FEBRUARY 19, 2006

I received a note this week: "Father, for the first time in 65 years I was not able to hear at the Saturday evening Mass at St. Mary Church. I hope it was my ears, and not the new $60,000 sound system." Yes, my dear, it was your ears. The new sound system is not installed yet, and it is only $16,000! Here is the progress we are making so far:

1. The sound system in St. Mary is currently being installed. It will be up and running by next Sunday, God willing. We have received two donations so far, but we still owe $15,000 on it. Donations are gratefully solicited. The sound system at the Chapel at Mother of Sorrows has received a slight upgrade this week as well, and seems to be functioning fine.

2. We have accepted bids and construction should begin soon on the handicap ramp and electronic door at St. Mary. The cost of that project is about $24,000. We need donations for that as well. We hope to have it functioning by Ash Wednesday.

3. We have accepted bids for two handicap bathrooms at St. Mary. We had a problem with permits, since unisex bathrooms are not permitted in Allegheny County, so we had to add a fixture to one so that we have a Male and Female room. Emergency exit lights must be installed, and we will furnish the baptistry as a vestry and bride's room. The cost of that project is about $15,000, and guess what? We need donations to pay for that as well. With luck, that should be ready to go early in Lent.

4. The baptismal font from St. Mary's has been requested by a parish in Farrell, PA because it fits perfectly with their renovations. They will make a donation to us. We will take the baptismal font from St. Mark Church, because it is compatible with the decor, and install that in the sanctuary of St. Mary at the end of the Easter Season.

5. We have accepted a bid to buy the rectory, which has been empty and unused for quite some time, at Mother of Sorrows. The legal papers are being signed. With the money we receive ($89,000), we will first have to pay off some past due bills connected with the property, and the costs of the sale. A portion of the remaining proceeds will be allocated toward capital improvements in the School and Chapel sections of the Mother of Sorrows plant. No immediate donations are necessary but they are always welcome.

6. We will be sending out this month a mailing listing the 2005 donations to the parish to everyone on our rolls. Included with that will be a census form asking you to update your information. Our parish data is woefully incomplete and out of date and we must upgrade our files for the computer. Please respond to the mailing. There will also be a refrigerator magnet with our new Mass Schedule (which begins March 5, 2006). These magnets are also being distributed starting this weekend. Please make sure there is one in every home to remind you of when and where you can fulfill your obligation to workship the Lord each Sunday here in our parish.

7. We have our Lenten schedule, with extra prayers. Masses and devotions, devised. It will be included as an insert in the bulletin and we ask you to keep it handy to make our Lenten observance fruitful.

8. The Diocesan Parish Share Appeal begins this week, but we are delaying our kick-off for a little while because we are changing how we will approach this financial obligation. There will be an insert in the bulletin with all the relevant information and I will address it at the announcement time at all the Masses after our schedule has changed. In the meantime, keep using the PSP envelopes as they appear in your packets.

9. There will be a Town Hall Meeting in the Church at St. Mary following the 6:30 PM Mass for Ash Wednesday on general issues of the Parish. Please plan to attend. Lots of exciting things are going on. Stay tuned!