St. Patrick Parish Newsletter Oct 2023

The New Pastoral Year
As we begin the Pastoral Year 2023-2024, I take this opportunity to update you on some of the activities of the Pastoral Council, the Finance Council, and the Leadership Team. Each of these leadership groups has been busy with several projects for the benefit of the parish and parishioners.

Pastoral Council, Finance Council, Leadership Team
The Pastoral Council, has defined a number of pastoral goals that will help us as a community to grow in faith and deepen our personal encounter with Christ.

The Leadership Team has taken these goals and created a three-year action plan for the parish. The Three-Year Plan includes concrete and actionable steps developed to guide us into achieving the Councils goals.

As well, the Pastoral Council has renewed the Parish Organization Chart and created a list of Council, Ministry, Committee, and Group Leaders. This chart and list are to assist parishioners when contacting the leader/coordinator of these parish organizations. The Pastoral Council’s coordination of the Parish Photo Directory will soon see this directory delivered to the parish.

The Finance Council, as active stewards of the resources of the parish, is overseeing not only parish finances but the temporal management of the buildings and property.  The biggest project undertaken by the Council is new exterior windows installed for the church. It is hoped that the installation will be completed soon and we can look forward to reduced energy bills next winter.

This year the Pastoral Council, Finance Council, and the Leadership Team are developing practices and processes for working together as a single group (called the Parish Council) for the overall leadership, guidance, and growth of our parish.

Parish Office
Last spring we said farewell to Kym, our administrative assistant since November of 2020. Kym was an amazing member of the parish staff. Her thoughtfulness and care, attention to detail, and organizational skills were wonderful gifts she shared with colleagues and parishioners alike.
With Kym’s retirement, we welcomed Katalin (Kati) Holica, taking up the position of Parish Manager. This position is new to our parish, and includes office management, property management, hall rentals, personnel, and contracts’ procurement. Katalin brings to our office
her skills developed in parish work, her years of experience in leadership, and her thoughtful expertise in managing the diverse systems of our parish and property.

St. Patrick Cemetery
This past year saw two major changes to the parish cemetery property: a new fence along the west side and the clearing of 9.9 acres on the east side. The new fence replaced the former fence which was wooden posts with wire stretched between. Over the years the posts had settled and shifted and the wires were sagging or missing along the length of the fence. The new black metal fence, while not obstructing the view into the cemetery, added dignity and beauty to the cemetery.

The 9.9 acres, not all of which will developed at once, was cleared in preparation for the building of a stone grotto and the placement within it of a statue of Our Lady of Lourdes. The project proposal is being reviewed by City planners and needed permits are being prepared. Ottawa Catholic Cemeteries is coordinating the project with the city, the cemetery, the parish, and the Archdiocese. We hope that all will proceed quickly and the grotto will be finished this year.

The Parish Pastoral Plan
Over the course of the pastoral year 2022-2023, the Pastoral Council identified a number of goals for our parish and the Leadership Team created action plans to achieve them. These goals and action plans are directed toward realizing the Parish Vision which is:

St. Patrick Parish is a vibrant and engaged faith community committed to building up one another in Christ.  We are nourished by the sacraments and our shared service to one another and the wider community.

There are 13 pastoral goals which we expect to accomplish over the next three years. The goals for Three-Year Plan are:

• Increase the pastoral activities of the church;
• Increase pastoral spending;
• Grow more leaders;
• Formalize our leadership process so that we are less dependent on any one individual;
• Establish a faith development strategy/plan;
• Make disciples;
• Be more welcoming to all;
• Be intentional about inviting people to ministry;
• Make sure it is easy for some-one to respond to the Holy Spirit;
• Increase membership (esp. youth, young adults, families) to the church;
• Welcome parishioners at both church entrances;
• Realize greater effectiveness in communications;
• Make the parish more visible to the wider community.

Over the next three years (2023 – 2026) the Leadership Team and Pastoral Council, along with the Finance Council and the many parish groups, will invite all members of the parish to discover the teachings of the Church, deepen their relationship with Christ, and choose to be a disciple committed to building up the community of faith here at St. Patrick, Fallowfield.

Parish Policies and Guidelines
Men & Boys Wearing Hats in Church
It has long been the custom in Christian churches that men and boys do not wear hats into the church building. This is a matter of etiquette and respect for the place and the presence of Christ in the tabernacle. Here at St. Patrick Parish we abide by this long-standing tradition and ask that men and boys refrain from wearing hats in the church.

