End of Year Pastor’s Report

Jenny Drzewiecki • January 19, 2024

We said goodbye to the Old and welcomed the New Year with prayer and gratitude three weeks ago. I believe it is a good moment now to look back and reflect on everything that happened in our parish community in the past year. I am convinced that 2023 was a good year for us at St. Martin of Tours. We must say “thank you” to God and to you dear parishioners for making it a successful and rewarding year. We had great plans and expectations, however not everything was possible to complete and achieve. At the end of the year, we are satisfied and grateful to God for the progress and growth.

I wanted to keep you informed with some numbers, new ministries, and explain our victories and challenges we encountered during the past year from my own perspective.

New Members and Ministries

First of all, I wanted to express my gratitude to the parish Staff, members of the Councils, many volunteers and those who minister in our community for their hard work, advice and willingness to serve at St. Martin of Tours. We have new trustees and a few new members on the Councils. Also, we gained two Staff members, Jenny Drzewiecki and Bro. Andy Gancarczyk. Both brought a lot of quality and substantial changes in our administrative work. I hope you noticed some improvement in communication, media ministry, and coordination of various ministries the last few months. Because of them we were able to begin a few new ministries like Family and Youth. Next steps are to strengthen these ministries and find even more ways to reach our young families and youth. We want to listen to them and build a future vision together. These are our priorities for this year.

Our stewardship and hospitality committees have grown and worked very hard by inviting and welcoming new members to our parish community resulting in growing new members and making every effort to be a welcoming church to the entire Franklin area. I learned a few days ago our Food Pantry was able to reach out and help many more people this year.

We are proud of this ministry.

Our first purpose as a religious community is to pray and worship. We had a meaningful and beautiful celebration of Easter, our patron feast St. Martin of Tours and Christmas. I was encouraged by your involvement, help and large participation. I am glad we have more opportunities and occasions to pray and organize social gatherings at St. Martin of Tours. We are committed to continuing these events and celebrations that strengthen us as one community of brothers and sisters in Christ. The social gatherings, hospitality, food and fellowship encourage people to come to church and join our religious community.

I also believe the Vietnamese community feels more at home at St. Martin of Tours and is growing in numbers. We will continue to make an effort to bring both our communities (Vietnamese and English) closer to each other in prayer and worship as well as social events with respect of course to our cultural difference.

The Vision Mission and Our Strategic Plan

I am glad we completed the Vision and Mission statement the end of the past year. This statement will enable us to create a 5-year strategic plan and will lead us in setting goals for our parish. We want to be a vibrant and growing community, listen to each other and reach those in need in the parish as well as in the larger community.

I am grateful to the Building committee for their discernment to maintain and keep in use the school buildings for at least the next five years. This decision gives us hope and possibility to welcome various groups and ministries to our large facilities. We are blessed to have enough space to function and welcome others. If we are serious about growing, we need the school building and space to welcome new ideas, ministries and groups. The 5-year strategic plan must include all of these.

Helpful Numbers

At this moment we are a community of 913 active families (2260 members). We welcomed 31 new families who joined our parish in 2023. We lost 29 of our members who died and 33 families who left or moved away. Sacraments in 2023 were: 24 baptisms (including two adults); 23 children received First Communion and 22 first reconciliation. We had just one sacrament of marriage. We provided catechism classes to 85 elementary children in the English and Vietnamese communities, and 24 in high school. We welcomed Catholic Schoolhouse group with 77 children that use our facilities weekly. In short, we are alive and there are signs of growth. I am grateful to Diane Winkowski for providing this information for us.

Difficulties and Challenges

Not everything was good and some of our initiatives and plans were not completed. Our community is getting older. Thus, inviting and welcoming young families and youth will be always a challenge. It is necessary to keep growing not just in number but also in spirituality. Another challenging mission is to find and train new volunteers to continue our long traditions, ministries and activities. Since we cannot reopen the school in the near future the maintenance of our buildings will be always a burden and matter of discernment. These are challenges we have to face but there are many other reasons to be satisfied and grateful to God as we are entering the New Year 2024.

Our Achievements and Victories

The Love One Another campaign was very successful. We were able to surpass the expectation assigned to us. We collected 105% of our goal and over 30% of our families took part in this campaign. It is a great result. We will receive over $660,000 over five years to invest/improve our facilities and upgrade technology in the parish office, school, and church. Thank you for your generosity.

