Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
Since I preached about gratitude last weekend, it’s super fitting to put those words into action and show some myself.
A team of industrious and tireless laborers have been hard at work since mid-August dealing with the consequences of our ceiling condensation issue. They had the task of completely sanding off the old varnish and stain (along with the mildew and water damage from years of neglect), then clean, re-stain, and re-varnish the 5,000 square feet of our high-vaulted ceiling. For these 2 months that we have been in the gym, they’ve been up there where the sawdust was flying and falling. We’ve also had them freshen up the narthex, taking down the peeling wallpaper and painting. I have had a sneak peek at the nearly-finished project, and it looks great! So, I want to sincerely thank the team from KRG Home Repairs for their dedication to our sacred space!
The office staff and project managing team here have been invaluable. The logistics and planning it takes to relocate all the liturgies and events here, the coordination, the deliberations and consultations…these have all been stressful and taxing, but the team we have here to handle them are exceptional people. Thank you especially to Jessica Keane, Richard Ducote, Matt Alan, Anna Maria Hatfield, Willie Trent, and Kit and Le, our custodians.
Thank you Preschool staff and families who have been significantly impacted by these projects! You were thrown a curveball and you hit it out of the park! Thank you for your patience and understanding, thank you for helping make challenging situations smooth.
Thank you Daily Mass Crowd, especially the 9AM crew, who have had “your Mass time” interrupted. Thank you for bearing the cross of this disruption patiently and graciously.
I also want to thank all of you, the whole parish, for so faithfully showing up throughout this project. Mass in a gym is far from ideal. It can be uncomfortable and awkward, but you have continued to show up for the Lord and one another.
“Gratitude is akin to the presence of God,” and as I reflect on everyone’s sacrifices and patient endurance, the Lord’s warmth fills my soul.
It looks like we’re coming to the end of the project, and we should be back in the church within the next three weeks. Keep an eye out on the bulletin, e-News, Facebook, Instagram, and pre-Mass announcements for updates.
Praised be Jesus Christ, now and forever!
All you holy saints of God, pray for us!
With gratitude,
Fr. Michael Silloway
Pastor