September 5-6, 2026
Dear parishioners,
You may have noticed by now that our “Pray for Vocations” signs are not in front of our churches any more. The reason for this is that the signs at all three of our locations turned up damaged around the same time. While it is possible that this was caused by the storms that blew through a few weeks ago, it would seem that they were vandalized. My rationale for saying this is that all three were damaged in the same spot: exactly on the image of the priest and religious sister. On each of the three signs, a hole was punched through only on that particular spot. I am currently working on obtaining 3 more of these signs to replace the old ones. To my knowledge, the frames are still good; it’s simply a matter of obtaining the signs and fitting them into the frames. To that end, if anyone knows where the frame is for the sign at our Payne church, please let us know at the parish office. Please offer some prayers for those who did this- for their conversion of heart, and for whatever graces are needed to overcome their hatred of the Catholic Church!
On a somewhat related note, we are in the process of installing security cameras at the Paulding church and at the parish offices. In addition to the vandalism mentioned above, I have personally caught some young people who were about to do… something… mischievous to our church at night. These cameras will help to keep this campus safe and our property protected. This project should be completed in the coming weeks; I will update you when this has been completed. The total cost for the camera system and installation is $22,300. The funds for this will come from the Building and Maintenance Fund and otherwise from any donations that we receive specifically for this project.
Another project that we will be tackling in the coming weeks is the lighting at the Paulding Ed Center. We will be converting the current florescent light bulbs over to single-panel LED lights. This will take place throughout the whole building, including the offices and classrooms. Additionally, we will be replacing the light fixtures in the larger restrooms at the back end of the building. All of these new lights will not only be brighter and more cost-efficient; they will also perform much better in the humidity that we often face in the hotter days of the year. Currently, the humidity prevents many of the lights from turning on, so this will be a welcome change! The total cost for this project is $16,000. As with the project mentioned above, the funds for this project will be taken from the Building and Maintenance Fund, as well as from any donations that come in specifically for this project.
Blessings,
Fr. Ammanniti
