Dear Church,
There are charities that I choose to support and others that I may not support. I want to see the following continue for generations to come and so I contribute to their causes; The Retired Priests of the Boston Archdiocese, St Jude Hospital, St Vincent de Paul Society and others. And, I am sure you receive many requests to donate to worthy causes both local and beyond. I believe there are very few in our society who are not touched emotionally by the needs of others who are struggling to survive, to educate, to heal or to enhance people’s relationship with God.
Fr. Frank and I have been together now for five years and are privileged to be invited to serve in the faith community of St Patrick Parish. We are building on the efforts of those who have served in many capacities in this Parish in the past and we are trying to do our best for each one of you, however no one is perfect (though I am so very, very close) and we can never please everyone. We do welcome parishioners from Stoneham, Reading, Wakefield, Everett, Arlington, East Boston and beyond. Our parishioners choose to celebrate with us each week, and hopefully they are as enhanced by our celebrations as we are by their presence each week.
As you know, there is a long history in most parishes of having a Grand Annual Appeal to supplement our weekly offertory collection and to allow us to put some money away to plan for future needs and renovations. Each parish’s Grand Annual Appeal remains with that parish alone. We are continuing to operate in the black while making the many necessary repairs and improvements to our buildings and grounds.
We know many of you contribute to our parish weekly; some contribute periodically, depending on circumstances. This year we are asking each of our families to consider a generous donation of $250.00 or more to the 2018 Grand Annual Appeal. All registered parishioners will receive this letter along with a Grand Annual donation card and return envelope. We realize some may send in their donations upon receipt of this letter, while others may wait until a later date, still other parishioners may split their donation over several months. However you chose to donate to the Grand Annual Appeal, please know that your generosity is greatly appreciated.
God loves each of us unconditionally and has given us unlimited potential. I thank you for your willingness to participate. We want God’s presence and Christ’s love to be celebrated at St. Patrick Parish for generations to come. Every one of us is created in God’s image, is a member of the Body of Christ, and has God’s Spirit dwelling within us. How blessed are we!
We hope you are happy with the direction of Saint Patrick Parish, and we hope you sense His presence and compassion in our leadership.
Sincerely,
Fr. Mario Orrigo – Fr. Frank Campo