While our economic situation is challenging, there are many positive signs here at Holy Family. For example we have grown greatly in both registered parishioners and in Sunday Mass attendance. When we did our Mass count four years ago, 1700 people were attending. In our most recent count, there have been over 2400! Registered parishioners have gone from around 1200 to about 1900.
At our last Building Discernment Committee meeting we talked about the needs of our parish. What faces us most immediately is making the seismic upgrade to our school building, but beyond that the need for a new multi-purpose facility which could serve as a gym, social hall, classrooms, etc. It was asked how we could possibly raise the money to build such a facility. One way of looking at it is to calculate what would happen if each registered household gave just one dollar a day over three years. We would have close to two million dollars!
The immediate challenge before us is Sacrificial Giving. You will be hearing more about it during the coming weeks. I am sending a letter to all our households and in November there will be some presentations on this vital topic. On Nov. 6-7 Tom Swim will be giving a more detailed financial report and a young couple will be speaking at our Masses on the weekend of November 13-14. I will be back from Peru that weekend and will be asking you to consider the gifts of time, talent and treasure which you have received from God and how to make a return to him for his great goodness.