People Can't Stop Saying "Wow!"

Last week, I received a note from a summer parishioner. She told me she has regularly visited Chatham since 1980. She attends Holy Redeemer, Our Lady of Grace, or Holy Trinity in W. Harwich when she is here. She said after a long absence, she came to Holy Redeemer and felt blown away by the renovations.

She writes notes to the shut-in of her parish and shares what she recently wrote. "Never underestimate the power of God! Last month, on vacation, I attended a favorite church that had been expanded and renovated over the winter months. The floors are white with brushstrokes of brown, the walls are soft-serve vanilla, and when the lights flick on before Mass-WOW!- the shadow of the crucifix fades away, reminding us we are Easter people. I wanted to dance, sing, and praise the God who speaks His love from the floors to the ceiling."

I can't expect a more enthusiastic response than that! Feedback from regular, summer, and "just passing through" parishioners has been overwhelmingly positive. I'm very proud too! We set out to make Holy Redeemer a more beautiful and welcoming place, and we accomplished it. An attractive building isn't a monument but something that lifts the spirit so we feel God is present in our midst. Our new church does that for us.

This week, we sent a mailing to registered parishioners announcing the beginning of our Annual Collection, conducted every August and September. This appeal is the one time each year we ask parishioners to make an additional donation to the parish to pay parish expenses during the off-season months.

We have budgeted a collection of $85,000 for this year. I'm happy to report that we have already received donations of $13,000. That is a great initial response. Most of this collection pays for salaries, utility bills, and other non-glamourous things that keep the parish growing.

We will spend donations over $85,000 on several projects to continue our renovations. We need to make our parking lot easier to navigate and more welcoming. We want to build access directly off Old County Road, add lighting, and reline the lot into stalls rather than the confusing lanes. Costs for this project will be an estimated $40,000. A parishioner has already made a $25,000 donation towards this objective. Maybe that is a pet project of yours?

Many compliments are made about how well the siding on the addition blends with the rest of the church. That siding is made of vinyl shingles, and we need to start replacing the old cedar shingles on the rest of the church. That is estimated to cost $350,000. The doors to Our Lady of Grace Chapel need replacing. They are getting rusted out, and the frames need replacing. Doors make the first impression when we enter a building and are a sign of welcome. A cost estimate for that project is $40,000. Maybe that is a project you understand as critical.

All these projects add up, and when we include the need to replenish the $1M taken from savings for the addition, it totals $1.5 M. That is a large sum, but our recent Capital Campaign raised over $1.2 M, so it isn't insurmountable. Never underestimate the power of God! We have the resources. About 200 parishioners donated to the Capital Campaign, but we have over 600 parish households. Hopefully, those who didn't contribute to the campaign will now be sufficiently impressed to want to be part of the success of further renovations. Hopefully, those who have contributed see how wonderful the church looks and will contribute again. Working together, we can accomplish any goal.

Even if you can't give a significant gift to the Annual Collection, please consider increasing your weekly Budget Offering. When was the last time you reviewed it? Like yourselves, expenses in the parish are subject to inflation and rising costs. I'm excited about the power of God and what we can accomplish as a parish. I want you to recognize God's power working in our parish and catch the excitement.  

Please promptly send in your contribution to the Annual Collection so we can reach our goal and start working on the additional renovation projects. You aren't on our parish rolls if you didn't receive a mailing. Please take one from the book rack in the pew and use it to contribute to the Annual Collection.

Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Thursday, August 15, is the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a Holy Day of Obligation for all Catholics. It is the day we commemorate the Virgin Mary's being assumed as body and soul into Heaven, where she intercedes for us with Jesus Christ, her son. Masses for the Holy Day are Wednesday at 4 p.m., Thursday at 8 a.m. and 12:05 p.m.

Open House A Success

Last Sunday, from 2-4 p.m., we had our first Renovation Open House. About 30 parishioners, visitors, and community members came for a tour of our renovated church. We'll have another one on Sunday, September 8. Invitations to share with your family and friends will again be available a few weeks ahead. Thank you to Marilyn Wheldon, Evemarie McNeil, Carolyn Connolly, and MaryLou Macaluso for offering their Sunday afternoon.

Holy Redeemer Fun Day

We will have a Holy Redeemer Fun Day on Sunday, August 25, to draw our summer celebration, marking the renovated Holy Redeemer Church to a close. It will be an old-fashioned Parish Picnic with Hot Dogs, Hamburgers, and other summer foods under a tent, so we don't care if it rains or shines. There will be music and games, and it will all be free. Make plans to come and visit with your fellow parishioners. It will be fun!