Easter Letter & Facility Renewal Information

Easter Letter & Facility Renewal Information

13 Apr 2022 | Posted by: chadmin

Below is a letter that was mailed to parish families on April 12, 2022. If you did not receive the letter and would like a hard copy, please contact the office at 309-682-8642 or parish@stphils.com. To make a donation in person, you can download the form by clicking here. Online donations can be made on our giving site, by clicking here.

April 2022

Dear Parishioners ,

As we come to the end of the Season of Lent, I wanted to give a parish update before we celebrate the Easter Resurrection. As I write to you in April of 2022, I am mindful of the changes to our world since the parish office last sent a letter to every parishioner. My main goal in writing this letter is to say, thank you. Thank you for choosing to be Catholic, thank you for choosing St. Philomena Church and School. Thank you for supporting our parish mission. Thank you for financially maintaining our parish budget throughout the pandemic. Thank you for embracing personal growth as a Christian in an ever-changing world. As we are thankful for the gift of our lives, families, and our faith, we are always mindful of the opportunity for growth.

Bishop Louis Tylka officially became our ninth Bishop of Peoria on March 3, 2022. For almost two years, he traveled the Diocese meeting priests and lay Catholics preparing to start his Episcopacy. I have enjoyed getting to know him. I am very excited about his service to our Diocese. In consultation with the other Bishops in Illinois, one of Bishop Lou’s first decisions is to reinstate the Obligation to attend Sunday Mass beginning on Palm Sunday, April 10, 2022. The Covid-19 pandemic has waned as the number of vaccinations and recovered infections reaches a large majority of the population. Since Christmas, we have enjoyed increased Mass attendance at St. Philomena. Our communal hope is that the reinstatement of the Sunday Obligation beginning Holy Week will usher in a large attendance and celebration of Easter Sunday. If you have not been to Mass in a while, please feel welcome to begin attending again. Although the Sunday Obligation is reinstated, we will continue to live stream Mass each day to reach those unable to attend in person.

As we come out of the pandemic, our parish administration and Finance Council had the opportunity to examine opportunities for growth and renewal on campus, in both our facilities and ministry. As the parish office plans for a more normal schedule of adult social and spiritual activities this next year, we have decided to pursue the renovation our church and brick convent building. You may have noticed we began renewing the church pews. George J. Rothan Company will temporarily remove individual pews and restore them to their original beauty by sanding, staining, and sealing. After the pews are completed, the vinyl under the pews, as well as the church carpet, will be replaced. This is the first pew restoration, and the carpet was last replaced in 2005. We hope to have the pews and carpet finished this summer. After we finish these improvements to the nave of the church, we hope to replace the altar, ambo, and sanctuary floor. Designs are currently underway for future publication.

With these projects, the renewal to the old brick convent for school use, and other future facility needs, we decided to launch a Facility Renewal Campaign. The Finance Council set a goal of $1.5 Million. We are fortunate to have one anonymous lead gift and one large bequest that allows us to start with $500,000 toward this goal. Please consider supporting these St. Philomena Church growth opportunities with a financial gift. You can contact the parish office for more information, use the bottom of this letter to make a contribution, or make a donation online.

Thank you again for your spiritual and financial support of our parish. As the Season of Lent comes to a close, please plan to attend the Easter Vigil at 8pm on April 16 or the 7:30am, 9am or 11am Mass on April 17, 2022. My hope is that we will have full Masses to celebrate the Easter Resurrection of Jesus Christ. May our communal worship continue to call us to celebrate our love of God and one another. Please pray for our parish, each other, and for me.

In Christ’s Love and Peace,

Fr. David P. Richardson, Pastor