In recent weeks at Mass, we've been highlighting our parish-wide initiative to "enroll our children in Catholic education." A key aspect of this endeavor is fundraising, as finances often pose a significant hurdle for many families considering Catholic schooling. In response to the growing need for fundraising, I've received numerous requests for new events, efforts, and projects to support Saint James Catholic School. While it's impossible for the office to manage all these new initiatives alone, I'm inviting every member of our parish to step up and take leadership in coordinating these events. How can you get involved?

If you're interested in organizing an event to raise funds for Saint James, you don't need my permission—I'm granting that right now to everyone. Should you wish to host the event at Saint James or any of our other facilities, simply reach out to the office at [email protected], and we'll connect you with Denise, our parish life coordinator, who handles event scheduling. From there, we'll treat your event like any other, which may involve reserving space, potential rental fees, and obtaining event insurance. This is standard protocol for all events and activities at our facilities, whether organized by parish families or external groups.

How can you ensure people hear about your event? The promotion and publicity for the event will be the responsibility of the event coordinators—that means you! We'll include it in our upcoming events calendar, which we plan to feature in the bulletin. You're also welcome to distribute flyers after Mass and promote the event within any groups you're part of. While announcements after Mass are reserved for high-priority parish initiatives, if you create a Facebook event or post, the parish will be happy to share it on our page.

I often use the analogy of a lemonade stand to illustrate this concept. Imagine kids asking their parents to start a lemonade stand, and the parents wholeheartedly supporting their initiative. Similarly, I'm saying "yes, go for it!" to your ideas. While parents may offer guidance and support, it's ultimately up to the kids to set up the stand, make signs, prepare lemonade, promote their venture, and manage the logistics. Likewise, the strength of our parish lies in individuals taking ownership and initiative to coordinate, promote, organize, and execute events, initiatives, and groups. We don't want our efforts to hinge solely on the approval and coordination of our priests—we want you to take the lead. I fully endorse any efforts you make to help "Enroll Our Children in Catholic Education."