There are a couple of things going on at St. Bernard’s of which I would like you to be aware.

First, we have recently launched a new endeavor which we call PARTNERS IN CHRIST.  It is composed of over 180 parish households that have volunteered their time, talent and treasure to help those in need from the parish and the community at large.  It began as a response to hurricane Katrina but quickly evolved to embrace an ongoing mission of service locally.  Families are divided into groups of about twenty households with a leader and assistant leader.  Requests for service will be reviewed by an oversight committee and those that are accepted will be assigned to a group that will develop an action plan to respond to the need.  You can read more about this program, and sign to be part of it if you have already not done so, on our parish web site, www.stbernardstulsa.org. I am particularly indebted to two of our parishioners, Kate Forbes and Ed Minich, for doing a great job in helping to develop this project and get it organized.

Second, we are instituting a practice at St. Bernard’s of making available a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary that will travel to different homes in the parish for a week at a time.  Those who sign up to receive this lovely two foot high statue must agree to give it a place of honor in their home for a week and to recite the rosary daily while the statue is in their home.  If you wish to have the statue spend a week in your home you can contact the parish office and a week will be assigned to you.  The statue can be picked up at church on Sunday, and must be returned to the church the following Sunday when you attend Mass.  Joan Hayes, Linda Forth and Rene Borchers are helping to coordinate this program.

Finally, this issue of our Chronicles contains our annual parish report in which you will find a summary of our financial status for the past fiscal year, the budget for this present year, and a report on the educational and charitable activities of the parish over the twelve months from July 2004 to June 2005.  I ask you to familiarize yourselves with the contents of this report so that you know not only how the income of the parish is being used, but also what a great job our education program is doing, and how we reach out to those in need with the contributions you make to St. Bernard’s.