Dear Friends,

I want to speak to you both urgently and with great hope. Our St. Patrick’s Day fundraiser is the cornerstone of our parish’s financial support. Thanks to the incredible effort of the organizers, and the hard work of so many volunteers year over year, this fundraising effort welcomes people to Dogtown, connects them to each other, and is a flagship event in our neighborhood.

This year you may remember that St. Patrick’s Day was the coldest day in March - the morning started out at 16°F, and climbed to a balmy 21° by the time the parade began at 11 AM. While the cold snap didn’t impact the Irish good humor, it did hurt parade attendance and by extension, dinner sales for corned beef and cabbage, ham, and sandwiches, and hit beer sales hard.

Our parish normally brings in more than $60,000 dollars. In 2026, this total was approximately $20,000. We are now facing an unexpected gap that needs to be addressed. I hope you will please prayerfully consider making a “Post Paddy's Day” gift to our emergency appeal.Time and again, I have seen your faith in action, your generosity in moments of need, and your willingness to step forward when it matters most. This is one of those moments.

Our parish continues to be a place where lives are changed. People gather to celebrate the sacraments, grow in grace, and live their faith generously through our ministries and the community we build together. Let us meet this challenge the same way we meet all things: with faith, unity, and trust that God will provide through His people.

Thank you for your dedication to this parish, your generosity, and your commitment to our shared mission. I truly believe that, together, we will not only meet this need: we grow stronger as we rise to meet this challenge together.

Sincerely,

Fr. Thomas M. Pastorius
Pastor of St. James the Greater

Post-Paddy's Day Appeal

Help close the gap in our parish budget!