I hope you agree on how good the parking lot looks…it was done on Monday the 5th and it was one of those 90 degree plus monster days which bodes well for us as the sealant absorbs into the hard black top surface just a little deeper. We are all pleased with how good it looks and we should be set for at least the next 3 years. At that point we will probably have to make a major investment in the parking lot as some areas (while now stabilized) will have to be replaced. I think we can all be very proud of the way our building looks from the outside. Now it’s time to turn our attention to the interior of the building, doing intense clean-up and fresh up, especially the restrooms. We’ll have more to come on that in upcoming editions of the bulletin.
The remodeling/enlargement of the conference room is going well and we are on schedule to have the room done by the end of July, ready for the Michigan Bible School classes starting mid-August. This room will give us much needed flexibility in having large groups while still maintaining a nice intimate atmosphere. The room will also be available for Religious Ed, RCIA, or any other church sponsored group. Most of the work is being done by Bill Scally and his crew and they deserve a lot of credit, they are doing an excellent job while saving us a lot of money. Bill also had “his guys” distribute the mulch that is looking so good in the flower beds. Our head Gardening Angel, Carol Corbin was able to get the mulch for free…a good word in my vocabulary. Carol and her gardening crew (including Chris Elmes on the trees) do an outstanding job on the flower beds and we appreciate them all. We are lucky to have such hard working and dedicated volunteers.
During our CSA launch, we played the Archbishops message on the movie screen during Mass. I know that some of you were not able to attend that weekend and some probably tuned out the message as “just another request for money”. I am following with a copy of the Archbishops message on the CSA and ask that you please prayerfully read it. Archbishop Vigneron did not create the financial difficulties in the AOD; he inherited them as well as the challenges of funding ministers through the CSA campaign that is so vital to the most vulnerable of our area. Maybe things are getting better out there, but they still seemed stalled in many areas that the CSA serves at this time of great need.
DEAR FRIENDS IN CHRIST,
In my many years as a priest in the Archdiocese of Detroit, and now as the principal shepherd of our local Church, I have always been impressed with the collective generosity the faithful of the Archdiocese of Detroit show each year to the Catholic Services Appeal, even in the face of challenging economic times. Your continued support is vital because the CSA does so much to ensure the Archdiocese of Detroit is able to provide the many ministries, programs and services that help us fulfill the mission Christ gives His Church. This year’s CSA theme, Sharing Christ in and through the Church, is especially fitting since our Catholic faith gives us the sure and certain hope that God, in His loving kindness, is always there to strengthen us to do His will. We truly are God’s co-workers. Our theme applies to the very process of the CSA: through your generous gifts, we share the mission of Christ in the local Church by offering the valuable resources needed throughout the Archdiocese. One and all depend on the Church for guidance and support, whether it be our children in the early stages of lifelong faith formation through a parish religious education program, adults embracing the Catholic faith through RCIA, a young man discerning his life’s vocation, men and women deepening their faith through ever-expanding avenues of modern communication, or parishioners gaining understanding about Christian stewardship as a way of life. All of these ministries, and so many more, are made possible to countless people each year because of your generous gifts to the CSA.Please know how much your gift to the Catholic Services Appeal truly means in the life of our local Church. I encourage you to remember all of the gifts God has given you out of His infinite love and reflect prayerfully on your pledge to this year’s CSA. And when you make your contribution, please make it as a part of a greater and even more valuable gift: the gift of the prayers and penances you offer for Christ’s work to be done in our midst. Together, we can carry out our mission of Sharing Christ in and through the Church.
†The Most Reverend Allen H. Vigneron Archbishop of Detroit
