My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

We enter the fourth Sunday of Advent.  In the Gospel Reading we hear how Joseph through a dream was invited to participate in our Salvation History.  Joseph is from the line of King David.  By his betrothal to Mary, the genealogical line promised to David is fulfilled.  It speaks of how God keeps his promises.  Beginning December 17, we begin the second part of Advent where we prepare for the birth of Jesus who came to us on Christmas Day.  On behalf of Fr Steve and all the staff at Mary Our Queen and St John Vianney, we would like to wish all of you a Blessed Christmas.

As I am writing this column which is due on December 10, I am still in the midst of recovering from my ankle surgery.  I am hoping that I will be able to start getting back on my feet in the near future.  Hopefully I am able to celebrate a Christmas Mass with you.

During this Advent season, I have been deeply moved by the generosity and love shown within our Mary Our Queen and St John Vianney community. The overwhelming response to our Family-to-Family Christmas outreach, reminds us what it truly means to prepare for Christ’s coming.

As we approach the end of the year, I want to express my gratitude for all you have done for our Family of Parishes. Through your faith, generosity, and service, we continue to carry out the mission entrusted to us by Christ.

Here are the current priorities within our Family of Parishes:

St. John Vianney Parish
• Continuing to pay down our parish debt, now just under $800,000
• Paying off the outstanding $300,000 loan for the church HVAC system
• Building a contingency fund to support future needs
• Growing our Parish Endowment to provide long-term stability and support

Mary Our Queen Parish
• Increasing offertory support to strengthen our mission and sustain growth in faith, service, and stewardship, which also helps provide competitive salaries and benefits for our teachers and staff
• Growing our Parish Endowment, which supports the long-term care and maintenance of our facilities
• Sustaining our Parish Educational Trust Endowment, established by Msgr. Kenny, which continues to bless our school
• Supporting the Msgr. Kenny Scholarship Fund, which provides need-based tuition assistance for parish families

Mary Our Queen was also recently awarded a matching grant of up to $200,000 through the Lavigne Foundation and the Archdiocese of Omaha. This opportunity will support important campus improvements and security upgrades, including security software, door and access-control enhancements, improved communication systems between the Parish Office and School, and the replacement of aging boilers. This grant will significantly strengthen the safety and long-term infrastructure of our parish community.

I am profoundly grateful for the support you have shown to our parishes. It is a privilege to witness your commitment to living out the Gospel together.

Blessed Christmas,

Fr Marc