The following message was distributed by Father Francis on Tuesday, October 17 at 5:11pm through our Saint Finbar Church Flocknote communications platform. If you haven’t already, please sign-up now to receive important parish news and information updates as soon as they are released! Sign-up is easy and sign-up is free! Please click on the link to sign-up today!

To the members of the Saint Finbar Church community:

Last week I talked about the beginning of the Season of Advent and our hope for restoration. In that communique I also announced new Mass times beginning with the 1st Sunday of Advent. As we continue our journey together through the COVID-19 health emergency, we desire for hope to be revealed through action.

As a community we remain steadfast in faith. Our destination is Heaven. Our mission is to make known the Good News of Salvation and give witness to the Glory of God and Salvation through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Just weeks from now we will celebrate The Nativity of Our Lord. As we approach the 1st Sunday of Advent and prepare for the spirit of renewal that Christmas brings, we continue undeterred in our plans to welcome you home to Saint Finbar Church when the pandemic inevitably subsides. It’s a matter of time and a matter of prayer. 

Today I’d like to provide updates on our plans to renew our facilities and our grounds in preparation for our homecoming. It may be weeks or months away, but as the recent Sunday Gospels reveal, we must be vigilant, remain faithful and continue single-heartedly in service to God.

Called To Renew Projects Update

Thanks to the generous support of the Called To Renew campaign by parishioners throughout the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, we received funding for major renovation and repair projects at Saint Finbar Church. This is in addition to the specific parish projects identified during our local campaign. I am grateful for your continued support of Called To Renew through your pledge fulfillment payments.

Since my previous project report, we have completed the replacement of the Faith Center roof, the roof over Pentecost Bay at the Holy Spirit Center and the replacement of the climate control system in Pentecost Bay. The Faith Center has recently been repainted and all the windows on the east side of the building are in the process of being replaced. The work will be completed this week. The parking lot at the Faith Center and the small rectory parking adjacent to the church will soon be resurfaced and re-striped.

We have recently enlarged rooms in the Faith Center to accommodate safe social distancing when in-person Faith Formation instruction resumes in 2021. Confirmation and Faith Formation classes are currently underway in the distance learning environment. 

Parish Operations

I am personally grateful to those who have continued to contribute to Saint Finbar Church through weekly envelopes and our electronic giving platform. Your generosity and sacrificial giving has allowed us to maintain most of our operations while we strive to meet the needs of our community members during this very challenging time.

To ensure every contribution received is invested wisely and prudently, we have temporarily closed all parish facilities not in active use and reduced overall staffing hours. Even in the midst of this pandemic, we will continue to provide services vital to our community members. At Saint Finbar Church, we journey together and not alone. No matter the current challenges, members of the Saint Finbar Church Pastoral Team are available to serve you.

In all things we keep our eyes on Christ. We are grateful to you for your generous and ongoing support especially during these challenging times and I humbly ask that you continue your support. Please know every contribution received is being invested wisely and prudently for the benefit of our community members and in anticipation of the days ahead when our facilities will be reopened and we may gather in-person as God’s children and gather in peace and as a people of faith.

Sincerely,

Father Francis