We are stable financially and we are not carrying a debt. Contrary, the collections were larger in the past year but various fundraising activities gave us additional income which is being managed by our Investment committee. There are many needs and plenty of upkeep developments we have to encounter within the next five years, but I believe we are doing well. We are expecting the annual finance report with many details soon. I am grateful to our Finance Council and Investment committee for being good stewards of our money and for their professional work.

We were able to accomplish a few maintenance projects in 2023, which you probably noticed: Columbarium in the cemetery ($98,251); repair of the school roof ($25,000); replacement of the school doors ($10,700); landscaping around the church and office building ($3,000); playground for children ($15,000); patching asphalt on the road behind the school and parking lot near the cemetery ($18,540); replacement of bathroom stalls ($6,070); tuck-point work in a few places on our buildings ($4,630). We also began replacement of the heating and cooling units on the church and gym buildings. The five new units will cost us $137,180 and hopefully will last more than twenty years. Additionally, we must upgrade the internet and technology at the office, school, and church ($32,000). Both of the latter projects will be paid with money from Love One Another Campaign. Another major project we have to undertake this coming year is the road between the school and cemetery. We have many leaks in the kitchen and parish hall, and we have to fix the problem and improve the road as soon as weather permits. (Thank you to Denise Groniger for providing these numbers for us).

Thus, I am confident, this year will be another busy and successful year. I believe we will continue to grow in number but also in spirit. We will become an even more vibrant and growing community reaching out to those in need in the parish and larger community.

Lastly, thank you for your prayers and support. I appreciate your comments and encouraging words but also your suggestions for improvements. Please do not hesitate to give me your feedback and thoughts not just about this report but also about our parish life. Our effort as parish Staff and administration makes only sense with your willingness to collaborate and your care. I am blessed and proud to be your pastor.

Fr. Andrzej

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Love Made Visible

By Jennifer Moscatello • October 15, 2026

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The Sacred and the Ordinary

By Jennifer Moscatello • October 12, 2026

Today’s Gospel presents a challenging question and a profound answer. When asked, “Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?” Jesus responds, “Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.” His words invite us to reflect on the relationship between the sacred and the ordinary in our daily lives. The sacred refers to what we set apart for God: prayer, the Eucharist, our churches, and the holy times we dedicate to the Lord. The ordinary includes our daily work, family responsibilities, relationships, and the many activities that fill our days. Both dimensions are important, and we need to respect and appreciate each of them. We need the sacred to remind us of who we are and how precious we are in God's eyes. We need time for prayer, Sunday Mass, and rest. We need sacred places where we can encounter God, find peace, and renew our faith. These moments help us step away from our busy routines and remember that life is about more than work, responsibilities, and achievements. We belong to God, and our dignity comes from him. At the same time, we must not overlook the ordinary things of life. Our work, family life, friendships, and service to others are also gifts from God. When we approach them with love, honesty, and a spirit of service, even ordinary activities become opportunities to live our faith. We do not encounter God only in church or during prayer. We can also meet God in the people we love and serve. The challenge is to maintain a healthy balance between these two dimensions. Sometimes our responsibilities become so demanding that we have little time for prayer or spiritual renewal. We may become so busy doing things for God and others that we forget to spend time with God. At other times, we may separate our religious practices from the way we live and treat others. Jesus invites us to bring these dimensions together. We need time dedicated to God, and we need to let our relationship with God shape everything else we do. Sunday should be more than another busy day. It should be a time for worship, rest, family, and renewal. Our prayer should lead us to greater kindness, our worship to deeper love, and our faith to more generous service. As we reflect on Jesus' words, let us ask ourselves: Do I give God the time and attention He deserves? Do my daily activities reflect my faith and Christian values? May we learn to respect the sacred, appreciate the ordinary, and recognize God's presence in both. Above all, may we remember that our whole life belongs to God. Everything we do can become an offering to Him when we live with faith, gratitude, and love. Fr. Andrzej

Come to the Banquet!

