Under One Roof
Dear Parishioners of Saint Andrew,
I take this opportunity to thank all those who worked so hard to make last Sundays’ International Food Fair such a success. There were meals from ten different countries, including Equator, India, Mexico, Jamaica, Peru, the United States of America, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Mexico, and Colombia. The volunteers not only gave of their personal time to prepare the food and to serve, but they also donated the food. This meant that there was almost no expense for the parish. I also thank those who served many hours welcoming guests, the young people who bussed the tables, the DJ who provided music, the performers, and everyone who had any part in this most enjoyable event. The International Food Fair was an expression of the diversity of our parish and, more importantly, our unity. We share one faith and our diversity only makes us a more beautiful expression of the Church, the People of God.
We also share one common church where we worship God, celebrate the sacraments – especially the Holy Mass – and are united in faith, hope and charity. As you know, leaks in the church roof have been a problem for many years. After making many repairs, the entire roof needs to be replaced. The budget for this project is $1.2 million. At the recommendation of the Parish Finance Council, the decision was to use the parish savings to pay for this, rather than to take out a loan and pay interest to the bank. At the same time, our commitment is to replenish within two years the full amount taken from the savings. To date, we have collected $230,000, including approximately $10,000 from the International Food Fair. We will continue to have a special collection on the second Sunday of the month and those monies will be used for this project.
At the end of last week (but after the writing of this message), I had an extensive meeting with the roofing company, project managers and others to outline a timeframe for the roof replacement and many other important specifics. I will soon share with you those details. Please watch the bulletin and the parish website for an article called “Roof Report” which will offer periodic updates to keep you informed on this project.
A family’s home is a special place; there all the members of the family gather under one roof and share meals at one table. It is similar with our spiritual family of Saint Andrew Parish. God calls us together under the roof of the church to share in the banquet of the Holy Eucharist at the altar, where the beauty of our diversity is made more beautiful by our unity in Christ Jesus. Thank you for being part of this family and together “Let’s Raise the Roof”.
May the Lord continue to bless you and your families with His love.
Monsignor Michael A. Souckar