Just over two years ago, Cardinal Seán O’Malley established the Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport as a collaborative of two historic parishes: Holy Family Parish and Our Lady of Good Voyage Parish. Although our parishes share one pastor and pastoral team, each parish remains fully and canonically independent; maintains its own back accounts and accounting procedures; and continues to be solely responsible for its own bills, building maintenance, and pastoral programs. During the past two years, Our Lady of Good Voyage Parish has been blessed in many ways. Despite necessary changes to our worship schedule, attendance is good and growing (especially among young adults and young families at our 11:45am Sunday Mass). Fundraising events and the Annual Crowning Feast of the Holy Spirit remain successful both by raising needed funds and by building and strengthening our parish as a vibrant community of prayer, fellowship, and service. And although it sometimes has been difficult, parishioners from both Holy Family Parish and Our Lady of Good Voyage Parish are now praying together, working together, and helping each other to live the Gospel, share God’s love, and rebuild the Church here in Gloucester and Rockport.

Despite these blessings, we face serious financial challenges at Our Lady of Good Voyage Parish. For the second straight year, we have been unable to balance our budget. These imbalances have been caused by those necessary changes to our worship schedule; increasing costs associated with building maintenance; and the loss of an anonymous benefactor whose generous donations over the course of many years contributed to the financial stability of the parish. During the past two years, we have worked diligently to significantly reduce our operating costs across the board: wages and benefits, office administration and equipment, and especially utilities without diminishing the pastoral ministries of our parish. Despite these efficiencies and more professional accounting procedures, we are unable to balance our annual budget. This means that we have been forced again and again to use funds from our savings account in order to make ends meet on a weekly basis. Inserted into this week’s newsletter is our Annual Financial Report for Fiscal Year 2016 which summarizes our actual income and expenses in various categories; and our budget for the coming fiscal year. This report is also available in our pastoral office and is posted below.

For these reasons, I am writing to ask all parishioners at Our Lady of Good Voyage Parish to help me raise $50,000 during this year’s Grand Annual Collection. This fundraising campaign is vitally important to our parish’s annual budget and our long-term financial stability. It helps us bridge the gap between our weekly offerings and our financial obligations (such as salaries and benefits, insurance premiums, essential parish programs, routine building maintenance and repair, utilities, snow plowing, and stipends for our senior priests). Each year, we ask all parishioners to contribute whatever they can to our Grand Annual Collection. This year, it is especially important! Every contribution, whether it’s $10 or $100, helps us to achieve our goal of a balanced budget. Every penny raised goes directly to Our Lady of Good Voyage Parish. Anyone who tells you something else is simply not telling the truth!

In the coming week, every registered parish family will receive an offertory envelope for the Grand Annual Collection. Please place your offering in the collection basket at Mass during the weekend of September 10th and September 11th or mail it to me as soon as possible. Additional envelopes will be available at the doors of the church. As our Grand Annual Collection begins, please join me in praying that each of us, according to our means, will give generously to this all-important fundraising effort. Finally, please accept my deepest thanks for your prayers and encouragement during my second year as your pastor. Your kindness and support humble me and sustain me in my ministry. Please continue to pray for me, for our dedicated pastoral team, and for each other; and please know that you and your family are always in my prayers. Thank you in advance for your prayers and generous support of Our Lady of Good Voyage Parish!

Peace and blessings to all,
Father Jim

Reverend James M. Achadinha, Pastor
Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport
Contact: frjim@ccgronline.com

CCGR Weekly Newsletter (9-4-16)
Bringing Home the Word (9-4-16)
Our Lady of Good Voyage Financial Report 2016

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Adult Faith Formation
RCIA & Adult Confirmation
Begins Sunday, October 16th

If you are an adult (age 18 and over) and have not received the Sacraments of Baptism, Penance & Reconciliation (Confession), Holy Eucharist, or Confirmation in the Roman Catholic Church, then please consider joining our adult faith formation program which will meet on Sunday mornings after our 8:15am Mass beginning on Sunday, October 16th in Saint Ann Parish House. The Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) is a seven month program that prepares adults to be received into the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil. Our group will meet approximately twice each month to learn about the basic beliefs, teachings, and traditions of the Catholic Church. As part of this same process, our Adult Confirmation Program prepares adults for the Sacrament of Confirmation and focuses on the challenges of living a life of faith in the modern world. If you would like to join us for this journey of faith and become part of a unique fellowship in preparation for the Sacraments of God’s Holy Church, please contact Cliff Garvey at cgarvey@ccgronline.com. Please join us! All are invited! All are welcome!

Adult Faith Formation Registration 2016-2017

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Youth Faith Formation
Father Jim’s Summer Art Contest
Calling Young Disciples!

All young disciples (ages 5 through 11) are invited to participate in Father Jim’s Summer Art Contest by creating an original work of art based on the theme that “Jesus Is Our Teacher!” Submissions should be no smaller than 8 by 11 inches and no larger than 18 by 24 inches; created, colored, drawn, or painted by hand; and depicting one of the following images of Jesus: Christ the Teacher, Christ the Good Shepherd, the Divine Mercy, or the Face of Christ. All original art projects are now due by Friday, September 23rd and will be judged by Father Jim and a committee of judges! The winning submission will be professionally framed and displayed prominently in our pastoral office! Coloring sheets (for younger children) and suggested icon images (for older children) can be found on our web- site at ccgronline.com/formation. For more information, please contact Father Jim at frjim@ccgronline.com. Please join us! All are welcome!

Learn More: Father Jim’s Summer Art Contest

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Youth Faith Formation
Grade 2 Sacramental Preparation
Registration Now Underway!

The Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport is now offering a creative and innovative way for young children to prepare for the Sacraments of Penance & Reconciliation (Confession) and First Holy Communion. Our program is designed to prepare both children and their parents for the sacraments, encourage lifelong relationships with Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church, and help families grow in prayer, fellowship, and service. Our program is simple and family friendly! First, we will continue to place primary focus on inviting families to attend one of our seven weekend Masses. Second, all second grade children and their parents are asked to attend two 90 minute workshops during the fall season; and three 90 minute workshops during winter-spring seasons. Each “Faith & Family Workshop” is offered at three different times, so each family can choose which option works best for them! Our program begins in October! Registration for all “Faith & Family Workshops” is now underway! If you have questions or need assistance, please see Father Jim before or after Mass; or contact Betsy Works at bworks@ccgronline.com. Please join us! All are welcome!

Second Grade Registration-Schedule 2016-2017

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Holy Family Parish
Women’s Guild Meeting
Tuesday, September 6th