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                   A SUMMER NOTE
 
“Synod of Bishops”
A Synod of bishops is a weeks-long meeting in Rome of select bishops and the Holy Father to discuss and respond to a pressing need in the Church.  The Synod to be convened this fall by Pope Francis is called: Young People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment.” One of the American bishops selected for the meeting, Robert Barron, an auxiliary bishop of Los       Angeles calls “…religious disaffiliation, especially of young people, one of the most pressing issues facing the church today.” I’m happy someone is addressing this issue and note that many parents and others could add suggestions and insight to the bishops’ discussions.
 
“Cool the Lights, Save the Power”
The electricians have been here this past week and have completed work in O’Connell Hall, the Bullock Center and the Rectory. They have begun work on the lights outside the church. Inside the church will be delayed a bit because the wrong supplies were sent but they are in the process of correcting that.
 
We have received substantial contributions from 60 families which bodes well for reaching and surpassing our goal. Surpassing it will enable us to meet other needs as outlined in our “Facilities Report” on the website. Thanks to all of you who have given already for your generosity and to our whole faith community for the many ways you support our parish.
 
“Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, for his love endures forever.” (Ps. 118)

~ Fr. Frank
 
 

Registration for our PreK-Grade 5, Middle School and Confirmation programs is now open.  Click here to register electonically, or print a paper registration form to mail in to the parish office.  Faith Formation orientations and classes will begin at the end of September.  Visit the PreK-Grade 5, Middle School, and Confirmation pages of the parish website for complete calendars.  

In June and July of 2017, we held a successful short fund-raising campaign, “Paint the Church, Meet the Match,” which helped us carry out much-needed maintenance and repairs on our buildings at Our Lady of Sorrows.

The need to keep up our facilities continues. We are coming to you again with a brief campaign we call “Cool the Lights, Save the Power,” which will last until the annual Mass at the Lake on September 16.

Let us explain. The Parish Finance Council explored an agreement with the energy consulting firm Energy Source to redo the lighting on the entire campus. The council agreed this made sense both to save money and energy. The lighting in the church is expensive and hot. Bulbs have to be changed often and in some cases cost more than $50 apiece. They are also difficult and dangerous to change.

Last year’s campaign set a precedent, showing what we can do as a parish community. Raising more than $40,000, we were able to paint the church exterior and make necessary updates in the rectory.
With “Cool the Lights, Save the Power,” we estimate the cost at $10,000, which can be paid off over 24 months with a no-interest loan. While this will put pressure on the budget in the short term, the estimated 60% reduction in energy cost and use seems to be a wise investment.

So there is much to do. We appreciate your kind and generous support in the past and hope you’ll be able to help “Cool the Lights, Save the Power.”
 

A look at ongoing repair and maintenance needs

For a few years, we have been putting off needed repairs, deferring to other, higher-profile projects. Below is a list of work that should be addressed, or has been taken care of recently:

Parking lot:
Resurfacing. Estimated cost: $12,000 to $15,000.
Fire alarm system
The system in the four buildings needs to be separated. Otherwise, we would need to fix the cable connecting the buildings. Estimated cost: $3,600 (less than one-tenth of the cost of repairing the existing cable).
Security
In light of break-ins in area churches, we need to address security issues for the buildings. The estimated cost of $5,000 seems too high and we are looking at alternatives.
Side doors of the church
We have an initial estimate to replace the two side doors to the church of $5,000. This is a not an immediate need, but one that we will have to look at.
Landscaping
Starting July 30, we will remove and trim some of the obvious overgrowth in the front of the church. We have received donations for this work and the repainting of the Pieta in front of the church.
Access ramp
We have just resurfaced the ramp on the O’ Connell side of the church, which had become a safety issue. Cost: $2,200.

Completed in 2017/2018

In 2017, the Our Lady of Sorrows community raised $40,000, including a $10,000 incentive gift from a parishioner, in a summertime fund drive called “Paint the Church, Meet the Match.”
Along with other resources, the drive helped finance projects that included:

Church building: Repainted the exterior and replaced a heat exchanger in the furnace
Rectory: Replaced one bathroom and updated another
O’Connell Hall: Purchased a refrigerator
Landscaping: Cleaned up and trimmed entire property
Additional work: With a number of other donations, we were able to add a hot water heater in the rectory, refinish the entrance doors to the church and rectory, and sand and stain hardwood floors in the rectory living quarters.

Our Faith Formation Director, Teresa Coda was featured in an article in the National Catholic         Reporter. She was one of 8 young women gathered at Mount St. Benedict Monastery in Erie,            Pennsylvania, for the inaugural Joan Chittister Institute for Contemporary Spirituality: A Feminist Benedictine Option. Click here to read the article. 

We are delighted to welcome Alex Bourgeois as OLOS's new Faith Formation Coordinator!  Alex has lived in the Boston area for the past 20 years, and moved to in Sharon in 2013 with her husband       Jeremy and her two daughters, Lillian (almost 9) and Ava (6).  Alex has been a catechist at OLOS for the past two years; first assisting in the second grade classroom and then co-teaching PreK/K.  Outside of OLOS you may spot Alex pounding the pavement down Main Street or paddle boarding on Lake         Massapoag.

Join us Saurtday, August 11th for the Annual Parish Cook Out in the BUllock Center Yard. Fellowship and fun for all parishioners and guests. OLOS will provide hamburgers, hor dogs, dessert and non-alcholic beverages. Please bring your favorite side dish to share (serving for 8-10 people). Cost is $7 per person and children under 5 are free. For more information or to volunteer contact Lynn at the parish office (781-784-2265) or email ljacobs@olossharon.org. 
PLEASE RSVP WITH NUMBER OF PEOPLE AND THE DISH YOU WILL BE BRING (JUST TO ENSURE WE HAVE ENOUGH) BY CLICKING HERE. 
IF YOU WISH TO PAY ONLINE PLEASE GO TO PAYPAL AND SEND TO LJACOBS@OLOSSHARON.ORG AND SELECT FRIENDS AND FAMILY IN THE PAYMENT TO OPTION.