In the Catechism of the Catholic Church, we are instructed that as the work of Christ, [the] liturgy is also an action of His Church. It makes the Church present and manifests her as the visible sign of the communion in Christ between God and men (1071); and quoting the Bishops of the Church gathered at the second Ecumenical Council at the Vatican (1962-5), our Catechism states that the liturgy is the summit toward which the activity of the Church is directed…it is the font from which all her power flows (1074).

Liturgical prayer is foundational to us as a people. Along with the call to fellowship and to service, to study and to evangelization, we are called to renewal in and through the liturgy. To this end, I am asking you to consider assisting in the purchase of new and matching vestments for the deacons and priests of our parish.

During this Easter season, you are able to see the only set of vestments we have that offer a full array of matching chasubles (for the priests) and dalmatics (for the deacons). Other than this set of matching white vestments, we come up a bit short in the other liturgical seasons of the year. So, I am initiating this project, to purchase new vestments for the parish. I hope that you will be willing to assist in this, in either of the following ways:

1) For those of you who are willing and able to financially sponsor one or more of the new, matching vestments on your own, please know that the parish will have sewn into the collar of each sponsored vestment the name of a loved one (living or deceased), in recognition of your gift. This will allow the deacons and priests to remember your loved one in prayer each time we vest for a liturgy of the Church. Each of the vestments will cost $1500.

2) For those of you who cannot afford to sponsor the full cost of a vestment on your own, don’t be concerned. You are invited to participate in the project as well. If you desire to offer a contribution to this project (a one-time gift or a month-by-month donation), please send in a check made out to the parish, with “vestment fund” written on the bottom of the check. Please send this to my attention, so that I might keep a personal record of all that is given to this project.

As these donations will be in addition to your normal gift of offertory, I know that it will be a sacrifice; and such a sacrifice is difficult in these uncertain times. I am grateful for whatever you might be willing to offer our parish, in this desire to enhance our liturgy through this clothing of our clergy in attractive matching vestments.

All we do, we do for the greater glory of God.

AMDG
Ad maiorem Dei gloriam