WEEKLY RECTOR’S MESSAGE – July 11th – Fr. Thomas.

A Wall Street Journal article six years ago reported a story of a defunct Roman Catholic Church in Scituate, Massachusetts (St. Frances Xavier Cabrini) where some faithful remnant of parishioners had been staging a twenty-four hour vigil in the empty church building since it was closed by the Archdiocese in 2004. That’s a long time to grieve over a congregation that had once been a thriving parish. However, a local judge had ordered that the nearly one hundred people staging the vigil had to vacate and cease from their round-the-clock watch. Legally, they were trespassing in the eyes of the court, even though they had filed an appeal. Diocesan officials had claimed that they had no choice but to shut down the congregation, given the lack of financial support and lack of priests. Overall, the number of practicing Roman Catholics has actually increased in recent decades, while the number of priests has declined, resulting in mergers of congregations or closures.

Let me be clear: St. David’s is in no danger of closing down. But, on the other hand, what if our church ceased to exist? How many people would be affected by our absence? Prior to the Pandemic, our parish was making a sizeable difference in our community in many and diverse ways, but it takes the sacrificial and steady support of all of us to see that the Good News of the Kingdom is seen, heard, and felt by all who rely on us as an agent of God’s grace and love. So, thanks for your continued support throughout the summer and for years to come.

NOTICES:

Sunday’s Worship – We are open for live worship on Sundays at 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. We also “live-stream” our 10 a.m. service.

Video Viewing Options for Sunday’s mass – there are three different ways to view our videos: 1) our church website; 2) our Facebook page; and 3) our YouTube channel.

Opportunities for Giving – there are several options that safely and efficiently expedite your generous donations: electronic bank transfers or automatic bank transfers via personal accounts or credit/debit cards; personal checks delivered by USPS; and our favorite through joining our giving family online through our website or at https://www.myEoffering.com with our secure vendor Church Envelope Budget Company, who provides you with yearly offering envelopes. Please do NOT leave any envelopes with checks/cash unattended at church mailboxes.

Sandwiches for St. George’s: Please bring your sandwiches to St. David’s west side parking lot each Thursday morning from 8:30 to 9:30 pm.

Shop with Scrip: Gift card fundraising is the best way to raise money. Start giving back to St. David’s the moment you buy a gift card with the RaiseRight mobile app today! You can join the program by downloading the app on your phone or go to https://www.ShopWithScrip.com on your computer. The enrollment code to set up your free family account is BB6656B177722. For more information, please pick up a flyer in the narthex, or email Kimberly Joy Castellotti-Ward at choiceplusrealestate@gmail.com

Altar Flowers and Candles: We have a bag on the credenza to collect all flower and candle donations for upcoming Sundays. If you would like to donate for altar flowers for memorials and celebrations, please put your check for $40 with a request showing the date you want altar flowers and the reason for your donation into the bag. If you want to donate candles, please put your check for $20 and request showing date and reason for donation. Do not put flower and candle requests in offering plates.

Sunday School: is still in operation with the necessary protocol in place.

Forward Day by Day brochures for the next quarter are now available in the narthex. Donation $3.00

Tuesdays: Holy Eucharist 8:30 am.
Wednesdays: Holy Eucharist and Rosary 6:30 p.m.

PLEASE PRAY – For the sick: Angel, Ampy, Bertram, Beth, Danny, Diana, Donna, Doug, Jeanne, Joaquin, Kip, Max, Miguel, Mike, Roberto, Walter. For birthday celebrations: Kenneth Barnett, Lauren Melton, Joyce Parker, Lucas Joseph, Marc Duquesnay, Danielle Kiminyo, Estelle Beresford. For anniversary celebration: Javier and Debra Gonzalez. For our expectant mother: Meghan.