Catholic Parish of St Mary and St Joseph, Orange, Update 2019 - 2020

Parish Report 2019 - 2020 MESSAGE FROM FR GREG This has been an incredibly strange year.

Usually we would have engaged in a more detailed process of reporting back to the community on our finances and practical activities, as well as a more detailed time of reflection on giving as part of Christian discipleship. This year’s process will need to be more brief. COVID-19 has changed much.

I expect parish life will be permanently changed just as Australian life in general will be permanently changed. We trust that God knows what he is doing.

I would like to thank and acknowledge all the parishioners who have been supporting the parish financially as well as through prayer and ministry this financial year. In a special way, we remember all those who are struggling financially because of COVID-19.

Our community is keeping you in our prayers.

I invite you to pray and reflect on what portion of your resources you can dedicate to God this coming year and I invite you to make a pledge in our giving program. In particular, I would like to invite all our parishioners to consider changing to giving through direct debit. The recent lockdown has highlighted the convenience and safety benefits of this form of giving.

Please return your pledge card to the parish by dropping it in the basket in the church or into the parish office, or by emailing or phoning us.

Parish of St Mary & St Joseph Orange Parish of the Sacred Heart & St Lawrence O’Toole Molong

RENEWING OUR PARISH LIFE ALPHA This year we launched Alpha in our Parish.

We commenced three seasons and had an overwhelmingly positive response with 65 people participating in Alpha so far.

The majority of our Alpha groups have continued to meet beyond the final Alpha week, showing the true community that Alpha creates.

We hope to recommence Alpha with our second 2020 season in September.

TECHNOLOGY AND SPIRITUAL CLOSENESS Our Parish has worked hard to maintain spiritual closeness during the recent time of social distancing. We have made meaningful community continue to be possible by making regular services available online. We have streamed Mass, Rosary and other liturgies on Facebook and we have kept in touch with our Parish by distributing our Parish Overview and monthly magazine by email.

SYCAMORE One of our opportunities for fellowship during the recent restrictions has been our online discussion groups using the Sycamore program. Three separate groups were established which continue to meet.

SYMBOLON Our Symbolon program brought together a group of people wishing to go deeper into the Catholic faith. The group continues to meet, now using the Sycamore programthat is 36 weeks so far and still going strong.

HOUSEHOLD INCOME

PROPORTIONAL GIVING Every year, you are invited to reflect on and evaluate your giving.

This chart provides guidelines as you prayerfully consider the portion of your income to dedicate to God and the mission of the Church as your weekly gift.

Hourly

Weekly

Monthly

Yearly

$20

$769

$3,333

$40,000

$25

$962

$4,167

$50,000

$30

$1,154

$5,000

$60,000

$35

$1,346

$5,833

$70,000

$40

$1,538

$6,667

$80,000

$46

$1,731

$7,500

$90,000

$51

$1,923

$8,333

$100,000

$56

$2,115

$9,167

$110,000

$61

$2,308

$10,000

$120,000

Parish of St Mary & St Joseph, Orange

Parish of The Sacred Heart & St Lawrence O’Toole, Molong

RENEWING OUR PARISH INFRASTRUCTURE ST MARY’S CHURCH

ST JOSEPH’S RETAINING WALL

Major renovations to St Mary’s Church are well underway. The works are expected to be completed in August with the Church reopening soon after.

We completed restoration works on the Hill St section of the retaining wall of St Joseph’s Church.

In addition to upgrade and restoration works on the windows, ceiling, carpet, shutters and audio-visual system, we look forward to a dedicated musician and choir area and the exciting new multipurpose gathering space.

ST JOSEPH’S CHURCH In 2018, a comprehensive inspection of St Joseph’s Church revealed several areas where deterioration had occurred over the nearly 150 years since the Church was built. The study identified the stained glass windows in particular need of urgent attention. Currently, 19 stained glass windows have been removed from the church and are being progressively restored.

WEEKLY GIVING TO THE PARISH 1.5%

2.0%

2.5%

3.0%

3.5%

4.0%

4.5%

5.0%

$12

$15

$19

$23

$27

$31

$35

$38

$14

$19

$24

$29

$34

$38

$43

$48

$17

$23

$29

$35

$40

$46

$52

$58

$20

$27

$34

$40

$47

$54

$61

$67

$23

$31

$38

$46

$54

$62

$69

$77

$26

$35

$43

$52

$61

$69

$78

$87

$29

$38

$48

$58

$67

$77

$87

$96

$32

$42

$53

$63

$74

$85

$95

$106

$35

$46

$58

$69

$81

$92

$104

$115

SUPPORTING OUR PARISH We thank our generous parishioners for their support of the mission of our parish.

We also thank you for your flexibility in these difficult times, especially the great uptake of giving via ‘tap-and-go’ terminals installed in the parish. If you don’t already do so, we encourage you to consider financially supporting our parish with a regular giving plan.

Direct debit is a convenient way to organise your giving and is helpful for the planning of our good works. Currently, many parishioners choose to give via envelopes or credit card and could switch to direct debit.

If you wish to switch to direct debit, you can complete the direct debit giving forms included within our Parish Report and return them to the Parish Office.

Alternatively, you can contact the Parish Office on (02) 6362 2378 to be guided through the process.

“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.”

Luke 6:38 84 Hill Street Orange NSW 2800 | 6362 2378 | office.orange@cdob.org.au http://www.bathurst.catholic.org.au/?i=228&orange | www.facebook.com/CatholicOrangeNSW