Dear Archbishop O'Malley,
Losing my Church and the community within it is like
experiencing a death. When we experience the sudden death of a loved one, we
wonder "what if she had lived a healthier
life?" or "what if he hadn't worked so hard?".
What "ifs" could have prevented the death of our Church? I have gone
over and over the criteria and reasons given for the Reconfiguration and I
cannot justify our closing.
We value our charitable responsibilities. Our Parish not only knows that as
Members of the Body of Christ, the Church, we have a responsibility for
all the poor, needy and hurting but we act on this responsibility every day. We
have 36 parishioners who prepare meals for a Soup Kitchen in
Thirty parishioners prepare lasagna and salad for 100 people at Rosie's Place 6
times a year. Each month we contribute a large amount of canned and packaged
food to Food Pantries at St. Patrick’s Church in Roxbury and St. John/St. Hugh
in
money to recruit teachers to educate the children of Fond-des-Blancs. We have a Prison Ministry where parishioners visit
to share Mass and prayer with prisoners. Each Fall we
collect new blankets to send to the Lakota Native Americans in
an Oxham Fast Day. We help St.John/St.Hugh
with their Famly Aids Ministry. We have parishioners
active in Habitat for Humanity and the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Our
Christian Service list goes on and on. WHAT MORE COULD WE HAVE DONE?
We value our Worship. We have a long list of Eucharistic
Ministers, Bread Bakers, Lectors, Greeters, Sacristan and Linen Ministers, and
an outstanding Choir. We have a vibrant monthly
Youth Mass. We have an Art and Environment Committee, which enhances our
Christmas and Easter Liturgies. We appreciate the faith-filled homilies from
Father Colletti and our visiting priests. We have a Bereavement Committee who
provide
Funeral planning and ongoing care and concern for the Bereaved. We currently
are providing daily prayer visits to a parishioner with a terminal illness.
WHAT MORE COULD WE HAVE DONE?
We value our Religious Education Program. We have over 60 teachers for Pre-Schoolers through Grade 10. We have an RCIA program, Pre-Cana Sessions. Baptismal program for Parents, Eucharist and
Reconciliation preparations involving both the children and their parents.
We have a 2-year preparation of classes and retreats for our Confirmation
students. We have a Youth Ministry, which is becoming more & more active
and takimg part in Archdiocese events. We have an
ongoing Adult Education program on Sunday mornings as well as adult Faith
Communities and Prayer Groups, which meet
weekly or monthly in the home of a Facilitator. We have an extensive list
of people we pray for and we openly welcome all newcomers to our Church. We have a wonderful staff who give us so much
spiritual guidance and support us 100% as we try to be a truly Roman Catholic
Christian Community of Faith. WHAT MORE COULD WE HAVE DONE?
We value our financial commitments. We have an active Parish Council and
Finance Council. Our Offertory keeps our Parish self-sustaining and we are in
good physical condition and debt free. When our Archdiocese started the
"Promise For Tomorrow" campaign, our Parish
exceeded the goal set for us very quickly. I personally pledged an amount which
was a real sacrifice but I beleved in the plans at
that time. Sacred Heart Parish in