1. St. Patrick had a marvelous 125^th anniversary celebration with Bishop Clark. There was also a young people’s choir that sang for the Mass. Many parishioners from St. Patrick put on a wonderful dinner after mass that everyone enjoyed. This continues the tradition of fine meals like the smorgasbord in the fall and the delicious ham dinner in the spring

(Also the walls were repaired & painted, as well as a new sidewalk and expanded parking area were completed at St. Patrick)

2. The Jubilee Committee transitioned into St. John’s Parish Life Committee. The committee’s main purpose is to build up the sense of community in the parish especially, by sponsoring social gatherings for St. John’s parishioners (rather than a fundraising purpose, although this always happens anyway!). The committee, with the help of many people, put on meals such as the roast beef dinner, the chicken & biscuit meal, the pancake breakfasts, “the inside outing,” the “Fabulous” dinner dance, the ziti supper and the strawberry festival. One aspect of the committee’s work was to bring some of the meals to those who are either homebound or on Fr. Jim’s communion call list. Those who were homebound were incredibly grateful not only for a delicious meal, but that they were remembered. They have been an important part of both parishes’ life and so were very thankful for this wonderful gesture by their faith community. St. John’s Parish Life Committee also began a yearly social calendar that was coordinated with St. Patrick, in order not to have events at the same period of time. The annual Firemen’s Mass was well received, including offering a free breakfast to the firemen & ladies auxiliary.

3. There were several tremendous adult education opportunities this past year. Thanks to some generous donations by a few parishioners, a special continuing education fund was started in order to be able to pay an ample stipend to speakers traveling from Rochester, Geneseo, and Syracuse. There were excellent presentations on scripture, annulments in the church, St.Francis & politics, prayer, moral issues such as abortion, and “making marriage work.” 40 to 80 people came each session (including people from other parishes and protestant congregations) to hear these outstanding speakers. Already exciting speakers are being lined up for next year.

We had eight catechists working with 65 children in grades 1-6, which continues the expansion again of our faith formation program. We also had children prepared for the sacraments of First Reconciliation and First Eucharist. Plans are underway for Confirmation in the fall, which will be done for the first time with our area cluster parishes. We also continued to develop our new Youth Ministry Program. Sr. Catherine has had programs on the bible as well as fun events such as attending hockey & baseball games, swimming, miniature golf, and skating. One of the fine aspects of this program is the cooperation between St. Michael’s in Lyons, and Geneva’s youth group as well as the Clyde Methodist Church’s youth.

4. There were wonderful liturgies at Christmas time and Holy Week, with music provided by our choir that devotes much time in service to the parish. There were Communal Penance Services in Advent and Lent (the latter with several priests available). New sound equipment, speakers, & microphones were added at St. John’s, including a new set up for the choir loft. They were paid for from the memorial fund. St. John’s began the first folk choir in over 15 years. New hymnals were obtained through donations made in memory of Veto and Virginia Montemorano.

5. We had our second annual Mass of Remembrance for parishioners that had lost a relative during the last year. It was well attended and very moving to all that participated. St. John began the Martha Ministry, which provides hospitality for families after a funeral, through preparing meal and refreshments. (This has been going for awhile at St. Patrick) It was tremendous to see that 62 people volunteered to help and gave donations to fund this wonderful ministry. The first family to use this expressed deep gratitude to the parish for their generous offering at a very difficult time. New sheets for selecting readings & songs at funerals were developed, as well as more lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, and altar servers volunteered to help at the funeral liturgies. We began support sessions for widows and widowers, including a presentation on grief.

6. The Buildings and Grounds Committee, along with Kip DeLisio and other generous volunteers, were very busy this past year. After the wonderful renovation of the St. John School kitchen and the new cleaning area, there were a number of improvements to the school. These included: installation of a complete new heating system, paneled duct work & four furnace rooms; a new handicap ramp, front door, first floor bathroom and chair lift. All classrooms & halls were painted, school meeting rooms renovated and updated electrical service put in (including plugs and light switches in the rooms). All school windows were fixed and insulated (through the generosity of Dick Gianforti of Flower City Glass). New stairways into the school hall were built & front hallways dry walled and painted. (Also there was a school review committee organized to investigate the future use of St. John’s School) In St. John church there was a handicap accessible bathroom installed, an automatic door added, and a heater pump put in to better heat the entranceway of the Church. There was new lighting put in the bell tower as well as improved parking lot lighting. We also added timed thermostats in the rectory, church, and school for better energy savings. Volunteer Church cleaners were added for St John (22 people came forward to help). A new sewer line was put into the rectory. New phones and a second line in the rectory office were installed for better convenience.

7. Holy Name Society/Catholic Daughters had several successful undertakings this year.

8. Increased the number of Eucharistic Ministers to the sick & developed a new process for this.

9. St. John & St. Patrick parish councils met together to find additional ways of cooperating

10. Financial areas: a list was compiled of donor & parish restricted/unrestricted funds

11. Our TGA goal was surpassed by both parishes for the second consecutive year

12. We implemented the Diocesan auditors recommendations

13. Developed parish budget process with more Parish Council input for both parishes

14. Our weekend collections increased despite the death of many generous parishioners

15. Received additional income by renting both St. Patrick’s hall & St. John’s school (this also developed an ecumenical awareness and cooperation with other religions)

16.One of the big undertakings this year were St. John/St. Patrick conducting a census with the other parishes in the cluster. It was a lot of work for a great number of parishioners, but a number of contacts were made with Catholics in the area, who at present time, are not coming to mass. This undertaking in many ways reflects the generosity of the people of St. Patrick and St. John.