I wish to express my sincere gratitude to those parishioners who have generously supported this campaign. We have reached and exceeded the campaign goal here at St Boniface, to reach £95,000 in money pledged over the next 5 years.

Thanks to the many families/individuals, who have helped us reach our goal.

A third of the pledged money will flow back into the parish over the next 5 years to help us pay the bills, maintain our three large buildings and improve them and build up resources for our catechetical and faith formation programmes.

Two-thirds of the pledged money will support the clergy, who have given up everything to serve Christ and the Church. We are in dire need of vocations. We will have access to the sacraments only if young men are open to God’s call to follow Christ more closely in His life of simplicity and pastoral charity.

Though He was the Son of God, throughout His public ministry on earth, Jesus had nowhere to lay His head. A small band of men and women helped Him as He helped others. Jesus told us that the harvest is rich, but the labourers are few, so we should pray to the Lord of the harvest to send labourers into His vineyard. Let’s keep up our prayer for vocations.

At the same time, we want to support those young men who have said Yes to Christ. Try to put a face to the young men now in formation. Many of us know Ambrose, who is getting close to ordination to the diaconate. Your pledged money helps young men like him, who will continue to serve Christ and the Church for the rest of their lives. These young men are giving up a business career to pursue a life of service.

We also want to pray and support the priests who are now working day in and day out in parishes, schools, universities and hospitals throughout the diocese.

Priests in active ministry work more than 40 hours a week, not only throughout the day, but often in the dead of night when they are summoned for emergencies. Theoretically, they get four weeks of holiday, but many of them do not get even that as they cannot get away easily.

Priests are there for your children and grandchildren from the day they are baptized to the day they receive their First Holy Communion and Confirmation. They are there for couples as they prepare for marriage or perhaps need support in times of crisis. They are there for the elderly, sick and housebound, bringing the consolation of the sacraments. They are there in times of celebration and joy and in times of mourning, in good days and bad days, in sickness and in health. People constantly approach the priests, asking for this and that.

Priests are constantly giving and often feel drained (much like parents who are always giving to their children). They work until they are 75, and often beyond, at the request of the diocese. They need your prayers and support.

Your pledged money is an encouragement for the priests. We all like to hear “Thank You” and “We are so grateful that you are here”. Please consider giving that sign of encouragement to your priests. Yes, “your priests”, because they are here for you. Your pledged money also helps priests who, after some fifty years of hard work in the parishes, have entered into retirement. They continue to need your support. They have no family to move into. They have no grandchildren to visit or look after. They often enter into lonely retirement. They step from a very public life into an oddly quiet, lonely life of retirement. Many of them have health issues and need lengthy treatment.

I have had the grace to visit quite a few retired priests during my constant, ongoing visits to patients in the hospital. Please consider helping these priests. And remember, they continue to pray for you, celebrating daily Mass even after retirement. Please let them know that you have their backs!

God bless you all for your amazing support and generosity!