Saint Matthias Parish - From Fr Fran 2006/4/30

St. Matthias Parish will welcome Marlborough Police Officers next Saturday at the 4PM Mass. For the last few years the Catholic members of the Marlborough Police Force and their families have gathered at a local parish for the celebration of the Eucharist and a collation after the Mass. This year our parish is happy to welcome them to our 4PM Mass next Saturday evening. Some of the officers and their families will be sharing liturgical ministries with our parishioners for that Mass. I’m sure you will extend a warm welcome to these public servants who give so much to our community on a daily basis.
Get into the Spring Fling! It’s not too late to purchase a ticket to our newest fundraiser, our “Spring Fling” to be held at Marlborough Country Club next Saturday night. Dinner, dancing, an auction and a raffle; not a bad Saturday night out! Even if you can’t go please buy some raffle tickets at the doors of the church today for the great prize of a trip to New York and a Broadway Show!
Grand Annual Collection. As you can see by our weekly tabulations donations to our Grand Annual Collection have dropped off leaving us quite a way from our $60,000 goal. If you have not contributed yet please prayerfully consider a donation that will go towards the everyday finances of the parish. We need your help to grow our programs and to provide just salaries to our extremely hard working pastoral and support staff.
Wish List! In the near future we will be publishing a bit of a wish list (well really a needs list) outlining some items and projects that are pending at our parish. Some of the items we will be seeking donations towards will be equipment for our kitchen, including repair or replacement of our stove along with a new refrigerator. Carpeting in the foyer of the parish hall is also needed to replace the old tiles that have loosened in recent months. Donating toward one of these or other projects would be a great way to help our parish directly in areas of immediate need.
Archdiocesan Financial Report. Included in this week’s bulletin is a brochure that contains an overview of the newly released Archdiocesan Financial Report which can be found in its entirety on the archdiocesan web site at RCAB.org. Over 1,000 pages of documentation are included in the full report. This is said to be the first time in the history of the church that such an extensive accounting of finances has ever been released. Some have seen this as a major step forward in healing the wounds of the last few years. I do believe that it is a start, and, coupled with a new team at chancery being assembled right now by Cardinal O’Malley Let’s pray that the Holy Spirit may guide us into a new period of openness and honesty leading to a regaining of trust.
Immaculate Conception and St. Matthias Parishes will celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation next Sunday at an 11:30AM Eucharist at Immaculate Conception Church to be presided over by our regional bishop Walter Edyvean. Joanie Barclay, Deacon Doug and I will be with our young women and men at IC for this celebration. Please keep all those to be confirmed, their sponsors and families in your prayers this week as they prepare to experience the gift of the Holy Spirit.