August 13, 2011

Dear Parishioners,

    Attached is a statement of St. Agnes/St. Paul’s actual revenues and expenditures for the fiscal year July 2010-July 2011. We finished the year with a deficit of $3,116.38.  How come? If you recall last summer we fixed leaks coming from our church steeple. We had not anticipated this project and had not budgeted for it. Considering everything, we did quite well financially this year.

    We continue to benefit from your generosity to the Catholic Foundation of Maine. We currently have about $9,000 in the account earmarked for St. Agnes/St. Paul and for the perpetual care of our cemetery. 

     I also thank you for the support you give to the wonderful work of our Women’s Sodality and for attending parish functions such as our pie auctions, Barbershopper’s concert and strawberry shortcake sale. 

     One of our biggest challenges facing us is the rising energy cost. As you noticed our budget reflects that increase. Please use the small blue envelops in your pews. This is in large part how we pay for our heating oil. Last year we contracted our heating oil at $2.48 per gallon. This year we have not contracted yet because of the volatility of the market. The finance commission and I are keeping a close watch on the cost of heating oil.

     The financial challenge that we face is not unique to St. Agnes-St. Paul. However, we must maintain parish life despite our poor economy and aging population. We pray that St. Joseph will intercede that we may sell our rectory before the heating season begins to help us better meet our financial needs.

Not only should we be concerned with paying the bills but more importantly we must celebrate our faith as a community; i.e. come to mass, visit the sick, care for the poor and pay greater attention to our faith formation especially of our young.  Parents need to come to Mass with their children. We presently have no children in faith formation at St. Paul and the numbers at St. Agnes are smaller than what they should be. We have had no baptisms or weddings at St. Paul, three baptisms, six funerals and no marriages at St. Agnes. We will register our children for faith formation in the next few weeks and I pray that parents will respond to the invitation. We also need teachers.

      As you all know our rectory in on the market. Let us continue praying to St. Joseph that it well sell before the snow comes.       

     My friends our mission of being good stewards of our time, talents, and treasures is not easy but the alternative is worse. We must not cease to call of the Holy Spirit for divine help.

 May God bless us on our journey together.

Blessings,

Fr. Dave