“Brothers and sisters:

Let us give thanks to the Father,

who has made you fit to share

in the inheritance of the holy ones in light.

He delivered us from the power of darkness

and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,

in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

This Sunday we celebrate the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. It is the last Sunday of the liturgical year and assures us that we have a confident hope in God’s eternal victory over sin and death. The Scriptures remind us that Jesus is a crucified king, one who has given his life for our salvation, and that even the repentant thief heard the blessed words, “Today, you will be with me in paradise.” God is guiding history, including the life of our parish. Last weekend, I shared our annual “State of the Parish” and we sent out our accountability report this past week, as well. We did so with that same spirit of hope and trust. God is at work in our community, and the past year reveals both blessings and challenges, but above all, abundant grace.

One of the clearest signs of that grace is the vitality of our sacramental life. Baptisms outnumbered funerals five to one, with 103 baptisms, 82 First Communions, and 88 Confirmations. We welcomed 15 souls into the Church through OCIA. Our average weekend Mass attendance was 1,150, which continues to grow, and nearly 68,000 people participated in liturgies this year. This is the heartbeat of a thriving parish.

Our parish community continues to grow. More than 100 new families joined St. Patrick last year. Our school served 654 students. Adult Formation engaged more than 175 participants in Bible studies; Children’s Formation added new safety features, service projects, and creative Gospel videos; and ministries like Women at the Well, Knights of Columbus, Recharge, and our multilingual Rosary helped deepen our knowledge and life of prayer.

Service and outreach remain a hallmark of our parish identity. This year, St. Patrick contributed $615,000 to charitable ministries, equivalent to 21% of our parish income. We provided $140,000 to the Catholic Education Foundation, set a parish record with over $56,000 raised at the St. Joe’s Picnic cake booth, completed a Habitat for Humanity house, and donated $43,000 to St. Vincent de Paul. Parishioners donated 361 units of blood and over 300 Thanksgiving meals to local ministries. Walking with Moms in Need accompanied nine mothers facing difficult circumstances; one wrote, “I couldn’t have made it through my pregnancy without you.” These acts of love reveal the generous heart of our parish family.

Our Accountability Report also highlights the financial realities we continue to face. Necessary capital projects and past budgeting failures left us with just over $5 million in debt and an annual debt service of about $503,000. Yet parishioners responded with extraordinary generosity: $270,000 in one-time gifts through rectory gatherings and 469 families increasing their offertory commitment. Responsible adjustments to ministries, staffing, and vendor contracts also produced significant savings. You will notice in the accountability report that the school shows a deficit; this is planned and reflects our commitment to Catholic education as a funded ministry of the parish. We remain dedicated to forming young disciples of Jesus Christ.

Our journey this year has been like climbing a steep but beautiful trail, challenging at moments, but also filled with breathtaking views of God’s grace. Thank you for your generosity, your faith, and the love you bring to our parish life. God has begun a good work in us, and together, we move forward with hope. I am deeply grateful to God for you!