Pastor Update

Dear Friends:

I am extremely grateful to you for your support and understanding as we continue figuring out the ways of collaboration. We are so happy to answer all the questions that come to us for better understanding. The following are the questions that came up in the last week and the ones we receive after this goes to print will be answered in the following weeks.

Can we have funerals in our parishes?

Yes. Everything remains the same. If the funeral family would like to meet the priest for the funeral planning in the parish office which is located at St. Paul, they are welcome. If they would like to meet in the respective church where the funeral takes place we will meet with them in that location. If they are too elderly and cannot drive or for any other health reasons if they would like us to meet them in their residence please let us know and we will make arrangements for that as well.

Do you visit parishioners for their sacramental needs and blessings?

Yes, we do. Please call the parish office. We will get back to you and make arrangements for you. Volunteers will bring you communion and if you or your dear ones needs confession/the anointing of the sick/last rites/house blessing, one of the priests will come to you based on the availability of the priests.

Can we still call the same parish number?

Yes, you can still call the number you used to call. Only the location changes. Nothing else.

I lost my Mass time, am I going to lose my church?

If you still come to church, and as long as we can keep the building open, you will not lose your church. Should you decide otherwise and the church is going to be empty, we can’t keep it open then there will be no other option, so it’s up to you. I lost my Mass time, can I serve in the other parishes which have closer Mass times? Yes, every parish in our cluster needs more people to serve. So respective leaders in each parish in our cluster would be happy to have more people to serve in the areas like choir, ushers, lectors, communion ministers etc.

Any Changes for the Office Hours?

We don’t have a plan to change the office hours that we follow at St. Paul. The office hours will be Monday through Thursday 8:00 to 3:00. When we figure out the new staff positions and hours, if we need to make changes it will be revisited.

We would like to know how the changes affects Love One Another case study at St. Rita’s?

The LOA money portion for St. Rita will never be used for anything destructive or negative purposes. It will be used for something positive and creative for St. Rita parish with the permission of the Archdiocese.

Once again, I appreciate your support and understanding.

Blessings,

Fr. Thomas Vathappallil
Pastor NW parishes of Racine