bulletin messages

March 11/12

Last month, Father Philip and several members of our committee went on a field trip with the architect and building contractor. They traveled to several local parishes to see in real life various materials, finishes, and structural elements that are being considered for our project here. Their adventures allowed them to better visualize materials and designs so as soon as we raise our financial requirement of $1,755,000 we will be able to start the project with Diocesan approval.

March 4 /5

One vital area currently being reviewed for our upcoming renovations is our sound system. Our building committee recently met with acoustic engineers to determine what that might look like. Details are still being finalized, but we wanted to make sure that our parishioners are aware that we do have, right now, special headsets for the hard of hearing. These headsets can be checked out from the Eucharistic Ministers room!

 

Feb 25/26

From all of us at the Capital Campaign, we wish you a blessed and Holy Lenten season.

Feb 18/19

We want to thank everyone who has pledged to our campaign to date! We continue to get some questions about ways to give, and one common question we get is regarding the date of pledge withdrawals. Did you know that you can select the date your pledge is drafted from your bank?? All you need to do is add a note in the comments section on the online giving form, or you can call the parish office and we’ll help you!

Feb 11/12

As we mentioned last week, In order to start construction on our campaign renovations, we need $1.08 million in cash in the bank. We are just under $400,000 from this goal! Thank you so much to all who have donated and pledged to support our campaign. There’s still time! Any amount is a blessing to our parish.

When we hit 1.08M cash in the bank, we can start construction. Help push us over the limit to celebrate!!! Once we hit our goal, we’re planning a dinner to thank our wonderful parishioners for making this possible. Please keep an eye out here for more information! We are so excited to be so close to our goals.

Feb 4 / 5

In order to start construction on our project, we need $1.08 million in cash in the bank. We are just under $400,000 from this goal. If you have already pledged, thank you so much! We’d like to encourage everyone who hasn’t donated yet to consider a donation to the future of our parish. Any amount, large or small, is most helpful. Obviously we’d love to hit and exceed our financial goals quickly, but we’d also like to have all families participating at whatever level they can. We are a grassroots kind of parish! Right now we’re at just over 11% participation, but we’d love to see that number grow. Even if you can only give $20, please know that your donation will be valued and appreciated. Every little bit helps us revive our parish to revere our God and reach our community.

Once we hit those numbers and can get rolling, construction is expected to take around 8 months.

Jan 21/22

Our upcoming renovation plans seek to enhance our experience of the Mass and Liturgy, while also addressing practical needs and ease of use. Another area that illustrates this combination of form and function is the addition of a ramp to the altar area. This ramp will improve ease of access for our priests, deacons, lectors, cantors, acolytes, and all those who are on the altar during the Mass.

Jan 14/15

Many of our upcoming Campaign renovations, from the narthex to the sanctuary, are designed to enhance our experience of the Mass and Liturgy. Additionally, there will be more practical updates, too, such as the total renovation of the bathrooms. The restrooms are dated and it's simply time for a refresh. With all of the other work planned, this is the perfect time to address these other oft-forgotten, yet very important areas.

Jan 7/8 (Feast of the Baptism of our Lord)

This weekend we celebrate the end of the Christmas season with the Feast of the Baptism of our Lord. As part of our upcoming parish capital campaign, we will be replacing the baptismal font, which will be returned to its original location in the Church.

“The rites of baptism, the first of the sacraments of initiation, require a prominent place for celebration. Initiation into the Church is entrance into a eucharistic community united in Jesus Christ. Because the rites of initiation of the Church begin with baptism and are completed by the reception of the Eucharist, the baptismal font and its location reflect the Christian's journey through the waters of baptism to the altar.”*

*Built of Living Stones: Art, Architecture, and Worship. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2007.

Dec 31/Jan 1

Happy Feast day of Mary, Mother of God!

As we mark the end of the Octave of Christmas, we also mark the beginning of a new calendar year. For many, with the beginning of a new calendar year comes annual financial planning. We would love for you to consider adding our Capital campaign to your planned giving. We continue to strive to hit our targets to begin our construction projects in earnest.

