Christmas is getting very close. Some of you, I presume, have compiled a Christmas Wish List. Perhaps your wish list is very short or it may be very long. Perhaps your wish for Christmas is all electronics and clothing and merchandise, or it may all be less tangible items like good health for family, meaningful work for the unemployed, world peace and such. Perhaps your list is composed entirely toys (both children’s and adults’!)
Well, as Pastor I have a Wish List too. Of course we depend on your generosity for the support of our ministry here at St. Austin, and for the where-with-all to conduct our charitable efforts. But in addition to these most necessary and fundamental needs, beyond the staff salaries, the plumbing repairs, the insurance, the phone and internet bill, the office supplies and all the other expenses of operating this parish, I have a list of other things that I would like particular help with.
The first is the New Roman Missals. We have purchased two of them. The larger one that we use for weekend Masses cost $175, and the smaller one that we use for weekday Masses and for study and preparation in the office cost $129.
Then we have six new pewter chalices. Called the Woodbury Jefferson style, I find these chalices very elegant. We believe these will be much easier to maintain than the chalices we had been using, and with the simultaneous Masses on Christmas Eve we will need two full sets of Communion ware anyway. These pewter chalices cost $100 each.
And finally I would like for us to purchase a new green vestment. The set we have from prior to my arrival is very nice, but VERY heavy. It is great in the Winter, but it is awful in the Summer. Of course, most of the time in the year we wear green is the Summer! We have purchased a very serviceable set that is light-weight for weekday use, and I have been using it for the weekends in the Summer as well. But I would really like to have a nice green vestment for Summer Sundays. Unfortunately, vestments are outrageously expensive. The green vestment I would like to get is $1,200. The fortunate thing is that we wear green more than all the other colors combined, so we would get good use of it!
Any of these items could be memorialized. If you would like to discuss this with me, please give me a call, or better, an email. Meanwhile, thank you all for your great generosity to the parish. We appreciate very much your financial and spiritual support.
God bless!
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