I’m sure very few of us had imagined that our most difficult days in terms of the highest number of COVID-19 cases here in Guernsey County would be here in October! So, in a way, here we go again emphasizing the mentality that seems to have been key to keeping us safe last spring and over the summer! Let us continue to practice ever more carefully our various good hygiene protocols. We’ll be staying fully supplied with the sanitizing wipes, with hand sanitizing solution, with extra masks on hand and with a full supply from the Diocese of the “hypo-chloric” solution for our electro-static sprayers to keep our buildings and meeting spaces clean.
We have two key announcements this weekend for things happening both during this upcoming week and next weekend.
First of all, you might remember that in 2014 our local Knights of Columbus Council #1641 conducted a fundraising drive to furnish our local Open Arms Pregnancy Center with an ultrasound machine. Thanks to a matching grant from the K of C Supreme Council, the cost that our Council had to raise was $17,000. The Council developed a plan for this fundraiser to extend over several months and with asking progressively broader groups of people and other organizations to contribute. To everyone’s amazement much more than $17,000 was raised in only three weeks simply from Christ Our Light parishioners!
We would like to announce another similar fundraiser, which has already begun with additional amazing first steps. The OAPC needs two new ultrasound machines. One of the machines is for a new mobile bus/van unit that can go out to locations throughout Guernsey County as well as into Noble County and western Belmont County where access to a pro-life pregnancy center is more difficult. The second ultrasound machine is to replace the one from 2014 for which the technology has advanced significantly, and which is wearing out from usage (helping to save unborn lives!).
One of our local Knights has connected us with a foundation from the state of Washington that has funds to match our local council’s portion for the two new machines. The K of C Supreme Council is continuing to match half of the overall cost of the machines. And, both the K of C councils in Barnesville & Noble County and the parishes of Noble County have already pledged to contribute toward the purchase of the mobile unit machine. Therefore, for $13,000 ($6,500 for each machine) we can purchase two ultrasound machines and the surrounding councils and parishes have already contributed $2,000 toward the mobile unit, with their second collection pending. Depending upon how much the Noble County parishes’ second collection provides, we will have most likely less than $10,000 to raise for two new ultrasound machines.
Next weekend (October 24th & 25th) you will see envelopes in the pews labeled for this ultrasound machines second collection. Checks could be written to “Knights of Columbus Council #1641” with a note on the memo line of “ultrasound machines.” The donations could then be placed in the collection boxes at either the front or the back of St. Benedict Church or in the entrance of Sts. Peter & Paul in Lore City. You could also mail a donation directly to our parish offices with checks addressed in the same way. Thank you very much for participating in this!
The second announcement is for concluding the Diocese’s 75th Anniversary observances. On October 21, 1944, Pope Pius XII established the Diocese of Steubenville. Therefore, last year Bishop Jeffrey Monforton celebrated opening Masses to begin this year-long celebration. Our Bishop will be offering three Masses to conclude this 75th Anniversary observance. They will be this upcoming week at St. Joseph Church, Ironton, on Thursday, October 22nd at 6:00 p.m., at the Basilica of St. Mary of the Assumption in Marietta on Friday, October 23rd at 6:00 p.m., and at Holy Family Church in Steubenville on Saturday October 24th at 8:30 a.m. Plenary indulgences are available. For more information, visit www. diosteub.org/75th-anniversary-Masses.
May the Lord continue to bless us with joy and peace as disciples of Jesus and to help us always to be ready for the gift of eternal life!