All Parish Volunteers, including lectors, ushers, acolytes, commission/committee chairs and members, choir members, office staff (just to name a few), are required by the Diocese to have a background check run every 5 years. If you have never had one done or are not sure when you had the last one done, please contact Peggy at 828-837-2000 or email her at [email protected]

As part of our celebration of The Year of St. Joseph, our parish is pleased to have a St. Joseph Altar on Sunday, March 22, 2020! Please help us make this a success! The St. Joseph’s Altar is a Sicilian tradition dating back to the Middle Ages. A lengthy famine seized the island and the dry, cracked earth yielded no life giving crops. The starving farmers had only their deep faith remaining. So they prayed to St. Joseph, the patron saint of Italy, to intercede to God for them. Their prayers were answered as gentle rains fell to fill dry wells and streams, and their crops thrived. As a labor of love and devotion on his feast day, March 19, the altars were erected in homes all over Sicily, filled with breads and sweets and fruits, and all were welcomed to partake in the feast! Our St. Joseph Altar will be erected in the Commons on Sunday, March 22. Please bring delicious breads or sweets or fruits to share, and we will all enjoy the abundant blessings after Mass.

As of February 2020, the former St. William Development Fund (the beige envelope for those who get envelopes) will now be called the 'Major Building Maintenance and Repair Fund'. These funds are being set aside in a savings account to allow us to fund larger scale projects without impacting operational funds

Bulletin Prayer Lists will be purged on March 31st. The Bulletin prayer list contains the names of Parishioners and immediate family members in need of prayers, and the e-alert system is for friends and extended family members as well as Parishioners. The Prayers of the Faithful which are read from the altar during Mass are for the most serious illnesses of our Parishioners. They are also remembered on the Bulletin Prayer list for each Parish. If you wish your family member to be remembered, it is important that you contact the office. Please respect other’s privacy and be sure you have authorization from the person or their immediate family to place someone on the list.

Our Parish Mission will take place August 8th – August 12th. Many details have yet to be worked out so please bear with me until I have all the information and Mission format for you. Fr. Eugene O’Reilly , a Redemptorist parish missionary, will be our moderator. More details to follow in the weeks to come.

The Men’s Club at St. William cordially invite parishioners from St. William and Immaculate Heart of Mary to join together for a traditional St. Patty’s Day Irish dinner, music and fellowship. It’s the place to be on Saturday, March 14th at 7PM in the Commons at St. William. Tickets are $15.00 per person, and are on sale this weekend at St. William as well as thru the Parish Business Office. Please make your checks payable to St. William Men’s Club. This event is a “bring your own beer and wine only” event! Join us for some fun the Irish way!

Please pick up your rice bowl on the table in the Commons. It’s easy; just throw your change in the box each day and at the end of Lent you will be surprised at how much you have. Simply write out a check for the amount of change in your box and turn your check into the business office. Please, no loose coins!

Little Black Books are available on the card table in the Commons. Please be sure to pick one up. This is a perfect companion as we begin our journey with Jesus.

St. William is again hosting the Ecumenical Lenten Luncheons at Noon on Wednesdays during Lent starting March 4th. Each Wednesday clergy from different Churches in the area will conduct the service which will be followed by a light Lenten luncheon. The program always proves insightful and interesting, and it is a great opportunity to meet people from our Community.

Our annual St. Valentine's Day Brunch for the Ladies of the Parish, sponsored by the Men's Club, will be held Sunday, February 16th following the 11AM Mass. We invite everyone to join us for a festive brunch featuring a variety of your favorite menu items. There will be no charge, however, a free will offering from the gentlemen in attendance would be appreciated.

Prayerful Hands Shawl Ministry has created Pocket Prayers for our military and 1st Responders. If you have a family member in these professions, please feel free to take one from the basket in the Commons to send to your loved one. These are little reminders that those who serve to protect us and our freedoms are in our prayers.

If you have information about possible sexual abuse or misconduct by any clergy, employee or volunteer of the Diocese of Charlotte, report concerns safely, securely and anonymously 24/7 over the phone using the diocese’s new hotline, 1-800-630-5929, or online: www.RedFlagReporting.com/RCDOC. Please note: if you suspect a child is in danger, please contact 9-1-1 or your local law enforcement agency.

Retrouvaille is a program for married couples that feel bored, disillusioned, frustrated, or angry in their marriage. Some experience coldness. Others experience conflict in their relationship. Most don’t know how to change the situation. This program has helped many couples experiencing such difficulties. For confidential information or to apply to attend the program beginning with the weekend of February 14, 2020, call 800-470-2230 or email: [email protected] or visit the web site at www.helpourmarriange.org.

As of December 31, 2019, St. William received DSA pledges and donations that left a shortfall versus the assessment. We received donations for the Priest Retirement Assessment, also short of the assessment. The shortfall for both the 2019 Diocesan assessments were paid from operating funds. Thanks to all who gave generously to minimize the shortfall.

In October and November SVdP handled 43 families directly impacting the lives of 126 people. We collected fewer funds than were distributed, leaving us in the red. We were able to help people with gas; emergency shelter-motel; rent; utilities, electricity, propane and water; food, sleeping bag and camping gear for homeless. We appreciate your faithful generosity that enables us to help those families in need especially in this cold weather. We pray Jesus’ words, “Whatever you do for the least of these, you do for me.” (Collected and distributed fund amounts redacted per diocesan on-line policy.)