From the Pastor August 16/17

Let’s Complete the Job

Here we are a year after we completed our renovations to Holy Redeemer and complements keep rolling in. Newcomers and people who didn’t visit us last year remark about the transformation of our church. To me it seems astounding but I have not received one negative comment about the renovations.

Well, there was one from an old geezer the first Sunday we reopened the church. He grabbed the aluminum handrail. It was cool, so he said, “They should have put heaters in these.” Just when you thought you had thought of everything! I knew he was joking. Other than that, not a discouraging word.

While I’m proud of the physical renovations at Holy Redeemer I’m most grateful for the spiritual growth. I get complements about the spirit alive here at Holy Redeemer. I feel our parish is exemplary because that is what people tell me. Visitors tell me they look forward to coming to Mass when they vacation in Chatham. That is so nice to hear. When we’re here all the time we can begin to take things for granted. 

I’m also very happy about the growth of Small Faith Sharing Groups. Almost one hundred parishioners are members and I recognize how it has deepened so many participants faith. You can see the transformation happening. I hope more parishioners will take the risk and join a small group. Several groups have openings and we plan to organize more of them. Call the parish office (508) 945-0677 or send an email to parish@holyredeemerchatham.org and we’ll get you started. 

While we have accomplished great things there is more to do. All renovation projects, once they begin, develop other things needing attention. There are things you wanted done but costs prevented you from carrying them out. That is our experience.

There are projects we want to accomplish before we can sit back. Replacing the siding and trim on the older part of Holy Redeemer Church with the composite siding we used on the addition is the most important. We weren’t able to redo the parking lot as we hoped and there are other maintenance project needed at the Rectory and Our Lady of Grace. 

This month Holy Redeemer Parish is beginning a Capital Campaign to raise $750,000 over the next three years to help pay for these improvements. A mailing is being sent to all registered parishioners this week. It includes a brochure explaining the campaign and a pledge card. Please read over the materials and challenge your generosity. If you are considering a four-digit gift, pray about possibly making it a five-digit gift. If you are thinking of a five-digit gift, pray about making it six figures. 

I have many dreams and visions yet to be accomplished for Holy Redeemer Parish. I hope you do too. Those imaginings are only limited by our willingness to generously share the time, talents, and treasure bestowed on us by God. Prayerfully consider how God calls you to share what you have to help God’s Kingdom come to reality here at Holy Redeemer. 

40 Hours for Our Capital Campaign

Prayer is the basis for the success of everything we do. Unless it is part of our effort we labor in vain. To pray for our 2025 Capital Campaign, we will conduct the 40 Hours Devotion on August 21, 22, and 23. 40 Hours is a traditional Eucharistic Devotion. It is a continuous time of prayer coinciding with the time Jesus spent in the tomb from Good Friday to the morning of Easter Sunday. While usually associated with Holy Week it can be held at any season.

Our 40 Hours will be a little irregular because we have to accommodate daily Mass, a funeral, and wedding rehearsal but it will be pretty close. It will begin on Thursday afternoon August 21 at 3 p.m. with Benediction and the recitation of Evening Prayer. On Friday, at 6 p.m. Music Director Teresa Lim will lead a contemplative Taizé Prayer Service. The devotion will close on Saturday, August 23 at 12 noon with the recitation of the Rosary and Divine Mercy Devotion led by Deacon Art. 

Please sign up for an hour or two of Eucharist Devotion sometime during the 40 hours. A sign-up sheet is available at the kiosks by the doors of the church. We have also sent out a sign-up Flock Note to registered parishioners. Please read it over and commit to your time in adoration. Let’s bombard heaven with our prayers for the success of our capital campaign. 

St. Ignatius of Loyola’s 

Prayer for Generosity

Lord Jesus, teach me to be generous.
Teach me to serve you as you deserve, 
To give and not to count the cost, 
To fight and not to heed the wounds, 
To toil and not to seek for rest, 
To labor and not to ask for reward,
Save that of knowing that I do your will. 

Amen. 

Our summer chapel, Our Lady of Grace, on Meetinghouse Road in S. Chatham, is open for the summer. The Mass Schedule is Saturday Vigil at 4:30 p.m. and Sunday morning at 7:30 & 9:30 a.m. The chapel will be open every weekend until the Labor Day weekend August 30-31. 

Fr. Sullivan’s Walk for the Homeless

Fr. Sullivan would like to thank those who supported him in his annual walk-a-thon for Chatham Ecumenical Council for the Homeless on Wednesday. CECH is a local group that raises funds to provide emergency assistance to Chatham residents struggling with homelessness, mortgage payments, and rental support. He was joined by several parishioners on his five-mile walk from the church, down Main Street to the corner of Sam Ryder Road and then back on the bike path. Fr. Sullivan is celebrating Masses at Holy Redeemer this weekend, so if you pledged your support and you will be attending there this weekend, he will happily accept you payment. If you want to settle up you can send your contribution to him at the Rectory.