Steadfast Parishes Amidst Changing Circumstances

This year we all have experienced many changing circumstances, which have affected our lives, some much more than others. Thankfully, we have also found – or are helping each other find – ways to sustain what is most important in our lives: relationships with family and friends, our faith and involvement in the Church, and care for our neighbors and those in most need.

The same is true in our Catholic Collaborative as our parishioners, volunteers, and members of our Pastoral Team (staff) have contributed our time, talents, and treasure to continue the mission of Jesus Christ in both of our Parishes. Many people have stepped up to help in new ways, and some have needed to take a step back from some of the ways they had been serving. Most recently one of our Administrative Assistants, Maureen Lukes, discerned that she needs to spend more time caring for others in her extended family and so she will be leaving our Pas-toral Team (but not our parishes) at the end of the month. Many of you know her as our bulletin editor and one of the kind and compassionate people at St. Mary office or on the phone. She has also coordinated many of our programs and efforts in forming a collaborative and responding to the pandemic, most recently working hard to find enough greeters & ushers to keep our public Masses safe. We will miss her presence on our team and wish her well. We need to fill her role quickly, so if you or anyone you know is interested in a part-time administrative role (parent’s hours) and has the computer skills needed, please contact me ASAP.

In spite of changing circumstances, parishioners are trying hard to maintain financial support of our parishes as well. The pandemic has not stopped our bills from coming, so this past week we kicked-off the Parish Grand Annual with mailings that were sent to all households, including the annual financial report. The Grand Annual is the traditional year-end collection that many parishes run to fund maintenance projects and to help cover the short-fall in Offertory collections. We hope people will see this as an opportunity for charitable giving before the end of the 2020 tax year. Obviously, those who lost income in these difficult times will not be able to give as much. So this year especially, the rest of us need to maintain our commitment to remain faithful to this collection, which we ask people to submit by next weekend, Oct. 31 & Nov. 1 (or split into two payments by year end).

Thanks to your generosity, as well as the hard work of both Parish Finance Councils and the Pastoral Team, the annual financial reports contain some good news in both of our parishes for the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2020. In Plainville, our forecast deficit turning into actual savings of almost $15,000 due to reduced expenses this spring and a major donation toward the church foundation repairs.

In Wrentham, a strong Parish Grand Annual helped compensate for other shortfalls in income. Also major savings in expenses this spring and a trust fund donation yielded operating savings of almost $58,000. However, the Building Fund collection has not been enough to pay the monthly mortgage (over 8,000/month), so this short-fall cut into that savings.

Sensitive to the difficult financial situation of many of our parishioners, both Finance Councils projected lower income this year, so we are projecting major deficits for both parishes in this new fiscal year. We continue to “be not afraid” and pray the pandemic will get better. Meanwhile, last year’s savings plus the Paycheck Protection Plan money each parish received from the government should more than compensate for one year of budget deficits. (This is good because it allows us to take on an additional important heating project in St. Martha church.) Still, because of these uncertain times, we are monitoring the finances even more carefully each month.

Finally, I take this opportunity each year to thank our Business Manager, Bill Nash, and the members of both Parish Finance Councils (PFCs) for their dedication to being good stewards of our finances on behalf of all pa-rishioners: from the St. Martha PFC, Kathy Parker (chair), Tom Hines, Joe Ferney, Tom Morris, and Ron Garron; from the St. Mary PFC, Janet Frye (chair), Josh Person, Fran Ahern, and Pat Zeller. Fran and Pat are stepping down and we are grateful for their years of faithful service! Together with Bill, you all are indispensable to our accountability and wise use of the gifts God has given each parish through our parishioners.