Last weekend parishioners Troy Romero, Eric Haik, Ted Haik and Angela Gary spoke at Eucharists inviting ALL OF YOU to one of any four “Listening Sessions” and one “Town Hall Assembly.” Plus I urged ALL OF YOU to be sure to pick up a bulletin with my article describing those meetings’ purpose. After Mass, parishioner-volunteers handed out flyers listing the dates, times and locations of those gatherings.
All that activity resulted from recent meetings conducted by New Iberia native Bernard DuMond who has been hired—at our Parish Pastoral Council’s recommendation—to help us answer this one question:
DO SACRED HEART OF JESUS PARISHIONERS THINK THAT NOW IS THE TIME TO RENOVATE OUR OLD CHURCH BUILDING CURRENTLY USED AS OUR PARISH HALL?
The background to this question is this: A little over a decade ago plans for our new church originally included the vision and hope that the old church would be renovated and upgraded to be made into a more presentable and serviceable Parish Hall. However, the new church’s eventual cost exceeded initial expectations, so the Parish Hall project reluctantly was put on hold.
But now the new church’s debt has been paid in full, thanks to the generosity of parishioners and even non-parishioners, and hence the above question arises: Because the need to renovate and upgrade the Parish Hall will never go away, and because a renovated and upgraded facility would greatly enhance our parish life and the services we could render to parishioners and visitors, is NOW the time to do the job?
Prior to last weekend’s activity, Ted Haik’s email to Steering Committee members planning the upcoming series of “Listening Sessions” and “Town Hall Assembly” can help us appreciate what’s been going on behind the scenes:
“We had a successful Steering Committee meeting Thursday evening. Each subcommittee reported on their work. Steve Fremin gave a complete explanation of what could be done to the Hall and the Committee prepared a handout to be distributed at the Listening Sessions which will give a complete explanation of the proposal and possible uses of the hall (which uses by the way number more than 30). Steve will present same at the Listening Sessions….The flyers explain our approach to the project. Geri Sandoz is taking care of that.”
Ted then clarified: “Please remember, this is not a fund raiser but a method of getting input from our parish as to whether or not we should continue to develop our church facilities. There will be a proposal but nothing more, and we welcome suggestions from parishioners. NO DECISION HAS BEEN MADE AND WILL NOT BE MADE UNTIL AFTER THE LISTENING SESSIONS AND BERNARD DUMOND’S FEASIBILITY REPORT [Ted’s capitalized emphasis]. But, in order for the process to be successful, we must get people to the Listening Sessions and that should be our jobs at each Mass. Good Luck, and thanks for giving of your time to Sacred Heart Catholic Church.”
The thanks of us all go out to Ted and to all our parishioners working under his leadership. This Parish Hall project is bigger than all of us together and—if we move forward with it—will last longer than all of us in promoting our Father’s Kingdom at Sacred Heart. Pray for the Holy Spirit’s enlightenment!
…Plus a Joke – Earth, Heaven or…Both?
Deacon Jeff Trumps, Fiscal Officer for the Diocese and a fellow golfer, on 3/12/12 sent me the “10 Best Caddy Jokes.” Number 9 reads:
Golfer: I’d move heaven and earth to break 100 on this course!
Caddy: Try heaven, sir, you’ve already moved most of the earth!
+ + +
Until next week: How y’all doin’ today?
Good! Me, too! The key for our upcoming Listening Sessions is: ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING!
In mission dioceses throughout the United States, there is a serious need for priestly formation in order to build vibrant parish communities. The cost to educate one seminarian in a home mission diocese is roughly $30,000. In an average grant cycle, 18-20% of the funds collected for the Catholic Home Missions Appeal go toward seminarian education. Last year with your help, the Appeal enabled the home mission diocese of Biloxi, Mississippi, to support 100% of the expenses of educating 12 seminarians. These future priests will be invaluable, as 11 priests are currently retired, and several more are eligible for retirement in the next few years. A unique aspect of seminarian education in Biloxi is training as a sign language practitioner. One quarter of the hearing-impaired individuals in the Biloxi region are Catholic. Without the help of the Catholic Home Missions Appeal, the desperate need for sign language practitioners cannot be met. The Appeal also helps the diocesan de l’Epee Deaf Center—the only provider of services to deaf people in Mississippi—stay afloat. With help from the Appeal, the Diocese of Biloxi is able to address the need within the diocese and serve the deaf community by providing the staffing needed for the center.
Your donations make all of these things and more possible.
Please be generous in the Appeal and strengthen the Church at home.
“The grants we receive from the Catholic Home Missions Appeal help us ensure that the future of these parishes are in the hands of adequately prepared priests who can meet the needs of the residents here. While we have faced many challenges. in recent years, this Appeal restores our hope that the future will be brighter and our parishioners will continue to be served.”
Most Reverend Roger P. Morin
Bishop of Biloxi
STEWARDSHIP OF FINANCE
Week of March 31— April 1
Loose checks (40) $ 2,876.00
Envelopes (162) $ 7,930.50
Loose cash $ 970.47
Total Collection $11,777.27
CHS Building $538.00
Collections for Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Vigil & April 8th will be reported next week
Sacred Heart has a full-time position available for Secretary/Receptionist. Organization skills needed and must have a working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, and Microsoft Publisher. Send resume to by Thursday, April 19 to :
Sacred Heart Parish
Attention: Sandra Guidry
2514 Old Jeanerette Road
New Iberia, LA 70563
Either we grew up in the parish to which we now belong, or we came to it later in life, but whichever the case our parish is OUR parish! It doesn’t belong to others, to anyone else. It belongs just to US.