With Thanksgiving upon us, our whole Parish Family is gearing up to give to Thanksgiving in the Park, the Ladies of Charity, and the Saint Vincent DePaul Society. These programs all serve those in need here in the local community, and clearly showcase the best of our service focus to people who need our love. Pope Francis has called upon us all during this World Day of the Poor, and we have responded to his challenge with our whole soul.
I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you, our Parish Family, for your astounding support to not only reach and exceed our challenge goal of $200,000 for a matching contribution, but for the past months’ continuous efforts of time, talent and treasure. If you were not here during our response to Hurricane Irma, we have both our own story (https://legacysite.sjecc.org/news/hurricane-irma-status-updates) as well as a story in the Naples Daily News (http://www.naplesnews.com/story/weather/hurricanes/2017/09/23/naples-church-slammed-irma-but-still-wants-help/693288001/) that details the activities of St. John after the storm. It is truly extraordinary that our Parish Family, in the midst of the personal and church disasters, came together to serve the communities around us with food, water, diapers, clothes, and all the necessities which filled 45 truckloads over two weeks. Since the call went out after the storm cleared, St. John has not stopped working for our community, and each one of you have my undying gratitude for your prayers, your gifts, your perspiration, and your smiles. Your giving has continued even after we have completed our challenge match and we will be able to travel the difficult road of recovery together due to your generosity.
I also want to thank you for your patience as we repair, renovate, and renew our campus. It will take time to fully restore our facilities, but I know with your encouragement, we will emerge from this challenging time even stronger for it.
I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving. God Bless You!
As we Build Our Future, Serve Our Past, we still need all the gifts, prayers, and support of our Parish Family. If you have any questions, please contact Jean-Paul Boucher, at 239-566-8740 or email: [email protected].