Blue Envelopes

I want to personally thank you for your extraordinary financial generosity to the parish, and specifically your support for "maintenance and repairs" through the use of "Blue Envelopes."

I want to share our good news/bad news situation, and ask for your help.

The good news is we concluded the 2019-20 fiscal year on June 30 with a surplus of nearly $15,000 in restricted funds, most of which is for "maintenance and repairs." This is a result of two things: we had fewer maintenance and repairs issues than anticipated, and you, along with other parishioners, have been more generous than anticipated. Thank God! And thank you!

The bad news is, well, not exactly bad, just different. As we move into this fiscal year, our need for "maintenance and repair" money is greatly reduced because De La Salle North Catholic High School (DLSNC) now has responsibility for the majority of the campus. Essentially, we must continue to maintain the church portion of the property while DLSNC has the remainder.

In light of this, the Administrative Council would like your help.

May we request that you re-direct your giving away from the restricted fund of "maintenance and giving" to either the parish general fund that covers ordinary operating expenses, or to another restricted fund (see list below)?

Over the years, I know you have been encouraged to give to parish restricted funds (blue envelope) in order to help the parish avoid higher assessment from the Archdiocese. That strategy works when it is certain that all restricted funds will be spent in the fiscal year. Not the case for us. Also, I'd like to point out that over the last two years, we have received extraordinary direct support from the Archdiocese in the form of hundreds of hours of advice and consultation from Delia Wilson, Director of Property Management. She served as a full member of our De La Salle negotiation team, was present at every meeting, and available to me by phone, text, and email nearly every single day as we negotiated the deal. It was a very complex process and it would not have happened without Delia. And we certainly could not have afforded to pay directly for her services. Even though we may not agree with everything the Archdiocese does or stands for, I don't mind paying our fair assessment. And so we encourage you to contribute to the parish general fund.

That said, if you would rather 100% of your contribution go to the parish thus avoiding the archdiocesan assessment, please consider giving to any of these restricted funds:

• Relocation Expenses – cover expenses incurred by relocating parish offices, SVDP, and storage in order to make room for De La Salle
• Parishioners in Need - provide assistance to parishioners impacted by COVID-19
• Flowers & Decorating – cover expenses for flowers and decorations in the church throughout the liturgical seasons of the year
• School Scholarship Fund – our parish support for parishioner students attending De La Salle or a nearby Catholic Grade School

We are re-designing the “blue envelopes,” and we have updated the online giving portal to reflect these fund options.

Thank you again for your generosity. I am more than happy to respond to any questions you have. I'd be happy to talk with you by phone or meet with you in person if you wish. You can always reach me by return email or at 503-351-9889.