Though we often shy away from best friends, if we know they are itching to tell us an uncomfortable truth about ourselves, we all know, way down deep, that the truth does set us free (John 8.32), even if it's a bit uncomfortable. Well, my friends, the truth about the health of St. John Neumann is a beautiful story to tell. Yes, there are some facts that I need to share with you, and these facts are a bit unsettling; but the truth about our parish family is beautiful... for we are alive in the love of the Lord!
Let's look at the blessings of our BLF campaign. As of the 31st of March 2009, we have collected $1,244,374 (from January 2008 to 31 March 2009). This shows a 96% redemption rate for those that offered a pledge to the BLF. This is significantly higher than the Archdiocesan average, and all that have sacrificed financially for the new worship space are to be applauded and lifted up in prayer. If the next two years see the same rate of pledge redemption, we would need to borrow far less than at first anticipated.
That's the good news part of the truth about us. In looking at our financial health, the next two aspects of that picture are not so good. As you have been able to read in our weekly bulletin report, we are down in offertory, down at about 5% of our budget. This is an amazing thing, since 1208 of our 1960 registered families have contributed to the offertory in the last six months. How then is this possible? Well, here's how: of the 1208 families that gave something to the offertory in the last six months...
- 442 registered families gave less than $100 (in total gift),
- 248 registered families gave less than $50 (in total gift),
- and, for whatever reason, 752 registered families gave nothing to the offertory.
Though we often shy away from best friends, if we know they are itching to tell us an uncomfortable truth about ourselves, we all know, way down deep, that the truth does set us free (John 8.32), even if it's a bit uncomfortable. Well, my friends, the truth about the health of St. John Neumann is a beautiful story to tell. Yes, there are some facts that I need to share with you, and these facts are a bit unsettling; but the truth about our parish family is beautiful... for we are alive in the love of the Lord!
Let's look at the blessings of our BLF campaign. As of the 31st of March 2009, we have collected $1,244,374 (from January 2008 to 31 March 2009). This shows a 96% redemption rate for those that offered a pledge to the BLF. This is significantly higher than the Archdiocesan average, and all that have sacrificed financially for the new worship space are to be applauded and lifted up in prayer. If the next two years see the same rate of pledge redemption, we would need to borrow far less than at first anticipated.
That's the good news part of the truth about us. In looking at our financial health, the next two aspects of that picture are not so good. As you have been able to read in our weekly bulletin report, we are down in offertory, down at about 5% of our budget. This is an amazing thing, since 1208 of our 1960 registered families have contributed to the offertory in the last six months. How then is this possible? Well, here's how: of the 1208 families that gave something to the offertory in the last six months...
- 442 registered families gave less than $100 (in total gift),
- 248 registered families gave less than $50 (in total gift),
- and, for whatever reason, 752 registered families gave nothing to the offertory.
Anyone that has eyes to see and ears to hear knows about the extraordinary downturn in the economy. Like most of you, I have experienced this downturn personally. Two of my siblings have lost their jobs. One fears losing her home. My five siblings struggle to provide for their children. Like so many of you, I know about this downturn. But, when things are difficult, do we leave the Way? Do we disengage from the Truth? Do we decide to walk away from the Life? Is the Church of the Lord Jesus an "extra" in your life, an "extra" that can be cut out when tightening your belt?
Our parish must pay our bills. We have cut everything we can cut. There is no waste here, none. I have told the staff that if the offertory does not pick up, I will have to cut 10% from their salaries... cutting 10% of the salaries of the small staff that cares for your children and teens, the staff that makes sure we have all we need to celebrate holy Mass each week, the staff that makes sure we have what we need in being a parish family. If our offertory does not bounce back, I will need to cut the modest salaries that we pay the men and women that assist me in shepherding the parish family of SJN.
Paralleling this decline of offertory, only 404 of our registered households have pledged to the 2009 Archbishop's Annual Appeal. We are at 75% of the appeal goal we are given by the Archbishop. As most know, if our parishioners do not offer funds for the important ministry of the Archbishop (seminarian education, diaconal formation, etc), I will have to make up that deficit... from our offertory.
So you say, "Monsignor David, with these deficits, is this the right time to build? Is this the right time to be thinking of the next phase (the current church made into a parish hall) and the phase after that (a free-standing chapel)?" And I answer to you, now is the time! As a parish family, we are growing stronger day-by-day. The joy I witness at liturgy, the fellowship I experience at our Table of Fellowship meals and in Lind Hall, with coffee & donuts... these are signs that the Lord is present and active among us, present and active within us. Even in these difficult times, we are experiencing the beginning of the renewal that will transform this parish community. Now is the time!
For those of you that have been faithful to your sacrificial pledge to the BLF project, please know how grateful your parish is; and beside that, just look outside and see what is happening! You and I need to continue that faithful redemption of our pledges. The same goes for those of you that have been faithful to your sacrificial offertory gift and your gift to the Archbishop's Annual Appeal. Your parish is grateful for your faithfulness, your generosity, your stewardship of the gifts given to you. For those of you that have not given anything to the support of our parish (for whatever reason), or have given just a few dollars, I ask you to think about the gift we each receive in and through this parish... the blessings of the Sacraments of the Lord and the joy of fellowship. Let us be renewed in spirit, and commit ourselves to the Lord, as He tells us to seek first the Kingdom.
AMDG 
Msgr. David Talley
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