Regarding the condition of St. Joseph Church, a message from Fr. Tokarski:
Our Mother of Divine Mercy Finance Council and I met with contractors to consider bids for the immediate repair of the St. Joseph steeple and we have accepted one of the proposals. The repairs, which address the safety of the steeple and prepare it for full restoration later, are expected to begin within one week and should take one month to complete. These repairs include removal of all slate; removal and preservation of all ornamental copper; repair of roof decking to ensure solid steeple surface; making steeple watertight with commercial ice/water shield material, and securing the ice/water shield against wind damage. I am very pleased that we were able to accomplish this process so quickly and with a reasonable budget.
I am delighted that St. Joseph will re-open soon and that all three beautiful churches that comprise Mother of Divine Mercy Parish will offer sacraments to our faith community. I continue to work with our parish leadership team, both the Finance Council and the Parish Pastoral Council, to explore the needs of our parish, both the physical needs of our exquisite houses of God and the spiritual needs of those who visit us. As we further develop the comprehensive plan for Mother of Divine Mercy I will share those details with you. For example, additional work will be required to return the St. Joseph steeple to its original state (which has a time factor), and I am pleased to report that a committed group is ready to raise the funding necessary from outside sources, as well as our own parish family, for this effort. I appreciate your support of our parish and especially your prayers in this Year of Mercy.
