3rd Sunday of Lent

Facility Updates - I wanted to apprise the parish of a few planned parish updates and projects.

    In the coming weeks, you will start seeing some minor repairs and improvements to the drainage & swell that goes around our sports field and playground area. We will be regrading the ditch in an effort to allow proper grade and drainage. We have a problem of water ponding right at the playground equipment. Last summer, we invested in the new playground structures, but now we have water saturated mulch and standing water much of the year. This is not entirely a new issue. All the water from the west “back” gym parking lot and much of the roof water flows first to the southeast (towards the playground) and under the primary school wing via culvert. This directs the vast majority of our surface rainwater first to the playground area. It then makes its way, via the existing infilled ditch around our sports field along the parking lot all the way back out to Daisy Lane. It is far from ideal. We are hoping to help the process. Koetter Construction will be assisting with this project.

     This past Wednesday, I had a Pre-Construction meeting with Arsee Engineers (Indianapolis) and B&L Metal Roofing Contractors (Bloomington) to prepare for two new building roofs to be installed this summer. We will be doing a complete tear-off down to the existing structural deck of the 1954 wing roof (over the cafeteria) and the 1964 wing roof (over the humanities & middle school). Both roofs have been re-roofed at least two times. The second re-roof was done over the first roof. The new ‘rubber’ roofs will have guaranteed 30-year life warrantees. The work will begin the Tuesday after Memorial Day with completion by the end of August 2026. Please be patient with the construction traffic & material storage this summer. These contracts are for a total of $568k. The funds will come from existing parish savings.

     Arsee Engineers did a roof study of all the existing parish buildings during the spring of 2024. These two roofs were flagged as the most pressing. There is evidence of water penetrating the roofs currently. While we are not experiencing much damage to the interior, they must be addressed. The study was not favorable to any of our roofs. They all need attention in the next 3-10 years, depending on which roof.

 
Holy Family is blessed by your generous past and present financial support. This makes possible such substantial and necessary facilities work without the need of a major capital campaign or special request. Please continue in your generosity, so we continue to not only build up the temple of our souls in worship of God, but maintain the various building temples where we live, learn, and have liturgy.

     We are moving into Spring. That means an increased risk of strong storms and tornadoes. If a strong storm or storm warning siren were to sound during Mass or another parish event, our evacuation storm safety locations are the interior hallways outside the cafeteria and along the humanities/middle school building. Implementing an evacuation will be facilitated by Father Gries, ushers, and other liturgical ministers designated for that Mass. Any parishioner trained is expected to assist in one of the areas. If weather and time permits, everyone on St Mary side of church (left facing altar) will exit through the doors to the left of the sanctuary outside and then back into the school through the first set of doors into the hall behind church and proceed to the refuge areas near the school office. Everyone on the St Joseph side of church (right) will exit through the cry room doors. People needing assistance go into the hall between the cry room and the cafeteria. Others will proceed left through the hall to the areas near the school office. If weather or time prohibits going outside, everyone will use the cry room lobby doors. If time or conditions do not allow an evacuation, everyone will be instructed to seek refuge between the pews and protect their heads. While I pray none of this is needed, it's good to be prepared.

Nothing Less than saints for the Holy Family of God.

Holy Family, Under the leadership of St Joseph the Carpenter, Pray for us.

~ Fr Jeremy M. Gries