Pastor’s Message

Sometimes today’s gospel message can be confusing.  You see, in praising the widow who gave her last two coins to the temple treasury, Jesus is not suggesting that you and I need to give away our last penny.  Rather, Jesus acknowledges that it is often the poorest of the poor who show the greatest charity, who risk the most to be loving.

Last weekend we publish our 2021 Annual Parish Report. Please know how fortunate I feel to serve you. Further, I am privileged to be working with a great clergy and lay staff, and very gifted Finance and Pastoral Councils. In this report, the Finance Council and I hope to provide you with a snapshot of our current state of the parish. As you read the report, we ask that you do so keeping in mind the following: the purpose of the report is more than just a snapshot of where we are as a parish, it is an important point of departure as we move forward in faith towards where we want to go

This weekend we publish our 2021 Annual Parish Report.  Please know how fortunate I feel to serve you.   Further, I am privileged to be working with a great clergy and lay staff, and very gifted Finance and Pastoral Councils. In this report, the Finance Council and I hope to provide you with a snapshot of our current state of the parish.

A BIG THANK YOU to all the organizers of the Parish Festival!  Even after not having the Festival for close to two years, you made this year’s festival a unique success.  I also would like to acknowledge, on behalf of our parish community, all the volunteers, benefactors, local partners, and guests for your presence, participation, and assistance.  In more ways than one, this year’s festival was like no other.

It’s here!  The Parish Festival has arrived!  A big thanks to all the parishioners who have given so much of their time in planning for a successful Parish Festival.  As I said at the Masses a few weeks ago, while the Parish Festival Leadership Team has worked hard to make this year’s festival successful, it simply cannot be successful without your participation and assistance. 

A huge heartfelt ❤️ thank you to all who participated in our in-person Forward in Faith Listening Sessions this past Wednesday and Thursday.  Thank you for your honesty, your courage to share, and, above all, your willingness to trust.  Please know that I, along with your parish lay leadership, have heard you.  In addition to what was shared in the in-person sessions, we will also compile the information from the digital and paper survey and provide a report of the Forward in Faith Listening Sessions in due time. 

We are happy to welcome students from the Edward V. Walton Primary School here at Saint James.  Due to flood damage sustained by the Walton School building in the recent tropical storm, the Springfield Board of Education and Saint James Church have entered into a short-term lease agreement for the school building until their school is back up and running.