebrating Priests
April30: Baked Fish
April 23: What we hear
April 16: Out of the Tomb
April 9: Jesus, Our Source
of Peace
April 2: NOW, Can you Hear
Me?
Mar 26: Can You Hear Me
Again?
Mar 19: Can You Hear Me
Now?
Mar 12: Now Take 4Steps
March 5: Take A Step
Feb 26:Coming Home
Feb19: Visiting Heros
Feb 12: Passing Pastor
Feb 4: Annual Appeal
Jan 22: Abandoned Nets
Jan 15: Everlasting Life
Jan 8: I'm not going to
jail..
Jan 1: Happy New Year
Columns
from 2005
Columns
from 2004
Columns from
2003
Columns from 2002
We
are facing one of those non-glamorous moments in parish life where we
have to pay the bills. People are inspired to make generous contributions
when a church is being built or renovated. Sometimes people like to give
toward an item that can be memorialized. But it’s un-glamorous to
give to pay utility bills, insurance costs, and other such mundane expenses.
So I wasn’t sure how to ask the people of the parish to pay the
bills at the end of our fiscal year (ending August 31st). “Hey folks,
we’ve got bills to pay,” isn’t exactly an inspirational
call to sacrifice.
What has been good so far is our
ability to cut expenses without cutting programs. Unfortunately, after
cutting around $1000 per week in expenses, unexpected increases in health
insurance for our employees, a large pension adjustment bill (a one-time
expense), increased utility costs (just like the ones people are facing
at home) outstripped the savings. Part of our $130,000 in unpaid bills
is also a result from paying off last years debt.
When I met with the parishioners
who are on the parish Finance Council, we realized that we couldn’t
keep holding debt over from one year to another. We really want to pay
this off now. The wonderful increase in weekly collections has gone a
long way in paying for many expenses, but it hasn’t been enough.
That’s why I mailed a letter last week to ask parishioners to be
part of a debt-reducing campaign which we’re calling “Christmas
in August”. That is, I asked parishioners to consider what they
give at Christmas and to give an equal amount in August if their means
allow. (Lesser or greater amounts are also welcomed.) I’m also asking
folks who are not from St. Brigid’s but who come for daily mass
or other services to consider giving us a “Christmas gift”
now. Your donation helps us to keep providing the services you’ve
come to rely on.
(If you're reading this online and can help
us out, please send your donation to
St. Brigid's Church
75 Post Ave
Westbury, NY 11590)
People are responding generously
and the staff and I are very grateful. Within the first week of the mailing
we have received over $11,000 in contributions If you haven’t taken
a moment to make a special donation to help us wipe out this debt, please
do so this week. Together we can make this happen. Thank you.
