The Pastor's Corner - A message from Father James Brady

One of the things mentioned in my first homily here was the beauty of our Church buildings, and indeed they are both beautiful and historic. However, they are in need of some work. Unfortunately, we have water leaks in the Church sacristy, the rectory, and in Valentin Hall. Experts have been consulted, namely contractors and the architect for the diocese. It is believed the roof is the problem in Valentin Hall, as Monsignor Romero pointed out in his report to you his last weekend here. We are still working on the cause of the leaks in the Church and rectory, but it is believed they are related to the gutters and drains. The Trustees and Parish Council each met in the last two weeks, and all are in agreement that we should move forward with replacing the roofs on Valentin Hall and the parking garage in order to prevent additional damage. In addition, it would be cost efficient to re-work the gutter system and replace the rotted facia on Valentin Hall while replacing the roof. The bid received for the work is approximately $70,000. We plan to move forward with the project in the next few weeks once we obtain diocesan approval.

The cost of the project will be paid through the St. Landry Church Building Fund. This is a special fund that was set up approximately 20 years ago for the preservation of our buildings when they are in need of capital improvements. It is different from our monthly second collection for maintenance, which is used for regular maintenance of our buildings. Donations to the fund are recorded as "principal" unless otherwise indicated, which means those funds cannot be spent. Only the interest generated by the fund can be spent. Therefore, any gift to this fund is a perpetual gift to preserve our buildings. At this time, the fund is not adequate to meet the future needs of our parish. As many of you have told me, St. Landry Church has met your spiritual needs your entire life - some have been Baptized, received First Communion, made their First Confession, and been Confirmed and Married at St. Landry Church. Hopefully, many generations to come will have the same privilege. For those who have been blessed materially in this life, please consider making regular donations to the fund as part of your sacrificial giving. Also consider remembering the fund in your will. What a wonderful legacy it is to help perpetuate the worship of God by securing a proper place of worship for the future.

Father James Brady