During this month we remember all of our dearly Departed. The Holy Father has extended the opportunity to obtain a Plenary Indulgence for the Faithful Departed during the entire month of November. The usual conditions are in place to obtain the indulgence.
Please remember the continued need for your sacrificial offerings to keep the Basilica financially secure. We still also owe $36,131.00 for this year’s ADA. ADA envelopes are available by the doors. Please avail yourselves of the locked boxes in the Basilica and the designated plates for your normal contributions since we still cannot take up a collection in the normal way. We are still behind on sacrificial giving versus our budget needs. We also owe our Foundation $12,000.00. I thank all those who have been continuing to send in their offerings through the mail and online. We must strive to work harder to keep up with the financial side of things as our deficit grows. Bills and salaries still need to be paid, as well as our other obligations. Please keep the parish’s financial needs in mind.
My thanks to all of you who have been purchasing our raffle tickets. This is a major fundraiser for us. The drawing will take place on the First Sunday of Advent. Make sure your tickets are in by November 29th.
Bishop Joensen has ordered MASK MANDATE for all parishes in the Des Moines diocese. Everyone is required to wear a mask while in the Basilica and the vestibule for Mass and any other function in the Basilica. I know that there are many different opinions regarding this, but I ask that you please obey the wishes of the Bishop out of a spirit of obedience. We are all subject to his authority. Also, all social functions are to be cancelled at least through 02 February 2021. Therefore, there will be no Pastor’s Open House this year or any other social function. We will add an extra Christmas Mass at 6:00 p.m. on Christmas Eve. The full Christmas schedule will be out soon.
Please be cautious and stay well. The parish staff and volunteers are doing all that is possible in the way of sanitizing. Take seriously the restrictions that have been placed upon us for our good and the good of others, such as frequently washing hands, using hand sanitizer, using masks and social distancing, and STAYING HOME IF YOU FEEL ILL IN ANY WAY OR MIGHT BE MORE VULNERABLE. Let us continue to pray for the day when we will be able to once again gather normally around the altar of the Lord and return to normal parish life.
Let us go forward, trusting Divine Providence in all things.