As we move quickly toward Christmas, I am pleased to offer an update on the Kosenko Family whom we sponsored at the beginning of the war in Ukraine. In addition, I want to invite you to hear a progress report on our parish building and renovation project.
As the bombs were dropping in Ukraine, our parish family was given the opportunity to assist a family from Ukraine who was seeking respite in the U.S. The Kosenko’s have settled into Stamford and have been thriving thanks to your generosity! Andri and Maria have found gainful employment, and their daughters Varvara and Yelizaveta are doing well in school. Through some parish contacts and other helpful friends in the area, the Kosenko’s landed squarely on their feet and are providing a wonderful environment for their children. The fund that was created from your generous gifts has a balance of about $16,000, but the Kosenko’s informed us that they would like to donate the remaining funds to the Ukrainian Catholic parish in Stamford to assist them with their outreach to Ukrainian refugees, and to the Knights of Columbus Ukraine Solidarity Fund. In addition, Maria is offering the services of the car rental company that she created to parishioners in need. The Kosenko’s will pray with us at the 10:00 AM Mass this Sunday (December 8) to say thank you to us. There will be coffee and donuts following the Mass where you can say hello to Andri, Maria, and the children. Please join us!
As you can see, the parish building and renovation project is moving along nicely. We are scurrying to get all the walls and windows up before the winter so that the work indoors can proceed. It looks like the building will be finished in July of 2025. We are planning to hold religious education in the building in Fall 2025. The Saint Aloysius Catholic Preschool will open in Fall 2026, with the likelihood of the “Two’s” starting in January 2026. The building will host the preschool from morning until 2pm, religious education from 2:30 to 5:30, and parish ministries and meetings from 6pm onward. The renovations to the church should be completed by Easter with the new sound system and new restrooms at the top of the list for “what’s next.” The new Quiet Room/Brides Room is nearly complete, and adjacent to it is the new clergy vesting room and music office.
We should be proud of the $21 million plus that we have received in pledges, but we need to raise more funds to meet our goal and keep the project on schedule. I humbly ask you to pray about a gift to help us complete this transforming project! After all the Masses next weekend, please stay in the church for a 10-minute update with photos and a few words from our building team. We have made tremendous progress toward the finish line; we need EVERYONE to get it done!
Reminder that Monday is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception where we recognize that Mary, the Mother of God, was conceived without sin. See you at Mass on Monday at 7am, 9am, 12:15pm, and 5:30pm.
Advent blessings,
Welcome to the Saint Aloysius! Our parish was founded in 1896 to serve the Catholic families that were settling in the greater New Canaan area.