Our Lady of Perpetual Help Redemptorist Church

06/12/2026

Pastor’s Letter—June 14, 2026

Dear Parishioners and Friends,

Every year, we are asked by the Diocese to present the new fiscal year budget to the parishioners. The Finance Council has approved the following budget. The current year’s actual numbers are as of June 4, 2026. Therefore, we have until June 30, 2026 (one month before year-end). Once the year is closed out, we will provide you with the complete Year-End numbers.

INCOME: Current Year-to-Date 2026-2027 Budget
Contributions $807,346 $890,537
Fund Raising $25,421 $150,160
Operational $140,889 $141,500
Education $2,167 $3,200
Ministry $3,285 $4,100
Miscellaneous $3,871 $4,000
Extraordinary $458,908 $3,000
Total Income $1,441,885 $1,196,497

Expenses:
Parish Personnel $574,001 $624,505
Facilities $168,977 $169,982
General Operations $356,503 $333,410
Prayer & Worship $48,552 $45,500
Religious Education $14,069 $11,200
Pastoral $3,954 $2,000
Extraordinary $8,171 $9,800
Total Expenses $1,174,227 $1,196,497

Income – Expenses $267,658 $0

Notes regarding income. We are obtaining new parishioners each year. Therefore, we expect overall contributions to increase. Fundraising does not yet reflect any income from the Parish Festival for this year. And we moved a special donation we receive each year into this category to better reflect the fact that it only happens once a year. Extraordinary income this last year included people leaving wills and bequests to us, and we cannot budget for that in the future. However, we hope people will remember us and leave us a legacy.

Notes regarding expenses. We expect an additional priest starting in August; insurance rates have increased, and employee benefits have increased. Extraordinary expenses increased because we moved the temperature control system into this category. It pays for itself based on how much it saves us. Of the savings, 80% goes toward equipment, and 20% stays with us. Once it is fully paid for, we keep 100% of the savings. Otherwise, we are trying to keep finding efficient ways to keep expenses down.

If you have any questions, let me know. Also, if you would like to see more detailed information, please contact Kurtis at the Parish Office.

Yours in the Redeemer;
Rev. Donald Berry Willard, Jr., C.Ss.R.

06/11/2026

Let us pray to the Sacred Heart of Jesus on this day of consecrating the United States to Him.

06/11/2026

Day 9: Consecration of the United States to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
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Join the U.S. Church in consecrating the United States to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

06/10/2026

Day 8: Jesus, gentle and humble of heart!
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Join the U.S. Church from June 3-11 in praying this Novena to the Sacred Heart, which will conclude with the consecration of the United States to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

06/09/2026

Day 7: Heart of Jesus, source of all consolation!
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Join the U.S. Church from June 3-11 in praying this Novena to the Sacred Heart, which will conclude with the consecration of the United States to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

06/08/2026

06/08/2026

Day 6: Heart of Jesus, atonement for our sins!
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Join the U.S. Church from June 3-11 in praying this Novena to the Sacred Heart, which will conclude with the consecration of the United States to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

06/07/2026

Day 5: Heart of Jesus, fountain of life and holiness!
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Join the U.S. Church from June 3-11 in praying this Novena to the Sacred Heart, which will conclude with the consecration of the United States to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

06/06/2026

Day 4: Heart of Jesus, patient and full of mercy!
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Join the U.S. Church from June 3-11 in praying this Novena to the Sacred Heart, which will conclude with the consecration of the United States to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

06/05/2026

Pastor’s Letter—June 7, 2026

Dear Parishioners and Friends,

This weekend, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. Oftentimes, this Solemnity is referred to as “Corpus Christi.” On this day, we celebrate the fact that Jesus established the Eucharist as his enduring presence among us. In a unique way, the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ, his real presence, exists in the Church. Jesus promised he would remain with us until the end of the age. And so, in the Eucharist, Jesus remains with us because he loves us.

St. Thomas Aquinas used Aristotle's language to describe how bread and wine can become the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Christ. The process is called “Transubstantiation.” Let us say that we want to make a boat. First, we would need a concept of what a boat is. We call that the “form.” So, maybe we can make a drawing of the boat. Second, we must add matter and shape it into the desired form. So, we obtain some wood and start building the boat. When form and matter come together, we have an “essence.” The essence is what something is designated by its name. But, because there is matter, the essence actually exists in the real world. It is no longer a concept. It is a real boat. An essence that is in existence is called a substance. But that substance has qualities that are accidental to it. For example, the color does not determine if it is a boat. However, every boat will have a color. So, anything your five senses can perceive is accidental to the substance.

So, what happens when we celebrate the Eucharist? We take bread and wine (the matter), and we use the words of institution (the form Jesus gave us at the last supper). We use the same matter and form, calling the Holy Spirit upon the bread and wine, and what happens is the substance of bread and wine is removed, Christ is the new substance, but the accidents of bread and wine remain. So, it looks like bread, tastes like bread, and smells like bread, but it is Jesus Christ hidden under the guise of bread.

This is a miracle. You have seen bread become the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Christ. You have seen wine become the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Christ. You are in the real presence of God. And what is more, wherever Jesus is, the Father, the Holy Spirit, Mary, all the angels, and all the saints are present. You literally are in the midst of heaven. When you consume the Eucharist, you are united to heaven and the Holy Trinity uniquely. We recall that what eye has not seen and ear has not heard what God has prepared for those who love him.

Yours in the Redeemer,
Rev. Donald Berry Willard, Jr., C.Ss.R.