Stepping Along to Autumn

10-08-2021Letters From Fr. BrianRev. Brian F. Manning

Dear Parishioners and Friends of Saint Mary Parish,

We all have stepped along to mid-October and the Autumn Season. It does not take too long for the days of summer to fade from our memories as we push closer to the cold winter time. The great holiday of Thanksgiving is not really that far away. Our family starting its plans for that weekend in late August and we have stepped it up a notch or two since October 1st.  Just a reminder: the Sunday before Thanksgiving Day our parish will host the Franklin Interfaith Council’s Interfaith Thanksgiving Service. It will also be Livestreamed via our website. More details to follow in a few more weeks. Just “save the date” for that Sunday evening at this point! I enjoyed the Town’s Harvest festival last weekend. The weather certainly allowed it to flourish and be a wonderful opportunity for everyone to wander and see all that was to be offered. The Harvest Festival Leadership and Committee are to be commended for their extraordinary service to all of us.

This past Sunday at the 10:30 AM our Choir, under the direction of our talented Music Director and Organist Terry Kerr, launch its season. They added a most spiritual and beautiful dimension to the holy Mass. They rehearse almost every week on Thursday evening in the upstairs church. New members are welcome. You just need to show up. Their collective voice in praising our God at Mass is a very special gift to all of us. They bring inspiration and joy to people’s hearts.

Slowly but surely we are progressing in our parish community life. Karen Ackles, the Director of Religious Education, will be starting the in-person Enrichment Program for our elementary age school children. The parents have been doing an outstanding service in their child’s(ren’s) faith preparation at home. This Program will add some extra detail to their wonderful faith sharing. We can also conclude that Fall has arrived because the Parish Basketball Program is starting to get organized. All the details on registering and tryouts can be found on our website in the bulletin. The How’s, the What’s etc. are all there. Please check it out if you are interested either as a volunteer Coach or a Player.

This weekend outside the church after each Mass our Sacred Heart Knights of Columbus will be selling Tootsie Rolls for their Campaign to assist the “People with Intellectual Disabilities”. Your support will be appreciated by them.

This weekend begins the first of three phases of our Parish’s Grand Annual Collection. This Collection this year is very critical to our parish’s life. The Pandemic has dropped our income by almost 20% and we need to bring us closer to being able to pay all of our costs. The Sunday collection is approximately $2000.00 (two-thousand dollars) less than before the Pandemic. We have trimmed a lot of costs etc., but fixed costs and inflation are issues for the parish. Your weekly support and your special sacrificial support of this Grand Annual Collection are critical for all of us as a parish community. I invite you to consider increasing your gift this year to the Grand Annual. Your personal financial help is needed, valued and appreciated.

As always we ask Mary, the Mother of God and our Patroness to interceded for us. We also ask Saint Rocco, our special Patron of Healing to intercede for the ill, especially our young people.

God bless,

Father Brian

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