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September 28, 2021
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ
Today, Sunday October 3rd is National Life Chain Day. We will not hold a public event this year. Instead, I ask every parishioner to dedicate one hour TODAY from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. — to contemplative prayer for the end of abortion. I call this hour of prayer, our Power Hour!
This Weeks gospel reading focuses on the importance of marriage and the importance of Children. In our vocation, as ordained, consecrated, single or married, we are all called to use the abilities we have to support our community. We all have a vocation, and this vocation calls us to community. When we support the families around us then we are able to focus our priorities in life to align with the will of God in our lives.
On July 1, 2021 we began a new fiscal year at STHY as did all of the parishes in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. One of the chief responsibilities of a pastor is sound management of the Church’s temporal goods and prudent and balanced management of all financial responsibilities. Copies of the FY 2020 - 2021 financial reports are in the Narthex and or online at Sthyacinth.org.
I can report that STHY financial health is stable. However, going forward due to the ongoing COVID – 19 health crisis and the decrease in Church attendance, we will be challenged in the parish finances. The Church bills are being paid; we are in good standing with all of our Archdiocesan obligations. However, STHY’s finances going forward in 2022 will be challenged by the increase in the cost of ministry obligations and the increase in the cost of the maintaining the aging infrastructures of the main Church and parish facilities.
I thank each of you for your continued sacrifice, week in and week out, to support the ministries and operations of our parish. Only with your support are we able to do the work of the Gospel. Thank you very much.
The projected FY 2022 budget has been discerned to be drastically conservative in nature, with forecasted collections and revenue to be flat. Due to the challenges we face here at St. Hyacinth in the coming year, the budget cannot account for all of the major increase in the costs and expenses for ministry and to take care of our 52 year old Church building and 37 year old Guyot Hall building. All the Church infrastructures are aging and need major attention and repairs in the very near future.
We are now currently in renovating the main sanctuary and even the cost of renovations has been steadily increasing. In addition to the renovation of the main sanctuary, we have replaced both the heating and HVAC systems to the main Church and religious Education building.
I pray that you’re continued giving will exceed our forecast. As our parish and ministries continue to do the work commissioned by Christ, we must all continue to be good stewards of God’s gifts so we can effectively serve those who seek to encounter Christ at STHY.
I ask that you prayerfully consider reviewing your weekly giving to the parish, and if it has remained at a constant and consistent level the past few years, please consider increasing it.
However, I do want to address the approximately the over 1000 registered families here at STHY that we have no record of your giving to the Church. We do acknowledge that many are giving to the Church through the weekend collection; however, STHY needs you start using your envelopes or move toward electronic giving. In this way we can account for all those who are a part of the parish that are truly giving, and it is an expense of the church for envelopes to be mailed to registered families. We currently spend close to $10K a year on offertory envelopes and if we could use our electronic giving, this would reduce the expense of mailed offertory envelopes dramatically.
We are living in constantly changing times, but two things that are not changing are our devotion to our parish and it's needs. We know many of our lives have been turned upside down in the last year and a half. The STHY has been too. We need, same as you, to know what's coming in so we can budget what goes out. I'm asking you to give DIFFERENTLY. By going to the website and signing up for RECURRING online giving, you let the parish know we can count on your support weekly. Register for Online giving at Thank you for the time is NOW and the need is CRITICAL.
God Bless,
Fr. Reginald Samuels