Bringing Water into Mass
With the advent of bottled water being readily available and in some cases a medical and practical necessity, there has been an increase in the number of people bringing water with them to Mass. Again, following the long-standing custom, only water is to be consumed within the hour before receiving holy communion. Therefore, to maintain the Eucharistic fast of one hour before communion, here at St. Patrick Parish water may be consumed in the church and during the celebration of the Eucharist. However, coffee, tea, and other beverages are not permitted in the church during the celebration of Mass. Exceptions are drinks for small children who will not be receiving holy communion.

Strollers in Church
St. Patrick Church, built in the last 19th and early 20th centuries, has retained much of its original and historic character over its 157 years. That means that we have a church about which many people speak very highly of it beauty, sacred art, and well-maintained condition. It also means that the aisles, in particular the side aisles, are narrower than what would be found in a newer or modern church. Because the aisles are narrower, we are strongly advised (very strongly advised) by the fire inspector that the aisles are to be kept clear throughout the celebration of services in the church. Therefore, here at St. Patrick Parish we ask that parents bringing small children to liturgies in a stroller leave the stroller in the vestibule of the church so that the aisles are kept clear at all times.

Buying and Selling at Church Entrances
Jesus upbraided the merchants and customers at the temple when he “drove out all who were buying and selling there” (Mt 21:12). It is with this in mind that we limit the number of occasions and causes that present themselves asking the parishioners purchase or donate. Ours is an extremely generous parish and while we know we are to what we can to help those in need, if we agreed to every request there would be times when the entrances of the church would look like market-places. That we not enter into such a situation, here at St. Patrick Parish we will, as much as possible, limit ourselves to one cause or campaign at a time that is selling or asking for donations.

Who’s Who in the Parish?
No parish is successful in the work and ministry entrusted to it if it is carried out by one person or even a few people, no matter how dedicated they may be. Jesus commissioned the Eleven at the Ascension to go, make disciples, baptize, and teach all he had commanded. This com-mission is for all the baptized; it is intrinsic to our vocation as Christians and as the body of Christ.

Listed below are ministries and the names  of the women and men who give of time and talents to the parish, the parishioners, and the Lord whom they love and serve. These women and men are at your ser-vice. If you have a need or a concern, please bring it to the attention of the person on this list because she or he is best placed to help you. Working together, with and for one another, we fulfill the Vision of building up one another in Christ.

Councils:
Finance Council: Denis Boucher
Pastoral Council: Suzan Light

Sacraments and Faith Formation
Baptism, First Reconciliation and Communion, Confirmation, Weddings, Funerals: Leah Moore
Faith Formation FORMED: Sandy Duff
Alpha: Anne-Marie Goodman
Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA): Fr. Paul

Committees
Communications: Dcn Mark Masson
Liturgy: Lucy Gorman
Social: Allen Galachiuk

Liturgical Ministries
Altar Servers: D’Arcy Dufresne
Children’s Liturgy: Leah Moore

Eucharistic Ministers:
5:00 pm: Judy Genereux
9:00 am: Glen MacNeil
11:00 am: Sandy Duff

Lectors:
5:00 pm: Diane Peressini
9:00 am: Anita MacNeil
11:00 am: Marie-Elyse Dugal
Live-stream: Andrew McWeeney

Music Ministry:
5:00 pm: Pat Gillissie
9:00 am: Patricia MacKinnon, Christine Power, and Anthony Davies
11:00 am: Mary Lou Hulan, Anthony Davies, and the Choir

Ushers:
5:00 pm: Colette Gibney
9:00 am: Dino Rinaldo
11:00 am: Susan Rashotte & Dan Burnett

Property and Facilities
Repairs and Maintenance: Rob Stamper
St. Patrick Cemetery: Martin Pessah
Hall Rental: Katalin Holica

Parish Organizations
Catholic Women’s League: Ann Lamont
Knights of Columbus: Anthony Galveias
Legion of Mary: Suzanne Sheppard

New Email Addresses
We are introducing four new email addresses for parishioners to contact directly the chairperson in the groups listed below. If you have questions, suggestions, concerns, or would like to volunteer in one of these groups please contact the leader at the email provided below.

Pastoral Council: Suzan Light
pastoralcouncil@stpatricksfallowfield.com

Communications: Dcn Mark Masson
communications@stpatricksfallowfield.com

Liturgy: Lucy Gorman
liturgy@stpatricksfallowfield.com

Ministry: Dcn Mark Masson
ministry@stpatricksfallowfield.com