Diocese of Rochester

Dear Parish Family,

As we begin a new fiscal year (2026–2027), I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude for your extraordinary generosity and faithful support of our parish. Because of your continued commitment, our parish remains on solid financial footing. However, we still rely on your ongoing generosity to sustain our ministries, maintain our facilities, and continue serving our community. Below, you will find the various sources of parish income, along with the different ways you can continue to support St Martin de Porres Parish.

Weekly contributions

Your Sunday offertory is the primary source of support for our parish and its ministries. If you are able, we invite you to prayerfully consider increasing your weekly offertory gift, even by a small amount. Every additional dollar helps sustain our parish and strengthen our mission in the community. Thank you for sharing your blessings.

Second Collections

Throughout the year, parishes are typically asked by the Diocese of Rochester to conduct 14 mandatory second collections. After careful consideration, I have decided to reduce the number of formal second collections taken during Mass to only four each year. These collections will be dedicated exclusively to the needs of our parish:

§ Two second collections for our parish Cemeteries.

§ Two second collections for Building and Grounds maintenance and improvements.

Parishioners who wish to continue supporting the Diocese through its special collections are warmly encouraged to do so. Donations may be made online or by placing the designated envelopes or cash in the collection baskets located at the back of each church. The practice of taking a formal second collection during Mass (passing the basket a second time) for diocesan appeals will be discontinued. This change allows us to reserve second collections for the needs of our own parish, particularly our cemeteries, our buildings and grounds, and other parish initiatives as needed.

Patrick Place and Livingston Co. Catholic Charities

Beginning in January 2027, envelopes for Patrick Place and Catholic Charities will no longer be included in our parish envelope packets. Parishioners are encouraged to continue supporting these worthy organizations by making donations directly to them rather than through St. Martin de Porres Parish.

Catholic Ministries Appeal (CMA)

I want to sincerely thank everyone who contributed to last year’s Catholic Ministries Appeal. Because of your generosity, our parish successfully reached its diocesan goal, helping to support the many ministries that serve people throughout the Diocese. As our parish’s CMA goal will increase again in September ($107.000), I hope you will prayerfully consider continuing your generous support.

Repairs and major projects

As faithful stewards of the Church, we are committed to preserving and maintaining our worship sites, so they remain safe and beautiful places of worship for years to come. We are currently undertaking essential repairs and major improvement projects that will strengthen our facilities and better serve our parishioners now and in the future.

We are especially grateful to the many parishioners who have generously contributed toward the restoration of the stained-glass windows at St. Mary’s Church. Thanks to your generosity, we have $73,383.54 in a restricted account designated for this project. While the total restoration cost is higher than anticipated, we are actively seeking more affordable options to make this important work possible. We also extend our thanks to  a parishioner whose extraordinary generosity has made a significant contribution toward the sidewalk repair project at St. Mary’s. That gift is a wonderful example of faithful stewardship and love for our parish community.

We humbly invite you to prayerfully consider making a gift in support of important projects in the parish. No donation is too small—every contribution is a meaningful investment in the future of our parish and a reflection of our shared commitment to caring for God’s house.

Fundraisers

These events provide vital supplemental financial support for our parish. More than just fundraisers, they are opportunities to come together in fellowship, share our God-given gifts, and celebrate the spirit of our parish family.

As we look ahead to future events, I encourage everyone to take part and help make these occasions a success. Whether you can volunteer your time, assist with preparations, help during the event, donate supplies, or simply attend and show your support, your involvement truly makes a difference. We also ask you to let us know how you would like to contribute. Share your skills and talents or connect us with businesses and organizations that may be interested in supporting our parish.

My heartfelt gratitude goes to the Annual Church Sale Committee and to all the dedicated volunteers whose hard work made last year's fundraiser such a success. Every gift of time, talent, and generosity strengthens our family and enables us to continue our mission of serving our community. Together, we can accomplish great things.

Bequests

Finally, your will is a meaningful way to make a charitable gift of lasting value to St Martin de Porres Parish. Through a bequest provision, you can designate a specific amount of money, a percentage of your estate, or the remainder of your estate after other bequests are satisfied. Adding a codicil to an existing will is a simple process that begins by making your intentions known to your attorney.

Thank you once again for your generosity, your faith, and your continued support of our parish community. May God bless you and your families abundantly.

Sincerely in Christ,

Fr. Carlos