A Note From Our Pastor: November 9, 2025

A couple weeks ago, included in the Sunday bulletin, was a recap of our year-end financial information, as well as statistics on the sacraments that we administered in our two parishes. I hope you had the chance to look it over and see what we took in as income (thanks to your generosity!), but also, a high-level view of how we put to use, what you gave us.

If you didn’t pick up a bulletin that weekend, you can still view it online. Go to our parish website and near the top of the page, select ‘Bulletin’. Then just select which date you wish to view (Oct 26).

One of the things I want to comment upon regarding our expenses, is how seriously I regard my pastoral responsibility of wisely using what you give and entrust to us. I'm thankful to have several devoted, intelligent and skilled people around me, including those who serve on our respective Parish Finance Councils, to be a sounding board and to offer good perspective.

To this point, as many of you know, we run on a small staff at our parishes. Further, our staff carry out their roles as a labor of love, a response of faith. As a general rule, a person would make more money working in the private sector, than they do working for a non-profit organization, which our parishes are. I’m grateful for how hard they work, for the ways they support our response to Jesus’ mission. I’m also grateful that the employees of our two parishes now function as one team.

For sure, we could use an extra person or two on our combined parish staff, but we make it work, and further, rely upon volunteers to help. Again, I thank you for what you give to the parish, because that is the only way we can employ these amazing members of our parish staff. Another point, regarding our parish office staff, is in regards to office access. For as long as I’ve been at these parishes (16 months), St. Thomas’ office has always had a locked door, that requires ringing a doorbell and being buzzed-in.

We’ve now begun doing this at St. Philomena also. Why? Because, as many of you know, when one enters the front door of St. Philomena parish office, you immediately have access to the whole building. Ideally, we would have a secure receiving area, but we do not. It would be costly to construct. Thus, for reasons of safety (not to be less welcoming), we now ask you please, to ring the doorbell, and thus be buzzed-in.

I thank you for your patience and understanding, as we aspire to balance being a welcoming space, but also ensuring the safety of our employees.

Yours in Christ,

Father Todd O. Strange