Diary of a Parish Priest

The Big Thaw

The above freezing temperatures were welcome even if only for a respite.  At least we can see the grass again and, oh yes, the construction site too. Continued milder weather will permit work to resume. May the only salt we need for spring be for seasoning and not for our roads and sidewalks!

Design work continues on the two new stained glass windows, St. Michael and Mary, Mother of the Church Rose Window. Many of the final details of the church interior are being worked on, especially the sanctuary and sacristies.

 

Faith Seeking Understanding: Church History Tonight 2/19

Join us for the first discussion in our series on Church history. Tonight's discussion will cover Chapter 1 in our text, How to Read Church History. Copies are on sale in the Parish Office ($20) and used or new on Amazon. We'll begin at 7 PM in the St. Michael Media Room in Holy Cross School.

 

Sightings of Ol' Sol

Tonight the snow on the steel floor of the new church building was finally melting. Maybe since we're all getting pretty tired of this weather and NJ has resorted to spraying pickle juice on the roads, we'll finally get some thaw time! 

Holy Cross School Closed Friday 2/14; Daily Mass in Chapel as Usual

Holy Cross School Closed Thursday 2/13

Wednesday Evening, 2/12 Adult Faith Session Cancelled Due to Weather Worries

More Snow and Ice

The recent snows are accumulating and not melting within a day or two like the earlier storms we've had this season. The ground is also staying frozen much of the time. Needless to say, that puts a damper on visible construction activity.

Much, however, is going on behind the scenes, not only the bricks and mortar of the project itself, but the liturgical appointments and precise renderings of each of the rooms and worship space. Shop drawings and purchase orders for equipment and furnishings are being approved. 

Design work proceeds on the newly proposed stained glass windows. 

 

New Brochure for Church Building Project

We've updated the brochure for the memorials for the new church. Some items have been retired from our wish list and new memorials are presented for your consideration.

Three new windows are being designed and are offered. A rose window dedicated to theVirgin Mother of the Church, an aisle window of St. Michael the Archangel and an aisle window to be located between the St. Francis window and the St. Clare window depicting four events from the life of St. Francis, including Francis' meeting with Clare.

The original stained glass windows which you see in the church are in need of a generous donor to restore and repair them.

The Marian rose window will complement the Lamb of Victory rose window. They will be located in the north and south transepts. The St. Helena True Cross window (our original) will adorn the space over the choir loft at the west end of the narthex.

A reliquary will be fabricated containing the relics from all Holy Cross' old altar stones and encased in the mensa (top) of the new altar. 

The specifications and cost of the Bronze Memorial Donor book to be kept in the church gathering space have been finalized. A donor for the cost of the book itself would be greatly appreciated. The donor's name will be inscribed in the book.

 Our stone mason will send photos of the progress made on our new altar. One or more donors are still urgently needed for the main altar of sacrifice.

Meantime construction has been pretty much frozen in place. Workers await a thaw to dress the roof trusses, get some cover over the building and pour the concrete floor. 

 

 

Parish Clutter: Prepare For Spring Cleaning

There are many reasons why a parish and school collect clutter of all kinds. Judging by the popularity of television shows about the subject and the number of books available on how to de-clutter your life, it's a problem of the modern age. It is as if clutter, not nature, abhors a vacuum!

We have reached a critical mass of clutter EVERYWHERE! As Spring approaches, we will be taking a systematic and thorough approach to freeing up some space and making our working environment more liveable and safe. A realistic assessment will be taken of our spare classroom and office furniture, extra students desks, play equipment, stage equipment and the thousand and one other items someone put away in good faith "just in case." Many of our items which are used infrequently or seasonally are stored as if they will be needed tomorrow. Heavy items are often left on the floor blocking access to everything behind them.

• Items which are no longer good because of water damage or mold, or because of other damage will be thrown out.
• Consumables not sealed in containers and left exposed to the dust and humidity of the storage space will be discarded. 
• A limited stock of replacement furniture will be kept; the rest will be donated. 
• Rickety and makeshift storage cabinets and bookcases will be replaced with safe and clean shelves and storage tubs, especially those which keep items off the floor and safe from humidity.
• Our first assessment will be of the public storage areas in the school and parish center, e.g. basement, attic, boiler room, locker rooms, stairwells, behind the stage curtain, AV Room, Parish Center storage room, 3rd Floor Parish Center Meeting Room and the St. Michael Media Room. Items will be classified for storage, donation or trash. As soon as the weather warms up, we'll dumpster dump the trash and haul it away. 

A similar process will be undertaken for the Carriage House and rectory basement and garage. These areas currently store some of the items which will be moved into the limited storage space available in the new church basement. 

If we all cooperate to keep clutter to a minimum, not only will we have room for the valuable and useful things we actually use, but our work and play environment will be pleasant and safe for everyone.

 

Adult Faith Formation Tonight (Feb 5) Cancelled

The weather is crazy and the temperatures will drop tonight. We'll postpone the first discussion of Church history until next week.

There are a supply of the book How to Read Church History volume 1 in the parish office for those who would like a copy. The book is also available from Amazon either new, or used through many of their sellers.

 

 

Not A Creature Was Stirring

except for two Red dogs looking for birds...