Dear Parishioner of Blessed Sacrament,
2020 has been an unbelievable year! I pray every day that you have fared well by staying healthy on all levels (physically, emotionally, and spiritually). I hope you are experiencing the Lord, whether you have been attending mass at the Cathedral or attending our livestreamed masses. I want to thank you, since your presence either way is truly essential.
The challenges of this year have not prevented us from continuing to create and grow the Mother Church into an Apostolic Center. We, as “The Cathedral of the Arts”, continue to provide engaging arts, culture, education, and service opportunities. We have had two major neighborhood clean-ups; we continue to offer services to those in need through food distribution; Alcoholics Anonymous continues to meet; we have catechized virtually with our Bible studies, ALPHA, and our first book club meeting. We even had a virtual concert attended by more than 1400 viewers! Hopefully you have been able to watch some of our videos in which we have interviewed artists and shown off some of the unique features of our beautiful home. And we have been forming 6 individuals who hope to become Catholic at Easter. During these financially lean times, we have had to utilize some of our precious resources to make needed maintenance on our facilities. (e.g. Roof repairs and replacing the century-old boiler alone cost $426,000).
The response to our efforts has been overwhelmingly positive. Neighbors are feeling more welcomed here and are reaching out; fellow Catholics around the Archdiocese have not only been joining in on the ministries but have literally been joining the parish. People of all faiths and backgrounds are feeling welcomed and are encountering God in a new way. Thank you for Unleashing the Gospel and helping folks grow in their understanding of their mission as disciples. Your prayer, participation, and continued financial support during this difficult year has allowed all this to happen.
Speaking of finances, we are ‘taxed’ by the AOD on all our collections, except for Christmas. So please designate your remaining December contribution(s) as Christmas donations in the memo line. I know this has been a challenging year for all. As we try to rise to the challenges and expand our mission here at the Cathedral, I ask that you consider some possibilities. It would benefit us if you signed up for our online donation program by visiting this page of our website. This is a safe way to set up weekly, monthly, or one-time donations. Other options include making a one-time donation in honor of a loved one, donating directly to Art for God’s Sake to fund the Grotto and Statue/Relic initiatives, or designating the parish in your overall financial plan. We have a Finance Council, a team of volunteers who share their time and talent to help us utilize our limited resources. You are welcome to speak to any of us about other options for making a lasting gift to our parish. Because we are a tax-exempt nonprofit, you also get to write off this donation on your taxes. Early next year, we will send you an annual statement of your donations this year to keep for your tax records.
This year, even though we will celebrate our Lord’s birth by adjusting our traditions, please be assured of my prayers, that Jesus is present, and that He is calling us to serve Him in new ways. Merry Christmas!
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Father J. J. Mech
Rector/Pastor