Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
Holy Day of Obligation on December 8. Click here for Mass schedule.
November 9, 2025
Published November 6, 2025
My dear Kirkland Catholics,
This message is directed to all of you who make a stewardship pledge at Holy Family. All who mainly give at St. John Vianney can skip this one, if so desired.
The final weekend of October I made a strong stewardship of treasure pitch at the end of Mass explaining the past seven years giving at HFK, and explained why I was making a bigger push this year than normal. I want to quickly review the rationale and reiterate to catch folks who maybe did not attend Mass here that weekend or who need to hear it again.
Collections – which is to say parishioners’ donations electronically, in the Sunday basket or by mail - is the totality of how to measure operational health of a parish. In 2019 our collections were $2.9M. When COVID hit, some families moved away, and our collections dropped to $2.7M. Noticeable hit, but still healthy for a parish our size. What is troubling, however, is that over the past five years our collections have been dead flat. Fiscal Year 2024-2025 (we are on a July to June cycle) collections were also $2.7M. Using the government’s calculator of inflation since 2019 indicates that (because everything is so much more expensive now than in 2020) on a relative basis our collections are inflation-adjusted 28% lower than 2019.
We don’t need to make that up in one year, but I am asking us to make a push for a 10% boost in collections for calendar year 2025. About $250,000 in more revenue on an annual basis would allow us to hire for positions that I believe are needed for our parish and parish family to carry out the mission the Lord has given us (in areas of adult faith formation, evangelization and small-groups) and to more fairly compensate current employees. I believe that 10% is possible for HFK, because the other parish in our parish family, SJV, was up over 10% last year in collections versus the previous year.
- If you are already sacrificially giving at your responsible max, I am not asking you to give more.
- If you have never calculated the percentage of your income you give, I ask you to simply calculate that, pray about it, and consider making a step.
- If you have not updated the amount you give since you began online giving and are able to do more, I ask that you log in (enter your email and hit “reset my password” if you don’t remember your log in) or call or email Pam Carbonetti at the parish office to assist you.
- If you are a newer parishioner, I’d ask that you not wait to begin making your tithe to your parish a budgeted priority.
We have an awesome parish, and I am so grateful to be your pastor. Let’s continue being awesome and even more fully fulfill the mission God has entrusted us with. When we are “bought in” and truly contributing, we get a share of the credit of the soul-saving and important ministry happening at the parish – treasure in heaven for us personally.
With love in Christ, Fr. Brad