Once we begin, it is estimated that we’ll be out of the main Church for 6-8 months. We’ll be in the gym for Masses during much of that time. Wouldn’t it be amazing to be celebrating Christmas 2023 and ringing in 2024 in our newly renovated space?

If you need any assistance or have any questions, please contact the parish office.

Dec 24/25

On behalf of all of us on the Capital Campaign Committees, we wish you and your families a wonderful and blessed Christmas! May the joy of Christ’s birth fill your lives with love and hope.

Dec 17/18

Happy Fourth Sunday of Advent

One goal we have had with our upcoming renovation is to honor the history of our Parish. Change is good and necessary, but we want to make those changes remembering our roots and those who came before us. When our Church was remodeled in the late 1990s a “river” was added in the Narthex area. Often called the “River Jordan” or the “River Johnson” by parishioners and visitors alike, this river area, currently connected to the large holy water font, is often the first thing people see when they come in.

The river itself will be removed in the renovations, but we intend to add a tile ‘river’ crossing the narthex to pay tribute to our roots.

Dec 10/11

Happy Third Sunday of Advent!

What’s happening in the Narthex?

The Catholic Bishops define the term ‘narthex’ in their publication, Built of Living Stones: “The narthex is a place of welcome—a threshold space between the congregation's space and the outside environment. In the early days of the Church, it was a 'waiting area' for catechumens and penitents. Today it serves as a gathering space as well as the entrance and exit to the building. The gathering space helps believers to make the transition from everyday life to the celebration of the liturgy, and after the liturgy, it helps them return to daily life to live out the mystery that has been celebrated."

Part of our Capital Campaign renovation is to add a cupola to the Narthex area to help make that space more welcoming. It will transform that space both from the interior, and the exterior.

Dec 3/4

Happy Second Sunday of Advent!!!

One item that we are so excited to be including in our upcoming renovation is the permanent niches for statues of Mary and Joseph.  These statues, included to either side of the crucifix, remind us of the importance of the Holy Family.  At this time of year, we especially remember that without Mary’s yes, there would be no Christmas.

Nov 26/27

Happy New Year! The First Sunday of Advent marks the beginning of the Church year!

As we prepare for the beginning of our new liturgical year, many are also beginning to think about the start of the upcoming calendar year. We know that many of our families plan their charitable giving for the entire year at this time, and we would be honored if you would consider contributing to our capital campaign. You can find more information about qualified charitable distributions, and other ways to give by visiting our website at www.svdpcc.org/revive-revere-reach, or by calling the parish office.

Please also remember that capital campaign contributions should not replace regular parish giving. We still need to keep the lights on! :)

“Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” 2 Cor. 9:7

Nov 19/20

Back Altar Wall / Stone
“Stones are powerful images of the steadfast and the permanent. Stone is a material of integrity; it patiently bears loads and its sturdy makeup allows it to weather well. Stones are often used to represent struggles, since one must be careful walking upon or climbing up loose stone. We stand in awe at the sight of a mountain range. The ancient presence and sheer size both humble us and cause us to lift our eyes to the heavens, fulfilling us with images of the divine and the eternal. It makes sense then, that stone is a favored material by the church.” *

One of the major changes that will come with our upcoming renovations is the stone altar wall that will grace the back of the Church. These stones will extend all the way up and will transform the look and feel of our main sanctuary.

A stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. Psalm 118:22

*Kurowski, Jeff. “Abundance of Stones in the Church.” The Compass, 11 Mar. 2016, https://www.thecompassnews.org/2016/03/abundance-of-stones-in-the-church/.

Nov 12/13

Our choir area will be moving! It will relocate from its current position to a dedicated area on the right side of the Church. The floor of the new choir area will be a hard surface, and combined with the wall behind it, the choir’s sound will reflect more naturally throughout the church. The choir is an invaluable part of the congregation, and as such, this location positions them within the congregation. From this new vantage point, they will be able to continue to provide the stellar musical leadership that we’ve come to expect for many generations to come.