By Jennifer Moscatello • October 5, 2026

Last Sunday, Jesus spoke to us about the vineyard and the landowner. The vineyard can be seen as a beautiful image of all creation. God, the loving Landowner, created everything in balance and harmony. But this harmony was wounded by original sin. Since then, God has never stopped working to restore what was broken. He patiently calls us back to Himself and invites us to share in His work of restoring harmony in our hearts, our relationships, and our world. Those who accept His invitation are welcomed into His vineyard. Today, Jesus gives us another image: a wedding banquet. This banquet represents the heavenly banquet God has prepared for all His children. God wants everyone to share in His joy and life. His invitation is generous and freely given, but we must accept it. The Eucharist is a beautiful glimpse of this heavenly banquet. Every time we celebrate Holy Mass, Jesus Himself invites us to His table. In the Eucharist, we receive His Body and Blood and are united with Him and with one another. It is no wonder that heaven has often been described in Christian art and by spiritual writers as the eternal Eucharistic banquet. But the Gospel also reminds us about the wedding garment. At Baptism, each of us received a white garment as a sign of our new life in Christ. This garment reminds us of the grace of Baptism and the harmony God desires in our hearts. We are called to keep that garment bright by living in God's grace, turning away from sin, forgiving others, praying, and loving our neighbor. The Lord continues to invite us: “Come to the banquet!” Let us not ignore His invitation or postpone our response. Let us open our hearts to His grace and allow Him to restore the harmony He desires for us. We are especially blessed at St. Martin of Tours Parish to have Holy Mass celebrated every day in our church. Let us take advantage of this beautiful gift whenever we can. Each celebration of the Eucharist gives us a glimpse of the heavenly banquet and reminds us that we are made for eternal life with God. You will notice that this bulletin has additional pages. We want to invite and encourage everyone to join our upcoming Fall Harvest Fest in November, when we will celebrate our patron, St. Martin of Tours. During this celebration, we will also bless the completed stained-glass window project, which beautifully reflects the life of St. Martin and the works of mercy. Additionally, I also want to express my sincere gratitude to Paul Rotzenberg, Chair of our Finance Council, for preparing the Report on Financial Results for Fiscal Year 2025–26, published in this edition of the bulletin. I am grateful not only for this report but also for Paul's faithful service and for his commitment to being a good steward of the resources entrusted to our parish. May St. Martin intercede for us and help us faithfully accept the Lord's invitation, so that one day we may share fully in the eternal banquet prepared for us in heaven. Fr. Andrzej

St. Faustina: A Servant Who Said “Yes”

By Jennifer Moscatello • September 24, 2026

Next weekend, our parish community will joyfully welcome a precious gift: a first-class relic ex ossibus – a small portion of the bone – of St. Faustina Kowalska, the Apostle of Divine Mercy. This relic was given to our parish by the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Kraków, Poland, where St. Faustina lived, prayed, and received the revelations that helped spread the message of Divine Mercy throughout the world. We welcome this relic with gratitude, dignity, and reverence. The Church honors the relics of the saints because their lives point us to Jesus Christ. St. Faustina does not draw our attention to herself. She continually leads us to the merciful heart of Jesus. The Gospel for the 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time gives us a beautiful way to understand St. Faustina’s life. Jesus tells us about a father who asks his two sons to work in his vineyard. One says no at first, but later changes his mind and goes. The other says yes, but does not follow through. Jesus reminds us that what matters is not simply what we say, but whether we listen to God and put His will into action. In a beautiful way, St. Faustina was like the son who heard the call of his master and responded with his life. Jesus called her to a particular mission: to proclaim His mercy to the world. She listened, trusted, and said yes. Even when the path was difficult, she remained faithful to the mission entrusted to her. Through her prayer, suffering, writings, and witness, she helped bring the message of Divine Mercy to countless people. Her life reminds us that God also calls each of us to work in His vineyard. We may not receive the same mission as St. Faustina, but we are all called to listen and respond. It is not enough to speak about God's mercy. We are called to receive it and share it with others through forgiveness, compassion, kindness, and care for those who are suffering or forgotten. During every Mass next weekend, we will have a special dedication and prayer as we welcome the relic. I warmly invite you to join us and, through the intercession of St. Faustina, entrust yourself, your family, and our parish community to Divine Mercy. Beginning this month, we will also pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy during Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament on the first Saturday of each month at 3:00 pm, during Confessions. I encourage you to make this time of prayer part of your spiritual life. May St. Faustina's example inspire us to listen when the Lord calls, to say “yes” not only with our words but with our lives, and to faithfully fulfill the mission He entrusts to us. St. Faustina, Apostle of Divine Mercy, pray for us! Jesus, I trust in You! Fr. Andrzej

“Called to the Vineyard: The Witness of Blessed Fulton J. Sheen”

