FROM THE PASTOR'S DESK……  November 9, 2003

Dear Fellow Parishioners,
Have you looked at the thermometer outside our Mission Church lately?  It's on the rise again!  Before you think I must be seeing things upside down what with our cold weather lately, let me inform you that I'm talking about our Parish Building Fund Drive Thermometer near the side entrance of the church, not the weather gage!  Our thermometer tells us that we are two-thirds of the way to meeting our ultimate goal of $800,000.00.  Today we celebrate the Feast of the Dedication of the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome --- the Pope's Church.  Every church, of course, is special, because it is the House of God.  Our celebration today provides a perfect background for talking a little bit about our church ---Mission San Miguel.

I would like to give you an update on what is going on with two major projects:  The MISSION RESTORATION PROJECT and the PARISH HALL BUILDING FUND DRIVE.  First, the MISSION RESTORATION PROJECT.  As you may have heard by now, the House of Representatives passed a bill providing over ten million dollars for the restoration of the California Missions.  The bill has now gone to the Senate for a vote.  The use of these funds requires matching funds from the State of California and local private sources of funding.  We have initiated a meeting with people who work for our Congressman, Mr. Bill Thomas, to get help from him.  Also, the Bishop of Monterey, the Most Reverend Sylvester D. Ryan, D.D., has called for a meeting on Thursday, November 13th, at Mission Carmel to strategize on how to appropriate these funds.  Our Mission Curator, Karen Fontanetta, has been hard at work on this project.  It is estimated that the total retrofit of the Mission Church will cost between 15 and 22 million dollars.

As regards the PARISH HALL BUILDING DRIVE, we were able to raise $180,000.00 from the sale of the Vineyard Canyon Road Property which gave a much needed boost to our fund raising!  I had a luncheon meeting with Mr. Joe Battaglia, who was involved with the project.  I have an appointment with Mr. David Weyrich on November 11th to see about the architectural drawings that he and our former pastor, Fr. Larry Gosselin, OFM, were going to have drawn up and on display last summer.  I hope to be able to meet shortly before Thanksgiving with these and other key people to move forward with the project.  As always, I count on your prayerful support and am so very grateful for all those who continue to so generously donate towards our PARISH BUILDING FUND.  You all are an inspiration, and may God richly reward you!

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Raymond J. Tintle, OFM
Pastor