Nov 5/6

You have probably seen the renderings of the interior of the Church, with that beautiful new carpet. After much careful consideration, we will be replacing the current well-worn carpet with a red carpet.

Red is the liturgical color that we use at Pentecost, often referred to as the birthday of the Church. The red symbolizes the Holy Spirit that came down upon the apostles, and marks the beginning of the Church’s mission in the world. So with this new red carpet, we will be visually linked to that mission, and with this capital campaign, we hope to re-invigorate our parish’s longstanding commitment to serving others.

Oct 29/30

We’d like to thank you all for your enthusiasm for our Capital Campaign. You’ll find here at right a new financial graphic and breakdown that we will update weekly so you can track our progress to our goals!! As you can see, while we have a ways to go, we’re already making great progress!

We’d like to take this opportunity to draw your attention to the percentage of participating families. Even if you’re only able to donate a few dollars a month, we’d really love to see all of our wonderful families participate in our campaign. Please know that no donation is too small, and together, we can do this!

Oct 22/23

Technology has come a long way in the last 40 some years. The first generation iPhone for example launched in 2007, and in just a few short years is now indispensable to so many. Just like phones, music, cars, and so many other areas of our lives, sound technology has advanced greatly. We have made updates to our sound system over the years, and we began a larger overhaul during COVID. We are planning with the campaign funds to complete that recent upgrade, improving especially our speakers and hearing-impaired services. The sound booth will also be removed, as our sound system is now controlled by just an iPad. With these upgrades, our parishioners will be better able to experience the liturgy and music of the Mass.

Oct 8/9

A tabernacle is a special locked box which stores the Eucharist. As Catholics we believe that the Eucharist is the real presence of Jesus, and therefore this tabernacle is a focal point of our reflection and prayer. It is customary to genuflect whenever we come to the Church to acknowledge the presence of the Blessed Sacrament reserved in the Tabernacle. The tabernacle at our parish currently sits atop a moveable wooden structure behind the altar. In the renovations, Jesus will rest within the Tabernacle which will be inset in a beautiful stone niche. This is both a more fitting permanent area for the Eucharist to rest, and it’s also a lot safer and less prone to being bumped into.

Oct 15/16

Our parishioners have surely looked up at Mass at some point, perhaps pondering the homily or just letting their gaze wander, and have seen the cracks in the ceiling, the water damage to the beautiful wooden beams, and the stains on the drop ceiling tiles in the back of the Church. In seeking to revive our sanctuary space, our capital campaign will address these needed updates to our ceiling. With your help, we hope to be able to glance upwards and appreciate the majesty of our sanctuary.

Oct 1&2

Since I arrived at St. Vincent de Paul four years ago, I have been blessed in many ways as a pastor, including the opportunity to be here for the celebration of the sacraments, social activities, formation programs as well as many other events. During this time, I have also had the opportunity to listen to parishioners and learn a lot as we grow together in faith. St. Vincent de Paul has a rich history, and it is from this that we have developed the campaign theme of REVIVE – REVERE – REACH. We would like to revive the spirit of loving fellowship, revere the sacred presence of God among his people and with that same love reach out to our brothers and sisters who are in need like our patron saint did. A key part of preserving this heritage is to improve the building, maintain our campus and have a fund that will continue to keep it beautiful and alive for the next generation. The theme for our capital campaign is Revive - Revere - Reach. As Father Philip states in his letter about the campaign, "We would like to revive the spirit of loving fellowship, revere the sacred presence of God among his people and with that same love reach out to our brothers and sisters who are in need like our patron saint did. A key part of preserving this heritage is to improve the building, maintain our campus, and have a fund that will continue to keep it beautiful and alive for the next generation."

Sept 24/25

We are excited to share with you all our upcoming plans to renovate our sacred space. Together we plan to raise over 3 million dollars to renovate and revive our Church, and to prepare for our future. Keep an eye out here each week for more details on specific projects.