Dear beloved sisters and brothers in Christ,

The conclave to elect a new pope will begin next Wednesday, May 7. Let us pray each day starting today that the Holy Spirit guide his Church. “Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful, and enkindle in us the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and we shall be created, and you shall renew the face of the earth.” Prayers to the Holy Spirit – Hallow

In my mind, first in the legacy of Pope Francis is his humility. Second, he cared for migrants. In February before going into the hospital, he wrote a letter to our bishops exhorting them to stand up against mass deportation in the United States. Like the Good Samaritan, we should not be indifferent or hostile to migrants, but go out of our way to care for them in their need. Third, he cared for our common home, planet earth. Our pollution and exploitation of our common home has created global climate crisis that affects the poor the most. The legacy of Pope Francis showed us the mercy of God.

What about the legacy of Nativity? Ken Yontz tells why he and his family sit in a particular pew every Sunday. Under that pew and under that carpet, they wrote their names thirty years ago on the concrete slab. With them, many other parish families sacrificed to build our church in 1984 and expand it in 1996. They built a spiritual home where thousands of faithful Catholics through the years have worshipped the Lord, gone forth to witness to his love, and served the poor like the saints. We owe them a debt of gratitude for their legacy.

We are making plans to renovate the church. In Spring 2024, we launched our capital campaign, The Legacy Continues, to pay for the renovation. I am meeting with the bishop and his finance committee in a week to request approval to sign contracts and get to work. Bishop Noonan will ask me, “Are your people for the renovation?” I can tell him that you especially liked the handicap accessible bathrooms, the crucifix suspended over the altar, a higher quality sound system, and a brighter and more inviting look. Personally, I look forward to air conditioning in the confessional. It can get hot in the box.

Less specific but more importantly, I would like to tell the bishop that the renovation is to help the doubting Thomas’s to see and touch the mercy of God. We know the story from the gospel of John how the risen Jesus appeared to his disciples in the locked upper room. Three times he said, “Peace be with you.” He breathed his spirit upon them. “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” The disciples were transformed from a fearful flock to faith-filled apostles. They received the Holy Spirit, and the power to give God’s pardon and peace. His legacy is his peace. Thomas, however, was not in the upper room the first time Jesus appeared after the Resurrection. When Jesus appeared a week later and gave him his peace, Thomas came to believe, “My Lord and my God.” I would love all the Thomases to receive the peace of Jesus, know him as their Lord and God, and find at Nativity their spiritual home.

We hope to start the renovation of our church this summer. Like a baby, it will take about nine months. During the renovation, Mass will be in the Parish Center. Our last Mass in the church will be Sunday May 11, Mother’s Day and First Communion. Starting May 18, we are adding a fourth Mass on Sunday morning to accommodate everyone in the smaller Parish Center. Pick up a postcard with the new Mass schedule and give it to another as their invitation to come and see Nativity. After Mass on May 4, we will sneak a preview of the improvements of the Parish Center. For those of you coming to the 11:30 a.m. Mass on May 4, please join me at the parish picnic for a cook-out and fellowship.

To the 376 families who have made a pledge to The Legacy Continues capital campaign, THANK YOU. The diocese expected Nativity to raise $1.5M to $2.0M. We blew it away and raised $2.65M so far. I would like to ask a favor. If you can, please fulfill your pledge sooner rather than later for two reasons. First, the more cash we have on hand, the less need we have to take out a loan from the diocese. Second, if your funds are riding the stock market roller coaster, you will sleep better. I do.

To our parish families who have not yet made a pledge, here is your chance to leave a legacy. We are still short about $500K to do everything on our wishlist that would really make the renovated church pop. We might have to defer stained glass windows, mosaic in the tiles in the entrance and aisle, and silent kneeler returns. We must first tend to the pews and paint, lights and sound, and the bathrooms.

This weekend of May 4, you can make a pledge. Use the pledge envelopes in the pews. Or go online and pledge. Nativity Catholic Church | The Legacy Continues Capital Campaign - Catholic Foundation Central. Help me so that when I meet the bishop on May 7, I can show him a stack of new pledge envelopes.

During the renovation, we will stop construction and give everyone a chance to write their names on the exposed concrete floor. Like Ken Yontz and his family, the day will come when you can sit in a certain pew over a certain part of the floor, your legacy.

Blessed Easter,

Father David