September 6-7, 2025
Dear parishioners,
Many thanks to all those who helped to make our annual Divine Mercy School golf outing a success! In particular, I would like to thank Pleasant Valley Golf Course for hosting us and making sure that the entire event ran smoothly. I would also like to thank the members of our faculty and staff who helped to organize it, along with some of our school parents. Special thanks also to all those who made financial contributions to sponsor the event. Of course, I would be remiss if I did not thank the 5th and 6th grade students who gave up a Friday evening on their summer break to be present on the golf course. Their presence and their work at the event was a reminder to all of us of who were directly supporting through this event. The outing produced a net profit of over $5,000, which is enough to send all of our 5th and 6th graders to Damascus Catholic Youth Camp this Fall for their Faith and Science retreat. Our students always return from Damascus with testimonies about how their experiences there were both meaningful and enriching for their faith. Thank you once again to all those who have made this possible for our students!
While the golf outing ensures that we do not have to budget for the Damascus Faith and Science retreat, there is, however, a much different item that all parishes across the diocese will soon be required to add to their expense budgets. This increased expense pertains to the property insurance for all of our properties. Earlier this year, the Diocese of Toledo was informed by the insurance provider that the Diocese’s premium would increase by 21% for the 2026 fiscal year (July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026). Of course, this encompasses every parish property across the diocese. Usually, when diocesan insurance rates increase, the full amount of the increase is appropriately applied to each property of each parish, and is therefore factored into the new cost that each parish pays for its insurance. As such, this means the full 21% increase for the current fiscal year would be applied to each of our 12 buildings on all three of our campuses.
However, the diocese has offered to limit the increase of parish premiums to 5% for each parish that chooses to install water-detecting sensors in all of its buildings. The reason for this is because the diocese’s insurance provider stated that the increased premiums are primarily due an abundance of claims related to various forms of water damage in buildings. Any parish that chooses not to install the water sensors will be assessed the full 21% increase of premiums.
As such, we have already taken the initial steps to opt-in for the installation of the water sensors. As mentioned above, these sensors will need to be installed in all 12 of our buildings on our three campuses. There will be no initial cost to the parish for the installation, but there will be a yearly subscription fee for the software that powers the sensors.
Kindly note that the property insurance increase mentioned above is different than the health insurance benefit increase that I highlighted a few months ago. As you recall, starting with the present fiscal year, all parishes in our diocese experienced a 15% increase to our health insurance benefits premiums.
Lastly, and on yet another different note, Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Toledo is taking up a collection for humanitarian relief in Gaza. Because our parish’s first second collection of the month always goes to the Mission Fund, I have decided to dedicate this weekend’s (Sept. 6-7) second collection to be donated to this cause. If you would still like to make a donation, you can drop it off at the parish office or put it in next weekend’s collection. Either way, please indicate clearly that it is for Catholic Charities. As always, you can make a donation directly to Catholic Charities at www.catholiccharitiesnwo.org.
Blessings,
Fr. Ammanniti
