The maintenance of our facilities is important—and like your homes—ongoing, and we all know that it is less expensive to keep up with repairs than to replace items before their life expectancy ends. A couple of items for your information:

This coming week you will notice all of the OUTSIDE DOORS in Russell Hall are being replaced with doors similar to the ones on the front entrance to the atrium. The reason is that the existing doors are actually interior wooden doors but were used as exterior doors. They have been repaired numerous times since I have been here and are no longer repairable, as they have a great deal of rot in many places. Our new doors are made of fiberglass, and require no maintenance with a warranty that will outlive most of us.

Sadly, this was a big expense ($37,000-plus) but in the long run it will be well worth it in terms of workability and safety—the old doors are warped and are easy to open from the outside. But thanks to the parishioners who regularly support our monthly Refurbishment and Repairs Collection we are able to obtain these doors and pay from them without asking for additional monies. I am most thankful to all as this fund enables our parish to maintain our facilities—the HVAC, the Church itself and all the grounds and the rectory. Each year when Catholic Mutual does their annual inspection, as well as Mule Security and others, we pass with flying colors and are always told that the parish is well maintained. I thank Mike Grappone, our facilities manager, for all his attention to details. With the Coronavirus with us for the foreseeable future, and with the State and CDC health requirements for sanitation after every public event, i.e., each Mass, Faith Formation event, Youth Ministry meeting or activity, and any other small meetings in the church, we are currently held to purchasing cleaning solutions in large amounts and then sanitizing the church-at-large. To that end, we have purchased Ultraviolet Light Sanitizing Units, which are used in hospitals to remove all forms pathogens, including the Coronavirus. Thank you for your support of the Refurbishment and Repairs Collection.