Dear St. Mary Magdalene Family,

I would like to take this opportunity to share some good news regarding several important parish projects and developments. Before doing so, however, I want to thank all of you who participated in our recent Lenten Mission with Fr. James Mattaliano. It was a great success and a fruitful time of deeper reflection during our Lenten journey.

Our next lecture series event will be held on Wed, Apr 29, featuring a presentation on The Fundamentals of Discerning God's Voice by Maria Kim-Ngân Bùi.

I also want to express my deep appreciation to everyone who contributed to the purchase of the security and maintenance truck. This pre-owned 2021 Ford F-150 has already been kept very busy by our staff and volunteers and will serve our parish well in the years ahead.

In additional maintenance department news, we have hired a new full-time Maintenance Manager, Mr. David Rubalcava, who will join our parish staff on March 25. As many of you know, this essential position has needed to be filled for some time. As the father of one of our diocese's seminarians, David brings a strong sense of mission and dedication to this role and to our parish. Welcome, David!

As I promised in earlier pastor's letters, we have now begun the process of installing and replacing lighting throughout our parking lot and surrounding campus. Through careful negotiation with vendors, we were able to reduce the cost of these fixtures by more than 50 percent, saving the parish nearly $30,000. This improvement will significantly enhance the safety and security of our campus.

In a related matter, I am asking more of our parish men to consider joining our parish security ministry, The Porters of St. Joseph. Recommended and endorsed by the Diocese of Phoenix, the Porters is a volunteer Catholic apostolate dedicated to providing a safe and secure environment during Masses and parish events while imitating St. Joseph, the protector of the Holy Church. Members combine spiritual formation and fraternity with practical training in de-escalation, self-defense, and church safety planning. By mobilizing the generous and courageous hearts of men, this ministry helps protect the faithful, the Blessed Sacrament, and those who serve within the parish. For more information, please contact G. (Gerardo) Lopez in the parish office.

Our coffee shop and gathering space expansion project is also moving forward schedule. While we still need additional financial support, we are now within striking distance of reaching our $100,000 matching-fund campaign goal. As of this writing, nearly three-quarters of the needed funds have been collected. Please remember that every dollar given during this campaign is immediately matched-doubling the impact of your gift and helping us reach our goal more quickly. This project is not simply about convenience; it is about connection. A welcoming coffee shop and patio will provide a space where faith and fellowship naturally meet- supporting conversation, ministry gatherings, youth and family connection, and the simple hospitality that strengthens parish life. Furthermore, any funds collected beyond the original $100,000 goal will remain in that account to cover construction overages. It is important to remember that this project is also an important step toward our larger vision: the construction of a new parish hall, which remains our primary long-term need. Once operational, any funds generated by the coffee shop after expenses will be deposited as restricted gifts into the New Parish Hall Fund. In this way, every cup of coffee or pastry you enjoy will help build the new parish hall.

Finally, to support this parish-wide effort, I would like to welcome Mrs. Leslee Miratsky, who has accepted my invitation to serve as Chairperson of the New Hall Construction Committee. After a successful career in the corporate world and in banking, Leslee brings extensive project management experience that will greatly benefit our parish as we move forward with planning for the new hall. She will also assist with smaller beautification projects across our campus. Although Leslee is generously volunteering her time, she will have a dedicated office in our parish administration building so she can focus on developing the steps necessary to move this project forward. Please keep Leslee in your prayers as she begins this important work.

With all of these developments, we continue shaping our parish into what it is meant to be: a school of prayer, a field hospital for the wounded, and a lighthouse of charity.

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