At our last Financial Stewardship Commission meeting, we discussed the situation in the current fiscal year (ending June 30). We are on track to be approximately $150,000 in the red. The two factors influencing this number are pandemic-related decreases in collections and a significant uptick in facilities costs due to deferred maintenance and associated projects that have risen to the level of life-safety issues.

The commission meets again next week and will be discussing strategies to address our financial situation.

At our staff meeting this past Monday, we received an update on how many people had moved their electronic giving from Give Central to PushPay. Of the 79 people in our parish that need to do so, only 8 have thus far.

Now is the time to make the switch. PushPay is more secure, easier to use, and costs the parish less in fees. It only takes 5 minutes to switch.

If you are currently giving through Give Central, I'd ask you to take the following steps by May 20:

1) First, click here to establish reoccurring giving in PushPay.

2) Login to your Give Central account by clicking here to cancel your reoccurring donation.

I am pleased to say that Fr. John is starting our altar server program. At the beginning, we are looking for young people in 4th-7th grades to serve our community in this important way. If your child is interested, please pick up an application at the Welcome Desk before or after Mass.

A couple of months ago, I told you that we have a significant problem involving a lack of parishioner involvement in our ministries. That situation hasn't changed. We are in considerable need of individuals to assist as: Wedding coordinators, ministers of care, bereavement ministers, Eucharistic ministers, greeters, and much more.

One of the ways that we discern what the Lord is asking us to set aside is if we do not have the resources needed to maintain a ministry. The two most important resources are people and finances. To prevent us from having to make drastic changes to what we can do for our community, the staff has done their best to step in and cover areas that are normally served by parishioners. But that is not sustainable and we are quickly reaching a point where difficult decisions will need to be made.

If you are interested in learning more about or assisting in one of the above areas - or somewhere else - please reach out to me directly at frmatt@olransom.org.

From our seminarian Jake:

I’m about to transition from seminarian Jake to deacon Jake! This upcoming Saturday, May 21^st at 10am in St. Andrews Cathedral in Grand Rapids, Michigan, I will be ordained a deacon of the Catholic Church. Everyone is welcome to come and you are also invited to join me the following day as I assist and preach during my first full Mass as a deacon. This will take place at 11 a.m. at my home parish of St. Joseph’s in Wright. 

As a transitional deacon, I will be preparing to be ordained to the priesthood next June. Once school begins in the fall, I will return as a deacon to Our Lady of Ransom. I am very excited for this major step in my life, and it would be wonderful if you could join for these joyful and solemn events! No RSVP is necessary, but seating during ordinations is often tight, so I recommend arriving 20 minutes early. Thank you all for your prayers and support!

Please remember, we cannot receive food or supplies dropped off unattended at the Ministry Center. Due to safety concerns, any food or items left unattended at the Ministry Center are disposed of. Please bring food donations to our Ransom Responds pantry on Saturdays from 12-2p.