Paycheck Protection Program and Donations

My Dear Parishioners,

We received the good news last week that St. Joseph Church, and St. Joseph / St. Robert School were both approved for the PPP Paycheck Protection Program to assist us in meeting our payroll and utilities costs for some of the time we are away from regular operations because of the coronavirus.  This is a great help and an answer to our prayers.  I will give more details when they are available.  While this is a tremendous assistance, I want to remind you that it in no way can make up for the regular support of our parish family.  I am so grateful to you who have been sending in your donations either by mail, dropping them in the lock box in the back hallway of the church (by the crucifix), through the secure mail slot in the rectory door, or by making online donations.

Aware of the tremendous need throughout the Archdiocese, Archbishop Perez wrote to us pastors;

As a former pastor, I understand the challenges you are facing in the course of your daily work are daunting and unprecedented right now. I’m also keenly aware of the pandemic’s impact on parish finances.

Without public Mass, there have been no offertory collections for several weeks. While I have tasked Archdiocesan administrators and offices to do everything within their power to assist you, resources, especially financial ones, are very limited at the Archdiocesan level.

Recently, we partnered with The Catholic Foundation of Greater Philadelphia (CFGP) to establish the Parish Support Initiative. Its purpose is to help parish communities maintain sustainable giving levels throughout the pandemic.

The Parish Support Initiative does not replace online giving that may already be in place at your parish. Rather, it represents an additional way for individuals to contribute to the parish of their choosing. By visiting http://www.supportmyparish.org/ individuals can make a one-time contribution or set up a recurring gift so that the parish of their choice receives a steady stream of operating revenue.

I’ve been sharing information about this program every week during the streaming broadcasts of Sunday Mass from the Cathedral. I highly encourage you to promote this initiative and/or your current online giving platforms broadly and often within your parish communities. In the current atmosphere, online giving is more important than ever to parish viability and sustainability.

At St. Joseph, you can contribute online by going to our parish website, www.saintjosephchurch.us and clicking on the “online giving” button.  Once you set up an account you will have the option to make a recurring gift, or a one-time gift.  If you are already established as a weekly or monthly contributor, you still have the option of making a one-time donation in addition.

Finally I want to thank the Bargerhuff family for beautifying our campus.  Dad, Mom, and Ben, Jacob, Nathan and Morgan worked on the flower bed outside our rectory.  It was an effort to keep our school children connected with their parish and their priests, during this coronavirus.

God Bless You!
Fr. Bordonaro