We exist to witness God's love so that all can share in His joy.
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08/27/2023 Father Owen's Weekly Message
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“We exist to witness God’s love so that all can share in His joy.”
Dear Parishioner,
You may have noticed workmen on the roof of our facility and thanks to Joe Perno’s efforts an energy audit was performed by M&M Electric to identify areas within our facility that might qualify for energy efficiency improvements. Their review identified utility rebates and incentives available to St. Luke to offset the cost of the upgrades and to reduce energy related expenses. It also identified 4 HVAC units on our rooftop, the largest being 15 tons, to be replaced with higher efficiency units and savings from installing LED flat panels in the CCD classrooms. The cost and savings are shown below:
Total cost of the project is $155,531
Rebate covered by JCPL is 76% $117,434
Remaining cost to St Luke $ 38,096 (financed over 60 months)
The monthly finance cost to St. Luke is $634. The estimated monthly energy savings with the new units installed and the LED panels is $400, giving us a net cost of $230. Thanks to Jodi Galloway for working on all the numbers for us.
As I write this article, we hold in prayer the considerably more than 100 people who have now died in Maui. It is hard to imagine the pain that the bereaved families are feeling. It helps us to remember that Hawaii seems like a paradise but no place in the world is a paradise except heaven. Let us continue to pray for all those who have died and support the many who have lost homes and jobs. We support them with our prayers and charitable giving. When Fr. Alex and I were at Maui at the end of COVID, we visited the beautiful church of Maria Lanakila Catholic Church built in the 1800as a beacon of Christ’s presence in the area. This beautiful old church was not damaged in any way and the church continues to serve the community sacramentally and socially. This awful weather event in Hawaii reminds us that our lives are unpredictable. Weather events, financial events, wars all impact negatively the many peoples of the world. Whether in joy or in sorrow, the Lord God is there to support us and for those who are Catholic, to grace us with the sacraments which make the unbearable bearable and the joyful ever more beautiful. As we walk around our beautiful homes, let us say a prayer of thanks to God to live in a beautiful and safe environment and how fortunate we are to enjoy good schools and a beloved church community. Each day, say a prayer for the people of Maui for courage and strength that only God can give.
During the last couple of weeks, many of our young people have begun a new life in college. This is an exciting time for them, but also new beginnings can be a little fearful. Many of our parents are now encountering the “empty nest” syndrome. When you feel sad, remember the gift you have given your child and the lessons you have taught them that they will use in college and continue for the rest of their lives. Let us hold in prayer all our new college students, our returning students, and their parents as we continue to empower our young people to build a foundation that will gift the world with their intellect and skill.
Fr. Owen