AN INCREASED OFFERTORY PROGRAM FOR OUR PARISH

SEPTEMBER 27/28, 2025 IS COMMITMENT WEEKEND! This coming weekend is “Commitment Weekend” for all parishioners of Saint Peter Parish. We are grateful to several of our families who have already responded generously to the Increased Offertory Program. All families are asked to return a completed Commitment Form this weekend by placing it in the offertory collection basket. Your new commitment should begin next week. Your offertory commitment form was included with the brochure you received in the mail. Please complete that form and return it next week in the collection basket or drop it off at the Parish Office. It can also be returned by mail. Please Return Your Commitment Form As Soon As Possible. Saint Peter Parish Increased Offertory Program Please check the box which indicates the offertory level you plan to contribute over the next year. Envelope Number: (if unknown, leave blank) Name: Address: City/State/Zip: Email: Phone:  $150 per week $7,500 Annually  $125 per week $6,250 Annually  $100 per week $5,000 Annually  $75 per week $3,750 Annually  $50 per week $2,500 Annually  $40 per week $2,000 Annually  $30 per week $1,500 Annually  $25 per week $1,250 Annually  $20 per week $1,000 Annually  $____ per week $______Annually

Please see Fr. Americo’s letter to the Families of Saint Peter below.

Dear Family of Saint Peter Parish,

“Where there is no vision, the people will perish.” ~ Proverbs 29:18

As the Pastor of Saint Peter Parish, I want to express my deep gratitude for the faith and commitment our community demonstrates, both within our Parish and throughout the city of Cambridge. The compassion and care that parishioners show toward one another, along with their desire to help those in need, are truly commendable. Many of you are actively involved in organizations that assist those in our community who are struggling. I also extend my heartfelt thanks for your generous contributions to the Parish, both through our weekly collections and in supporting our ministries and services.

I want to take a moment to reflect on the invitation from God to recognize the abundance of His blessings that we receive every day. We should be thankful for all we have from God.

When discussing generosity, we often frame it within the context of stewardship, which includes our time, talents, and resources. Each of us is a steward of God’s gifts, and we share the responsibility of utilizing them to uplift our Parish, its ministries, and our school, “Saint Peter.” Our vision, given to the Church by Jesus Christ, is to “Go and make disciples of all nations.” To fulfill this vision, our mission is to welcome everyone to encounter Jesus Christ through the Sacraments, prayer, study, acts of generosity, and service to others.

In this spirit of generosity, I am excited to introduce the Increased Offertory Program (IOP) here at Saint Peter Parish this September.

To achieve our goals for this program, we have two specific requests: First, for those who currently do not contribute, we kindly ask that you begin to do so; second, we encourage all parishioners to consider increasing their offertory contributions each weekend. We are not asking you to give more than you can afford, but we do request that you prioritize your contributions to our Parish in your family budget. I understand that this may require some sacrifice, especially with the rising costs of living, but it is a collective effort that will enable us to better serve you and our community. Our ability to provide services as a Parish and support our school depends on this collaboration.

Discussing finances can be uncomfortable, and I prefer to avoid this topic. However, it is necessary, and I trust that you understand the difficult decisions that come with budgeting at home. Our Parish faces similar challenges. In making this request for increased giving, we hope to raise awareness about the importance of regular contributions while also highlighting the significant financial burden we carry in maintaining our Parish, its programs, and its facilities, particularly in our aging buildings. We are committed to financial transparency and will always inform you about how your contributions are used to support our parish community.

I am immensely grateful for your prayers, support and encouragement. Thank you very much.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Americo Santos