We have now been together for four months, and I wanted to take this opportunity to share an update on our Family of Parishes. It’s hard to believe how quickly the time has passed, but these months have been filled with much growth and grace.
Each October, every parish in the Archdiocese is required to submit a report of their Mass attendance for the month. I am very pleased with where we stand for our October count and with our overall attendance. Across our Family of Parishes, we have been recording attendance at all of our Masses and have seen steady growth, resulting in fuller churches, at or near capacity. I want to emphasize that all of our parishes are doing very well. Each one has been consistent in attendance and has even experienced gradual growth, which is a wonderful sign.
In Adams County, we welcomed Tim Palla as our new business manager for Holy Trinity and St. Mary, Queen of Heaven, as well as Ray Fox for maintenance at Holy Trinity. It has been a pleasure having both Tim and Ray join our team.
I am also very excited to share that we have twelve adults in OCIA who will be received into the Church at the Easter Vigil. This is a tremendous gift for our Family of Parishes, and it is a privilege to accompany these men and women on their journey of faith. Please keep them in your prayers as they continue their preparation.
For our students, PSR is well underway, and Confirmation preparation has begun in some parishes and will begin in January for the others. We will have a Confirmation Mass for our Family of Parishes in the fall of 2026. Once a date is confirmed, I will pass that information along to you.
It has been wonderful to see a growing sense of fellowship and community among parishioners in each of our parishes. Our coffee and donuts gatherings, parish breakfasts, and carry-in luncheons have been joyful opportunities to get to know one another better.
Congratulations to our Knights of Columbus in Adams County for celebrating their 10th anniversary this month! This is a significant milestone, and I look forward to celebrating with them later this month with Mass and a chili cook-off.
While there is much to celebrate, I do want to take a moment to address a few concerns that have been brought to my attention. As I mentioned earlier, all of our parishes have seen consistent attendance and steady growth. Each one is a vibrant, faith-filled community, and it is not my intention, now or in the future, to close any of our parishes. We have a strong and thriving Family of Parishes that continues to grow stronger.
I have also been asked whether we will be combining our PSR and religious education programs into one. We are not combining them. Each parish will continue to offer its own PSR and religious education programs as they are now. Our evangelization team is working collaboratively to strengthen and build upon the excellent programs already in place, and I am confident that our opportunities for faith formation will continue to flourish.
I am truly grateful to be part of Our Lady of the Hills, and I deeply appreciate your continued kindness and support. As we quickly approach the holiday season, I pray that each of you finds peace and consolation in knowing that our parishes remain places of healing, hope, and grace.
You are in my prayers every day. If there is anything I can do for you, please do not hesitate to reach out. It has been a joy and an honor to serve and get to know you, and I look forward with hope and excitement to the graces the Lord has in store for us in the days ahead.
Sincerely,
Fr. Scott Morgan
