A word of thanks to all of the workers, volunteers, and donors who helped make our Borromeo Bash a great evening. We had 400 people in attendance, an additional 150 people bidding on items electronically from home, and the final profits look to be around $75,000. As we are researching the costs of air conditioning for our cafeteria and our gym, this should go a long way.
Talks are taking place with architects about the new building we are planning. Once we have preliminary drawings ready, we will share them and ask for feedback from the parish. The new building will solve three issues in the parish. First, with all of the activity in our parish, we are in need of more meeting spaces. Second, we are using the basement of the parish office for OCIA, marriage preparation, baptismal preparation and other meetings. The basement is not adequately accessible for those with handicaps, the entrance is by an outside concrete stairway which is not heated and often wet, and the bathrooms are behind the furnace and water heater. It isn’t a welcoming space for those who come to join the Church. Third, we now hold our funeral luncheons in the Hession Center. Some days these rooms are needed for school functions and not available. When we do have a funeral luncheon, have to drop our security protocols by leaving the school unlocked for food drop-off and for luncheon guests. A new building will give us a beautiful facility for funeral luncheons and parish meetings. We also envision making it available for parish families for a baptism party, a wedding rehearsal dinner, or some other event. Watch for more information.
Please remember in prayer two priests who died this week, both of whom served at St. Charles. Msgr. Peter Kumaraki, a priest from Uganda, served here from 2004-2007. He died at home in Uganda. Fr. Bill Sullivan, a priest of our diocese, was assigned to St. Charles after his ordination and served here for just one year, from June of 1972 to June of 1973. In the past few years Fr. Bill has been an eager and faithful helper with our parish school confessions. Fr. Bill was a mentor for me before I was ordained and he preached at my first Mass. Please offer an extra prayer for these good priests.
