Dear Parishioners:
The strong winds of All Saints Day were so powerful they blew down our parish sign! The posts snapped and the sign just toppled over last Friday during a period of high winds. The wood sign has deteriorated over the years since it was first donated and so we are looking to see if it can be properly
repaired or has to be replaced. In any case it will have to be updated to reflect the new Mass times at OLM.
I’ve received lots of compliments about our newly renovated Church bathrooms. If you have not yet had a chance to see them, please take peek as I think you will be pleased. I am grateful to OLM Parishioner Peter Walsh of Professional Remodeling who did the work on this project and has provided us with two modern bathrooms. These are just a few of the projects that we’ve undertaken in the last few months. We are tidying up the vestibule, cry room and hope to reorganize the
sacristy in the coming weeks. Our maintenance staff have been working very hard to keep the Church clean and neat.
However, we all need to do our part to keep God’s house clean. Every Sunday I walk through Church after each Mass and routinely have to pick up dirty tissues, bulletins, and other assorted trash people leave callously in the pews or on the floor. It boggles my mind that anyone would treat their Parish Church, God’s House, in such a way. I’m sure it is the result of bad habits left unchecked but it’s time for all of us to do our part.
Our maintenance staff strive to keep the pews clean, the floors neat, and the hymnals in order. So I ask you to please dispose of your dirty tissues and other trash in the trash can. Also put the kneeler back up for the next person to use the pew and return the hymnals properly in their racks. The hymnals cost $10,000 and we need them to last for some time! I thank you for your consideration and concern in keeping the House of God as clean and neat as it should be. If you are not responsible for the trash, kneelers down or hymnals strewn about the pew, please clean it up anyway! If we all do our part and more then our beautiful Parish Church will continue to maintain her dignity and beauty!
Now that Daylight Saving Time has begun we are attempting to regulate the timing of our lights and also determine where we might need additional lighting. If you notice a light out or the need for extra lightening in or around the Church area please let us know. Our Church is beautiful and we can take pride in her. Let’s keep her well lit so all of our neighbors can see her beauty too!
Speaking of beauty it has come to my attention that the flag has not been flying over our school! Sister Jeanne tells me this is due in large part because of the lack of trained students to raise the flag each morning. We hope to remedy this by training some of our middle school students and soon Old Glory can fly high again! We hope to obtain some new flags but if you would like to donate a flag to the school in memory of a loved one, please let us know.
Veterans’ Day is Monday and we remember all those men and women who have defended our flag 
through their service in the military. It is a day to pause, pray and give thanks for the many veterans both living and deceased who fought to defend our freedom and liberty. On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, an armistice was declared between the Allied nations and Germany in the First World War, then known as "the Great War." Commemorated as Armistice Day beginning the following year, November 11th became a legal federal holiday in the United States in 1938 and would become known as Veterans Day. Let us pray for all veterans and for all those who serve in our military services.
I am away this weekend at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Annual Winter Meeting in Baltimore where I serve on the Defense of Marriage Committee. Please continue to pray for the beloved dead of this parish during this All Souls Month. Happy
Veterans Day! God Bless. Go Pats!! Have a great week!