Embrace the Light of Faith

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
I would like to share with you an important update concerning the bankruptcy
settlement of the Archdiocese of San Francisco and its impact on our parish and
school. Some of you might have already read our communication sent last Friday.
But before anything else, I want us to remember in our prayers all those who
have suffered sexual abuse, and their families. Their pain is real, profound, and
often lifelong. As a Church family, we have a moral responsibility to acknowledge
that suffering, to seek justice, and to support healing. Please continue to pray for
the survivors and their families.
Now, I want to speak to you openly about St. Robert.
As you know, every parish in the Archdiocese received an assessment based on its
financial resources and ability to contribute to the settlement.
The assessment for St. Robert Parish and School is $2.5 million.
That is a very significant amount of money. I know that when you hear “$2.5
million,” your first reaction may be, “Wow! Where are we going to get that kind
of money?”
That was our reaction, too.
But I want you to hear something else today:
We are not facing this challenge from a position of weakness. We are facing it
from a position of strength.
St. Robert is blessed with a strong and generous community. That strength did not
happen overnight. It was built by generations of parishioners who prayed here,
worshiped here, raised their children here, volunteered here, and gave
generously to build and sustain this parish and school.
You built this.
And because you built this, we felt a tremendous responsibility to be good
stewards of what you have entrusted to us.
When we received the assessment, our parish leadership and Finance Committee
did not simply say, “Okay, that’s what they want.”
We asked questions.
We studied the numbers.
We sought professional advice.
And we formally appealed the assessment through what is called a Remonstratio.

We also asked you, our parishioners, to sign petitions in support of that effort.
Many of you did.
Thank you.
Every signature was more than a signature. It was a statement: “We love St.
Robert. We care about its future. We want to protect the parish and school that
mean so much to us.”
Although our Remonstratio did not change the $2.5 million assessment, it did
accomplish something important. It opened a meaningful dialogue with Father
Summerhays and Archbishop Cordileone. Our Finance Committee gained a better
understanding of the process, and we also received encouragement and
affirmation regarding the strength and mission of St. Robert.
After prayer, careful discernment, and much discussion, we made a difficult but
responsible decision:
We will meet the full assessment.
And now, rather than spending our energy looking backward, we need to look
forward.
And this is where I need you.
Your regular support of St. Robert’s is more important now than ever. Please be
assured that your regular contributions will continue to support the needs and
ministries of our parish and will not be diverted to fund our assessment. We will
also not ask our parishioners to shoulder this obligation through a special
collection. More importantly, our restricted funds that have been dedicated to
the needs of St. Robert’s remain intact. Our Finance Council has carefully worked
out a plan to meet this responsibility while safeguarding the ongoing needs and
mission of our parish. Your continued generosity and faithful support remain vital
as we move forward together.
We have faced challenges before, and every time, this community has responded
not with fear, but with faith; not with division, but with unity; not by
asking, “What can the parish do for me?” but by asking, “What can I do for my
parish?”
That is who we are.
And that is why I am confident about our future.
Yes, $2.5 million is a substantial sacrifice.

But I believe that our greatest asset is not the money in our accounts. Our
greatest asset is the people in these pews.
It is your faith.
It is your generosity.
It is your love for St. Robert.
It is our partnership between the parish and the school.
And above all, it is our trust in God.
So, my dear friends, let us not be afraid.
Let us be responsible.
Let us be transparent.
Let us be generous.
And let us move forward together.
We have inherited a strong St. Robert from those who came before us. Now it is
our turn to make sure that we leave an even stronger St. Robert for those who
will come after us.
That is our responsibility.
That is our opportunity.
And that is our mission.
Thank you for your patience, your understanding, your prayers, and especially for
your unwavering love for St. Robert.
Please continue to pray for the survivors of abuse and their families.
And please pray for our parish, our school, our leaders, and our entire Church.
With God’s grace, we will face this challenge together. And with faith,
generosity, and unity, I truly believe that our best days at St. Robert are still
ahead of us.
Thank you, and God bless you.