Holy Rosary Catholic Church

Dear Parishioners,

This weekend is Commitment Weekend for the 2012 Diocesan Services Fund (DSF) Appeal. Those who contributed to last year’s DSF should have received by now a pledge letter in the mail from Cardinal DiNardo asking for their participation in this year’s DSF. If you haven’t received a letter or have misplaced it or you have never contributed to the DSF, you should be able to find DSF envelopes in English and in Vietnamese in the pews. You can also contribute to the DSF online. A link to the DSF website is available on the parish’s website on the “Links” page. You can also find the DSF web address printed on each DSF envelope.

Please spend some time in prayer considering your participation in this year’s DSF. St. Paul speaks in today’s second reading about being entrusted with a stewardship (cf. 1 Cor 9:16-17). God has also entrusted us with a stewardship—to use the goods of the earth for making him known in our world and for offering him our thanks. What have been the Lord’s blessings to you? Consider contributing to the DSF as one way of showing your thanks.

Also, two and a half weeks from now, we will be entering the season of Lent on Ash Wednesday. Lent is a traditional time for giving alms. Giving to the DSF can constitute your Lenten almsgiving. Consider giving to the DSF six times what you give as your normal Sunday offering to represent your alms for the six weeks of Lent. For example, if you normally give $25 each week to the regular Sunday collection, your DSF offering would be $25 x 6 = $150.

I would like for us to reach our 2012 DSF goal of $123,210. Even more so, I would like to see a 100% participation rate among parishioners. Last year, 262 of our 828 registered households participated in the DSF. Let’s make that 828 out of 828 households this year. Please consider your gift today. No gift is too small. Let’s continue the mission of our local Church by participating in the DSF.

Fr. Ian

Dear Parishioners,

I hope you have read Cardinal DiNardo’s letter inserted in last Sunday’s bulletin. He congratulated us and thanked us for reaching our goal in the 2011 Diocesan Services Fund (DSF) Appeal. I also want to thank everyone who contributed to last year’s DSF. Because of your generosity, many people’s lives will be changed for the better through a variety of ministries ranging from the Apostleship of the Sea to Youth Ministry. Again, thank you for your generous response.

Last year’s goal was $119,000. This year’s goal will be $123,210. No, this year’s goal is not punishment for having reached last year’s goal. Each year, the archdiocese calculates a parish’s goal based on the average of that parish’s ordinary income for the three previous years. Ordinary income means what a parish collects through its regular collections (but not its second collections) as well as what it receives in other donations. Since Holy Rosary’s ordinary income has been rising, so does its DSF goal. Our Lord says in Luke’s Gospel:

Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more (Lk 12:48b).

This week, all registered parishioners should receive in the mail an appeal from Cardinal DiNardo requesting their participation in the 2012 DSF. Next weekend will be DSF Commitment Weekend, in which everyone will be asked to make a commitment to this year’s DSF. For those parishioners who have not yet registered at Holy Rosary, DSF envelopes will be available in the pews. If you recently joined Holy Rosary from another parish in the archdiocese, please use an envelope found in our pews rather than one sent to you in the mail, so that Holy Rosary can receive credit for your donation. Please prayerfully consider this week what will be your pledge for the 2012 DSF. Bear in mind all the blessings the Lord has poured out to you. Thank you.

Fr. Ian