Weekly THIS AND THAT for June 27, 2010: My Final Column: Of Exits and Entrances

This and That
My Final Column: Of Exits and Entrances


The car is packed; the driveway to the campus is clear. What has been the entrance to the grounds the past 15 years is now become for me the exit. The last two “projects” to what was envisioned as the plan for the parish included the entrance marquee and the courtyard fountain. With both completed, there’s a sense that what needed to be done has been done.

Over the past twelve months the questions that have occupied the attention of many of our people including our Parish Corporators, Pastoral Council, and Staff have been, “Who will be our new pastor?” “Will he be what Our Lady of Grace needs to continue growing in faith?” How pleased we are to have Archbishop O’Brien appoint Father Sam Young as our new pastor. He has now visited the parish several times and spent an entire day with the Pastoral Team preparing for the next fiscal year, which begins July 1, 2010. He has visited teachers and students of our Catholic School. All have found him affable, caring and attentive to what was shared with him.


Six Challenges

There are some wonderful challenges ahead for Our Lady of Grace and include the following:

1. Blue Ribbon Report: Outcome of the Blue Ribbon Committee Report and how it affects the future of Catholic Schools and in particular Our Lady of Grace School will be worked on in the new fiscal year beginning July 1, 2010.

2. Capital Campaign: The Archdiocese will be mandating all parishes to participate with the Local Church of Baltimore’s Capital Campaign in two years. A new master plan will first be developed and a case made for what is needed to further enhance our ministries and service to people

3. Kneelers: Whenever it is decided that we need to refurbish the interior of the church that will be the time also to study the possibility of having kneelers.

4. Shifts in Responsibilities: Transitions of Dr. Jack Buchner to some of Sister Mary Therese’s responsibilities, Rick Gonzales to some of Elaine Hagner’s, and Elaine to some of Sister’s will allow Sister Mary Therese the opportunity to become part-time in the new fiscal year and depart in July 2011.

5. New Parishioner Registrations: Care will be given to the fact that registrations of new families have leveled off over the past three years. The budget will continue to increase only modestly based on these projections.

6. New Expenses: Two additional expenses for FY 2012 will be purchase of the new web-based parish data system called “Parish Soft” and increasing the support to the school as dictated in recommendations of the Blue Ribbon Committee.


Six Opportunities

1. Youth Programs: Programs for our youth are already strong and will continue to increase. Our young people are the future of the Church.

2. Annual Offertory Renewal: The fall Annual Renewal Program will take on some of the aspects of the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal that have proven very successful.

3. Extra Efforts in Giving: Whenever we have been hit with unexpected expenses and decreased income such as happened during the three white out weekends of snow this year, our people always respond generously when asked. It is important to ask.

4. Loan Pay Off: Once our loan indebtedness to the Archdiocese is paid off in September 2012, an additional $7,000/month for worship, programs and services will be available.

5. Master Plan: The Parish Corporators have approved the creation of a new Master Plan for 2011. The last 10-Year Master Plan ended in 2007. The new plan will help us better address our needs in the years ahead and lay the groundwork for the Case Statement for new Capital Campaign. It will be a very exciting time to dream as a parish.

6. Our New Pastor: It will be very easy to get to know Father Sam, our new pastor. This will happen very quickly inasmuch as he is very open, affable and enjoys people.

A final word of thanks and gratitude to all who worked on the Testimonial Weekend: the dinner, the three receptions, the music, servers, ministers at the Masses – it was all more than I could have hoped for or expected. My “exit” from the campus today is not a farewell. I promise to visit and not be a stranger. I would ask you to pray for me as I begin my new ministries. Be assured of my prayers for you and your loved ones. Our Lady of Grace will always be my home.

Love,
Father Nicholas