Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, We are midway through 2017. July 1st in Canada is Canada day a celebration of all things Canadian, July 4th is USA in- dependence day as my Canadian friends remind me. They are American but not USA, but not of the USA. All that trivia aside, July 1st is also the beginning of the Diocesan financial year. It’s the time for new budgets, the time for looking back on the year that is past, the time to say thank you for your generosity. We paid the bills, we kept the lights burning and the heat and air-conditioning running.. We paid salaries and the faith formation programs continued along with so many other projects. Thank you for your financial generosity, thank you for volunteering your time and for being present at our celebrations. Without you the parish would not be here or survive. I know some collections have not reached their target this year like CMAA, but I am also aware that you have to make choices and it is hard when your credit card, mortgage or student loan is maxed out. In all of these circumstances your generosity continues to amaze me. Later when all the accounts are finalized I will give you a more detailed account. The rectory project is moving forward one step forward half a step back but it is moving. Hopefully we will soon be able to apply for planning permits. It is a slow process but we need to get it right. Again thanks to all who continue to donate and to those who have given large amounts of time to trying to get it right. As we celebrate July 4th let’s remember, in our prayers all those who through their sacrifices for this country made it great and for all our citizens, but especially the men and women in the service who are challenged every day in keeping us safe as we go about our daily chores God Bless our country and all its citizens Fr Karl