Of many things…
The boilers are nearly done. Both are functional at the moment, so even if the temperature drops below 19 degrees, we will be covered. (It is at that point that BOTH boilers have to fire to keep up with the needs of school and church. Until then, the controls ‘alternate’ the boilers, so they both ‘age’ at about the same rate.) They are waiting for a “Y” shaped exhaust duct (specially formulated) to connect both boilers to the new flu that runs through a chase in the boiler room and out the ceiling of the school. Once that is in place, I believe we are good to go.
Which means that it is now time to pay for this puppy. Though you will receive more information in the Visitation Appeal letter coming out shortly, we have about $40,000 of the $103,180 total left to fundraise. Please be as generous as you can to that appeal when it arrives in your mail.
I want to say a huge word of thanks for your support and prayers for the Newman Center’s Awakening and Growth retreats last weekend. I wish you could see what I see when I am blessed to celebrate the closing liturgy. It is simply the look of faith on fire in the eyes and hearts of the college students. The student speakers gave eloquent witness again and again to the action of God in their lives and the importance of having the Newman Center as a ‘safe place’ to work through the issues that occur in their lives. In their name, thank you for the many, many ways you love this next generation of believers.
I will be on retreat this week, beginning Sunday night, at the White House Retreat center, with about 30 of my brother priests from the Archdiocese. Please keep us in your prayers.
Finally, as a head’s up, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception (Dec. 8th) even though it falls on a Saturday, IS observed as a Holy Day of Obligation. Be-cause the Sundays of Advent take liturgical precedence over the feast day, the mass schedule will be as follows: We will have an anticipated mass on Friday evening, Dec. 7th at 7pm and a mass on Saturday morning at 8:00 am. The Saturday evening mass on Dec. 8th will be for the 2nd Sunday in Advent and NOT for the feast day…