Saint Augustine Parish

Dear Parishioners, 

I have just received this from the diocese. They make a good case to keep the parish going. I recommend that you try the online giving option, however if just mailing in a check is easier, please do that. Don't send cash! Mail your contribution envelopes to:

Saint Augustine Parish
P.O. Box 3198
South Bend, IN 46619

Thank you for your continued support.

Peace, Father Len


Dear Pastors,
 
Please know that my prayers are with you and your parish families in these times of uncertainty.  I know your focus in recent days is how best to serve your families and attend to the numerous ministries of your parish in the middle of a changing landscape of recommendations and guidelines.  Please know that my office is here to help in any way that we can.
 
In follow up to Bishop’s letter yesterday, my primary concern is that we make it as easy as possible for your parishioners to continue to financially support your parish even if they are not physically in the pews for the next several weeks.  With that in mind I strongly suggest that you communicate the following messages if you haven’t already done so:

1.) Please remind your parishioners that the good work of your parish must continue, perhaps now more than ever, and for this to happen the parish needs to continue to pay its bills and its staff.
 
2.)  The main source of funding of the parish and its mission is the offertory collection. With the current suspension of public masses, we need to employ avenues of giving that might be new or unfamiliar to us.  These methods include:
                a. Parishioners can simply mail or drop off their weekly offering to the parish office
                b. If your parish currently uses online giving or a similar automatic online payment system please continue to use those methods.
                c.  This a great time to ask parishioners to consider signing up for online giving if they haven’t done so in the past.  
 
3.) I f your parish does not currently have a way for parishioners to give online; we have created a new Diocesan webpage where parishioners can give online and designate their gift to your parish. 
 
For Parishioners that have made a Diocesan online gift in the past please follow the following steps: 

1.) Go to https://www.osvonlinegiving.com/224 

2.) Login and click “Give a New Gift”
3.) On the next screen click on “Online offertory for parishes” and follow the on-screen prompts.
 
For parishioners who have never made a diocesan online gift, simply click this link and follow the prompts: https://www.osvonlinegiving.com/224/DirectDonate/74810
 
Please let me know how my office and I can help you and your parish staff with any of these mechanics or logistics.  Even for tasks as simple as pulling together mailing lists and email addresses, so that you can communicate with your parishioners; we stand ready to help you where we can. Our goal is to ease the burden of the administrative details so that you and your staff can focus on the ministry of your parish.
 
Sincerely,
Jeffery M. Boetticher
Secretary of Stewardship and Development
Diocese Fort Wayne South Bend

__________________________________________________________

Claire Klinedinst 
Stewardship & Development
1328 W. Dragoon Trail
Mishawaka, IN  46544   
574-258-6571  
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.” 
                                                              ~St Augustine

Dear Parishioners,

I hope and pray this note finds you well and safe from the Coronavirus. It has been difficult not to have any Masses here at St. Augustine. However, I do remember you all at daily Mass at our Holy Cross Chapel at Fatima House where I live.

I am writing on the Solemnity of the Annunciation, the day Jesus became one of us when Mary said YES to God. It is comforting to know he and his mother are still with us even in this trying isolated time. Each of us receives many invitations from God throughout our lives to say YES to God and do good. Be good to someone in your life today.

Our Soup Kitchen has thus far remained open, thanks to many generous volunteers. We are now packaging everything and handing the food through the Soup Kitchen door for the people to take home with them. It doesn't seem very hospitable not inviting them into the hall, but it does comply with the social distancing we have been ordered to observe, especially since nearly all our volunteers are over 65. We can always use extra help, since our numbers have fallen off. Saint Vincent De Paul has been dropping off food at clients' houses as well. I want to thank all those helping to feed the poor in this manner. We have about 85 families come by every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Some churches are streaming a Mass on facebook or some other platform. We do not have the ability to do that. There is a TV Mass sponsored by the diocese every Sunday on Channel 16 at 10:30 AM. Notre Dame also streams Mass as well. As the Ash Wednesday Gospel told us, we should pray more during Lent. This can be private prayer or family prayer. With lots of spare time due to the crisis, try it and you might like it, reading Bible passages is a good way to get started.

I have been in the office each morning, checking the mail and calls. I have also been paying the bills. They are still coming in but without Mass, we have no collections. I ask you to remember St. Augustine's financially in this collection-less time. Please pray for me. I will pray for you.

Peace, Father Len Collins, CSC, Pastor