Dear Church,
It’s an understatement to say we are living in unusual times. Who would have thought our reality could shift so dramatically in such a short period of time? In the midst of all this I am very hopeful about the future of our Church, for our hope rests in God. Everything else is unsteady. People are desperate for some type of firm footing and this is precisely where our Church steps in to share the hope of the Gospel. You see, though we are in a season of turmoil and uncertainty, we will get to the other side of it with the help of Almighty God.
To that end, we are continuing to adjust to keep our Church support strong, so we are always ready and prepared for what comes our way. Our daily and weekend Masses will continue as we investigate the possibility of streaming all of our Masses and other parish gatherings/functions online. We have initiated an online program for our Religious Education Department for all grades. Our Pastoral Associate, Patrice, has moved many of our outreach programs such as the Grief Support Group, and Rosary online. Our aim is to leverage technology to protect our parishioners from the spread of disease while staying fully engaged.
With all of that being said, we have to stay financially strong to continue our mission. The ongoing ministry of our Church is dependent on the tithes and offerings of our parishioners. Due to Archdiocesan and State regulations, we are limited in capacity and cannot take up weekly collections. Thus, our giving has to be modified to accommodate our new reality. Electronic giving is the best way to do this.
If you are not contributing electronically, I ask you to please consider this option. You can sign up at stpatrickstoneham.org, and click on our “Donate” button to make a one-time contribution or setup monthly recurring donations. Alternatively, you can set Saint Patrick Parish up as a vendor in your online banking portal to conveniently contribute to our Parish. Our mailing address is 71 Central Street, Stoneham, MA 02180. Make sure to indicate your envelope number in the memo field. If you do not have an envelope number, please contact the Parish Office at 781-438-0960 and we would be happy to assign you one.
If you prefer to make your gifts by check or cash, you may either mail your contributions to the Parish Office at the above address or drop your donation in the secure mailbox located in our small parking lot outside the door to the Parish Center and Church.
Staying strong together to worship in small groups, or remotely, while maintaining our financial health is important as we work to love and serve one another. We are here for you, so please let us know how we might serve you as we navigate these challenging times together.
I am honored to be your Pastor, especially in these days. God Bless you!