Dear Our Lady of Purgatory Parishioners:
We pray that all is well with you and your family, and that you stay healthy during these trying times. Earlier this year, Abouna Vincent gathered together a Finance Council to have help and support in dealing with the financial issues of our Church. Today, we are reluctant to write to you about the topic of money, but we find it necessary to do so.
As you may know, we have begun to stream services (Divine Liturgy, Stations of the Cross) over the Internet, using the application Zoom, so that we can stay home and be safe. We encourage you to take advantage of this. The streaming experience, both audio and video, has been resolved and is working very well now.
Since it looks like we will need to continue this practice for some time, we are concerned as to how we will collect the monies necessary to keep our beloved OLOP solvent. (We need around $2500/week to pay our bills.)
As you are aware, we had to cancel our Hafli, as well as other activities, and with services being delivered on- line, our in-person collections have stopped. As of today, it’s unclear as to when we will be able to resume.
Several of the parishioners have begun to mail in their checks via postal mail, and we are very appreciative (OLOP, 11 Franklin St., New Bedford, MA 02740). We continue to work on an on-line giving solution for us to use but currently postal mail is the only way for you to monetarily support the church.
We understand that this is a very difficult time for all parishioners and that you may need to rely on your savings to pay for living expenses. The church will need to do the same. We would like to make it clear that if you are unable to help financially at the present time, we certainly understand. We do not want any parishioner to cut themselves short considering the situation we are all faced with. All that we ask is that you contribute in any way you are able: time, talent and/or resources. We will continue to send updates as appropriate.
God bless you and your families and may the intercession of Our Lady of Purgatory give us the strength to prevail this crisis.
In Christ,
Fr. Vincent Farhat & the Financial Council of OLOP
