Dear Friends,
The school year is underway! You can feel the excitement in the air as children gather with new and old friends to learn and grow. All Saints has been busy this summer with two classrooms moving across to the Cabrini Parish Center and new carpet installed throughout the school building. To all who helped get the school ready, I extend my deepest thanks. We received lots of help from my old parish, St. Columbkille, and from Grace University students. Without their help we would still be working to get ready! Pre-school and Kindergarten had to do the most work with the move across the street, but somehow they got it all ready for school to start!
This week the parish offices will move across the street to the new Cabrini Parish Center. What day exactly, we do not know. Once we are over there, we will have a new phone number:
402-934-7706. Our new fax is 402-934-8371. The new official address for the office is 1248 South 10th Street. The old phone will still work in the rectory and mail will still go there, so do not worry if you happen to call or use the old address. The transition to the new offices will take place slowly.
I am still looking for people who would be willing to offer their time on a weekly basis to answer the phone and the door in the new office. If you mentioned to me in passing that you would be willing to help, but did not call the office with your name and contact information, could you please do so? My memory often fails me especially if the conversation was after Mass or before Mass starts. We are looking for ten people. Office hours will be from 9:00 in the morning until 4:00 in the afternoon. The morning period will run from 9:00 until 12:30 and the afternoon period will run from 12:30 until 4:00. If you would be willing to be a sub in case someone cannot make it that would be helpful too.
Next Sunday, during the Sodality’s Tailgate party following the 11:00 Mass, we will have the new Cabrini Parish Center open so that you can wander around in the building to see what you now own. Please join us and the Sodality members for a fun little picnic – and a chance to win a big TV.
Of course, there is still much to be done in the building, but the classrooms, meeting rooms, and offices are ready to be used. One major project on the near horizon is the replacement of exterior doors and windows. The building was built in 1968. Those windows and doors are fifty years old and were designed before we became energy conscious. We continue to meet with architects and construction people, as well as the city of Omaha, to see what needs to happen to convert the pool into a multi-use area that could host funeral dinners, small receptions, etc. I am presuming I may have to come to you to ask for your financial help to make that happen. Up to this point, we have been able to use the money from the sale of St. Patrick’s to purchase the building and make the initial repairs to the structure.
On another topic, I have been appointed Dean of the Southeast Deanery by the Archbishop following an election by my fellow priests. This requires me to attend meetings of the Priest Council and the Archdiocesan Consultors. I will be at meetings for the Priest Council on Monday and Tuesday of this week at the retreat center in Schuyler. I always think, in the long run, my service to the wider Archdiocese is a blessing to our parish even though, in the short run, I need to be away from the parish on a regular basis. I also continue to serve on the Archdiocesan Finance Council and Personnel Board. All good things – for the glory of God…
Peace,
Fr. Damian