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| Dear Parishioners, Schools are very much on the mind of all people of our country - how to improve them, how to eliminate violence, how to convince more people of the value and the joy that comes from being a member of the teaching profession. Another topic that we will be hearing more of is that of school vouchers for children not going to public schools. At a future time, I will give you my personal feeling about that issue. It might surprise you! There is a topic that is of greater concern to me right now and that is an effort by the Archdiocese to raise thirty million dollars to build up an endowment for our Catholic Schools. Our Parish has been given a target of $207,000 by the Archbishop. Each family in the Parish will be asked over the next few months to make a pledge that can be paid over a three to five year period, depending upon the amount pledged. Any amount we raise over the target will remain with our Parish and will be used to build up our present school endowment and begin an endowment for our Religious Education Program (CCD). My dream would be that 300 families will make pledges of from $1,000 to $5,000. This would provide for the needs of the Archdiocese and would provide $100,000 for our own educational needs. You say impossible. Maybe not. If a family would pledge $28 a month (imagine the carton of cigarettes you stopped smoking) for three years that makes $1,000. As a result, a needy child will receive a scholarship to attend a Catholic School. In the coming weeks, think and pray about it. In the Sunday bulletins, I will write a brief history of why we have Catholic schools, why they have become so expensive and what we will do at St. Robert’s to help those in need. Sincerely, |