By Jennifer Moscatello • September 14, 2026

On September 24, 2026, the Catholic Church in the United States will celebrate the beatification of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, a beloved priest, bishop, teacher, author, and evangelist. His life reminds us that holiness is possible in every time and place – and that our gifts are meant to bring others closer to Christ. Born in Illinois in 1895, Archbishop Sheen became one of the best-known Catholic communicators of the twentieth century. Through radio, television, books, and preaching, he shared the Catholic faith with millions of people. His programs, especially “The Catholic Hour and Life Is Worth Living,” made the Gospel accessible to ordinary people. Yet behind his public ministry was a deeply spiritual man who loved Jesus Christ, the Eucharist, the Blessed Mother, and the Church. His beatification is a significant moment for the Church in the United States. The cause for his canonization was opened in 2002, and Pope Benedict XVI declared him Venerable in 2012. In 2019, Pope Francis approved a miracle attributed to his intercession. The beatification, which is the last step before his canonization, will take place in St. Louis, Missouri. What can life of Archbishop Sheen teach us about our own faith? Sheen teaches us first to put Christ at the center of our lives. His education, preaching, writing, and broadcasting were all directed toward one purpose: helping people know Jesus Christ. He also reminds us that we are all called to share the Gospel. We may never preach to thousands of people, but we can witness to Christ through our kindness, patience, generosity, forgiveness, service, and love. Finally, Sheen shows us that our work must flow from prayer and a personal relationship with God. Our ministry becomes fruitful when it begins with the Lord. Today’s Gospel (Matthew 20:1-16a) gives us a beautiful way to understand his life. Jesus tells us about a landowner who repeatedly goes out to invite workers into his vineyard. The landowner is an image of our generous God, who never stops calling us. It is never too late to come to God or to return to Him. Archbishop Sheen used his gifts – his intelligence, voice, writing, and ability to communicate – to invite people into God’s vineyard. His beatification invites each of us to ask: Where is God calling me to serve? Whom is He asking me to invite? God continues to go out looking for us. His invitation is always open. Whether we respond early or late, God welcomes us with generous love. May Blessed Fulton J. Sheen teach us to recognize God’s invitation, respond generously, and use our gifts to bring others to Christ. It is never too late to say “yes” to God. Blessed Fulton J. Sheen, pray for us! Fr. Andrzej

A Community That Cares

By Jennifer Moscatello • September 3, 2026

As I reflect on our parish community at St. Martin of Tours, I am filled with gratitude. Thank you for the warmth, kindness, and hospitality you show to me, to one another, and to all who come through our doors. Our parish is truly a community where we gather to worship, celebrate, serve, and share life together. I am grateful for each of you and for the many ways you help make St. Martin of Tours a welcoming home. Today’s Gospel reminds us of an important part of Christian community: caring for one another. Jesus teaches us that our love for one another includes helping each other grow in faith and remain close to God. This kind of care calls us to be attentive to one another and to respond with patience, kindness, and compassion. Sometimes caring means offering a word of encouragement to someone who is struggling. Sometimes it means listening, being present, or simply reminding someone that they are not alone. At times, love may also invite us to speak honestly and gently when we believe something could help another person grow. Whatever form it takes, Christian care should always come from love and respect. It is not about judging or proving someone wrong, but about seeking what is good for one another. The prophet Ezekiel reminds us that we have a responsibility toward one another. Our faith is not something we live alone. We belong to one another as members of the Body of Christ. We are called to encourage one another, support one another, pray for one another, and help one another remain faithful to the Gospel. A good Christian community is more than a place where we gather to celebrate. It is a place where people know they are welcomed, valued, and cared for. It is a community where we rejoice together, accompany one another through difficult moments, and encourage one another to become better disciples of Jesus. Every act of kindness, every word of encouragement, every prayer, and every helping hand strengthens the life of our parish. I believe we are blessed with a good and caring community at St. Martin of Tours. Let us continue to appreciate the gift of one another and look for simple ways to serve and support each other. May our welcome, hospitality, generosity, encouragement, and concern for one another help us grow in holiness and make our parish an ever more joyful reflection of Christ’s love. As we celebrate St. Martin’s Fair in our town, I wish all of you a joyful, meaningful, and safe Fair and Labor Day weekend. May these days of celebration and fellowship strengthen the bonds we share and remind us of the many blessings God has given us. Fr. Andrzej