Summer Projects

This is an annual appeal that runs from July 1 through September 1, to fund a specific project to enhance or provide capital improvements on both parish campuses. The project is identified by the pastor and Finance Council. This appeal reduces the parish's reliance on investment income or savings to keep our facilities well maintained, and supplements the weekly collection.

Summer Project 2025

Final Report

Appeal Income: $37,827

Work Undertaken:

Thanks to all who generously contributed to this annual appeal. Your support helps defray the cost of the necessary work undertaken.

About this Year's Project

This year's summer project includes 2 projects, one on each campus:

• Completing the 3 year program to fully refurbish the original stained glass windows of Our Lady of Sorrows Church.  (Four windows remain). Aluminum frames designed for double insulation with a protective glazing applied to the exterior will be installed. 
• Remediation to resolve the problem of termite infestation in the 104 year old original Saint Anthony Church now used as a gymnasium, leased by PACE Charter school.  In addition, fixtures dating back to 1951 will be replaced in the restrooms of St. Anthony Church Hall.

Please use the special envelope received by mail and return it by way of the collection, office visit, or  regular post (Summer Project, 3816 East State St. Ext.,Hamilton, NJ 08619) between July 1-September 1. If you do not have the special envelope, feel free to use a plain envelope clearly marked, “Summer Project.”

Summer Project, 2024: Report

This summer's projects were:
At Our Lady of Sorrows Church: Refurbishment of four Original  Stained Glass Windows
At Saint Anthony Church: Replacement of AC Units; Additional AC for Sacristy and Hall
 

Funding Revenue Sources  

Expenditures

Thanks to all our generous benefactors Who have made this work possible! May the Lord reward you for your goodness!

Summer Project, 2024

The summer  affords us the opportunity to address a number of maintenance issues at both campuses.  I thought you might appreciate an update:

Saint Anthony Campus

• Work will resume on the installation of our video security system. that will provide surveillance and emergency notification to first responders. Additional security measures are being planned  We hope the additional work will be funded through a government grant. Once completed, work will begin at Our Lady of Sorrows Church.
• The air conditioning replacement project is completed. Independent units were added to serve the church hall and the sacristy. (Cost: $326,661)
• LED lights (20) have been installed in the church interior providing a softer hue to the nave. (Cost:  $3,980)

Our Lady of Sorrows Campus

• Since June 7, the pipe organ was out of service due to the failure of the church’s electrical transformer.  The transformer was replaced and the organ motor rebuilt.  (Cost: $8,655)
• The floors of our school  have undergone an intensive process of stripping and sealing.  This deep cleaning was long overdue!  (Cost:: $25,000)
• The refurbishment and insulation of the oldest stained glass windows continues.  Work will begin this month.
• Minor repairs were  made to the parking lot. (Cost:$2,700)

Always grateful for your support that makes such work possible. 

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Summer Project 2023

 Our Summer Project this year is a continuation of two projects begun last year:
 

• The restoration and insulation of four stained glass windows, installed in 1939 in the nave of Our Lady of Sorrows Church has been extended to include four additional windows (two in the choir loft and two above the sanctuary). The deteriorated condition of these windows has caused water damage.
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• The installation of security measures at both churches.

Only with your support are we able to maintain and enhance our two campuses. The Lord bless you for your generous support of this annual appeal that runs through September.

Update on the 2020 Summer Project

I am so very grateful to all those who contributed to this year’s Summer Project.  As you may recall we are looking to a two-year plan that would involve replacing the school boiler at Our Lady of Sorrows and the Air Condition units at St. Anthony Church.

 I am very pleased to report that the installation of the new boiler is in its final stages. Next year, we shall install the new AC units.  [We shall be sure this project is not done during the hot summer months!]  

 Below is a report on the revenue and expenditures of the project:
  

                                          

See this year's Summer Projects

The appeal will run from July 1 through September 1

 I hope that you find these projects worthy of your support. It will greatly defray our reliance on parish savings. Please use the special "Summer Project" envelope sent by mail or a regular envelope clearly marked "Summer Project." Return your gift by mail, the collection basket, or in person at the parish office. (Inclusing your name and address will help us credit the gift for tax purposes.)

Thank you for your consistent generosity that helps support the mission of our parish and the care of its physical plant. We do not undertake may major fundraising efforts, so our summer appeal is very important. Please consider a sacrificial gift of at least $100? Of course, any gift you decide to make is most welcome!

You can make contributions to the Summer Project online!

 Of course, you can always use the envelope provided and return your contribution in the Sunday collection, or by mailing it to the Parish Office. (If you have misplaced the envelope, you can use a plain envelope clearly marking it “Summer Project” and including your name and address to help us credit the gift for tax purposes.) However, if you prefer, you can make your contribution online:
 

• If you are already registered for online giving, simply check the box for "Summer Project" when you make your gift.
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• If you have not already registered for online giving, check out the Online Giving page under the Stewardship tab. There you'll find a link to the Guide to Online Giving and a page that provides answers to some of the most frequently asked questions (FAQ), as well as a button to access the Online Giving site for our parish.

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Summer Projects, 2020

Over the last eight years, our annual summer project has proven to be a great help to maintaining the two campuses of our parish. This year our project goal is different in that we are proposing a “two-year plan” since we are eyeing two necessary and rather costly upgrades: 
 

• the replacement of the school boiler and
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• the air conditioning units of St. Anthony Church.

Both have reached an “age” that require extensive repairs and the parts needed to make them are very difficult to obtain or no longer available. We have been advised that it would be wiser to replace them. New units would be energy efficient.

Our finance and pastoral councils have endorsed the idea of dedicating funds of both the 2020 & 2021 Summer Projects to help finance these expensive and necessary projects. Funds raised over the next two years will be set aside until the work must be done.

In past years, I suggested a gift of $100 but I realize many parishioners are dealing with financial hardships in this COVID-19 time. Any gift you can make would be most welcome. The appeal runs from July 1 through September 1. In the next few weeks, you should receive details of the appeal in the mail.