(Yet a)nother eleventh hour pastor’s post. No doubt about it, I’m late on the ball this week! But what a week it has been. As I type this, I am in Port Townsend for weekend Masses – and this weekend is the third time I’ve driven out here this week!
As our parishioners here in Saint Mary Star of the Sea are hearing, this week marks the public launch of our capital campaign – “Under One Roof”. Last winter we replaced not only our roof but four rotted beams. Throughout that process, I would vacillate between enjoying the rain (as I very much do!) and worrying whether this was going to be the storm that penetrated into our church. A year later, I find myself once again peacefully enjoying the pitter-patter of morning raindrops on my roof as I sit in my chapel, confident in the knowledge that our church is well protected under its new roof!
Of course, to pay for that roof, we had to spend $600,000….. that we didn’t exactly have lying around! The archbishop and his loan committee graciously approved a loan to our parish. Archdiocesan loans are quite generous in their terms – about 2.2% interest rate and a 15-year term. We’re already making payments out of a designated savings account, but at roughly $3,300/month, we will run out of money in three years and far short of paying off the loan. Thus, a capital campaign! We’re asking parishioners of Saint Mary Star of the Sea to prayerfully consider how they can support the retirement of our debt and the building of a fund to address the need for new roofs on our office, hall, and rectory buildings. Between the loan and those roof replacement, we’re hoping to raise just shy of one million dollars.
That’s big number, isn’t it? Well, here’s the thing – we aren’t doing this as individuals but as a parish! According to archdiocesan records, we have about 289 registered households – we’ll round that down to a more conservative 250 households. Evenly divided across 250 households, that comes out to $4,000 per household. Spread across a three year donation plan, that’s about $111 per month.
It is amazing how sharing the sacrifice makes the load so much lighter!
Can everyone add a $111 donation to their monthly budget? Certainly not! But many of us can – and possibly a little (or a lot!) more. And parishioners from other parishes within our parish family have already expressed their desire to support this effort, some making donations or pledges of their own already. Truly, there is great reason for optimism already.
As you might have figured out, this is a pitch I’ve already been making – in preparation for this launch weekend, we hosted three donor receptions at Saint Mary Star of the Sea this week. I was heartened at the gracious response of those who were able to attend – and am reminded that we have many, many parishioners who greatly love and support our parish!
So, that’s been my week – and a pretty good one at that. Of course, there are plenty of other neat things going on. I’ll have more to share in next week’s pastor’s post about another neat project we’re working on….. but I’ll leave that carrot dangling for now 😉 In the meantime, you might enjoy this brochure that we’re put together for the capital campaign – simply click the image to browse through it. And whether or not you’re considering a financial contribution to the campaign (though you can click this sentence if you DO want to make a donation!), please pray for its success, that the Lord’s invitation may be heard by all those He is calling – and that we respond generously!
September 29 – When I was in my final year of seminary, I was assigned to exercise my diaconal ministry at Saint Raphael the Archangel parish in Lake Villa, Illinois. In addition to learning how to preach (thanks to the then-pastor, Father Jamnicky insisting I preach every Mass, every weekend, for the better part of a year!), I led a Bible study on the little-known (to me, at least) book of the Bible: the Book of Tobit. It is from that book that we learn a great deal about Saint Raphael, from whom Saint Raphael parish takes it name. Today we celebrate all three of the archangels: Michael (“Who is Like God?”), Gabriel (“God is my strength”), and Raphael (“It is God Who heals”). Read more about them at Denver Catholic’s website.
September 30 – Saint Jerome, whose memorial we celebrate today, famously remarked that ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ. I suspect I may not be alone in confessing that it wasn’t until the last decade or so that I started taking his words seriously, committing myself to reading even just a little bit of Scripture every day. While there is plenty for me to learn, those efforts have paid off – I’m on my third read-through of the Bible and have benefited greatly from it. I heartily recommend the practice! Read more about Saint Jerome – translator and advocate of Sacred Scripture – at the Catholic Heroes website.
October 2 – I was rather chagrined to only discover the Church’s teaching and devotion to guardian angels fairly late into my time in seminary. Now, whenever the memorial of the Holy Guardian Angels rolls around (today!), I delight in sharing this devotion with those around me. The traditional prayer to one’s guardian angel is delightfully brief: “Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits me here, ever this day be at my side to light and guard, to rule and guide”. Why wouldn’t I pray this daily?!? And yet, it is a devotion I have yet to fully internalize and regularly practice – but well worth it! Read more about what our faith has to say about guardian angels at the Catholic Herald website.
October 4 – I often feel for poor Saint Francis of Assisi, whose memorial we celebrate today. He is almost assuredly the most popular saint in religious and secular society – it is fairly common to see a statue of him in a garden even if the owner is not particularly Catholic or religious. Less flattering is how popular imagination seems to regard him as a rather tame hippy saint who cavorts with animals, standing for everything and nothing at the same time. Somewhere in heaven, the real Saint Francis – who is pretty stinkin’ hardcore in his faith & fervor – is twitching furiously….. or would be, I imagine, if he wasn’t perfectly content with the Lord! Tom Gould – whose comics are absolutely worth your time (and maybe Patreon patronage!) – did an excellent send-up of this trope, hopefully triggering some actual research on the life & faith of today’s saint!
This week’s “Why Do Catholics Do That?” pastor’s insert (from the September 28, 2025 bulletins)
Priests celebrating their anniversaries this week
- No anniversaries this week – pray for vocations!
Remembering our deceased priests
- Msgr. Philip Corboy (September 29, 1981)
- Fr. Louis E. Schram (September 30, 1898)
- Fr. Charles G. Crosse (October 2, 2013)
- Fr. Paul A. Kaech (October 2, 2023)
- Fr. William Bennett (October 3, 1948)
- Fr. Richard Ward (October 4, 2021)
Very much like the “Guardian Angel” note. I think Bubba and I will start praying the prayer together in the evenings.
Thanks Father