Our community is excited to participate alongside all parishes, missions and Catholic centers in the Archdiocese to strengthen and renew our Church for the future. Please continue reading to learn how this campaign will benefit us.
These are exciting times for the Church in Southern California! Archbishop Gomez has called us to a period of renewal, on all levels. I am pleased to announce the launch of our parish’s Called to Renew Campaign. This historic effort will provide much-needed funding for parishes throughout the Archdiocese as well as support important ministries, such as priestly formation and outreach to the vulnerable.
Your gifts will benefit your spiritual home, too. Each parish has been given a goal for the campaign. Our goal is $890,000, of which 50 percent will remain at our parish. We will also retain 100 percent of the funds we collect over our goal. In other words, if we are successful, we will receive $445,000 to address our own needs, and potentially much more.
Nativity has a rich history in Torrance. Called to Renew will ensure we can continue to be a vital presence in our community. Details about how we plan to use our share of campaign funds are on the following page.
Please take a moment to prayerfully discern how you can most generously support this campaign. I also encourage you to consider making a five-year pledge, which will allow us the best opportunity to reach our goal. This is a wonderful parish, and I am amazed at how our community always works together to meet needs that arise. I know you will do whatever you can to make this campaign a success.
We entrust this campaign to the intercessions of the Holy Family of the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Joseph, and the Infant Jesus.
Pledged over 5 years for the Called to Renew Campaign.
Our Parish Receives
$445,000
To renew our parish and strengthen ministries.
Parish Needs
Church and Rectory Exterior
Both the Church and the Rectory are sorely in need of exterior painting. It has been over 25 years since a complete painting project has been done. There are several areas of split, cracked and missing plaster. There is also severe trim and window ledge damage that need repair. The Church bell tower is also an area of concern. The tile roof needs detailed cleaning and possibly grout repair and then needs to be sealed. This will necessitate the use of heavy equipment rental for a few weeks.
Pews and Kneelers
The pews and kneelers in the Church were installed in the 2002 interior restoration project. While being relatively new, they are becoming quite worn. Some of the pews are loose from the floor while others have been scratched in many areas. The kneelers have always been noisy when being raised and lowered during Mass and create quite a distraction from the Liturgy. The pews would be removed a section at a time and be taken off-site for refinishing and then be reinstalled with an “air shock” type hinge for the kneelers.
Church Restrooms
The Church currently has only one restroom for parishioners. This is very inconvenient on Sundays and when there are large crowds at Church for Weddings, Baptisms and Confirmation services. We have just begun the development stage for addressing the need for more restrooms. There seems to be an area adjacent to the current restroom where we could add at least 2 new restrooms in a newly constructed building. Members of the Parish Pastoral Council are currently checking with the City on property lines and city setback concerns in order to determine if the desired location is feasible. The projected cost is not supported by any real estimates but seems reasonable for a new construction project of its scope.
A Bold Plan of Renewal
We — the Catholic faithful — are the agents of renewal for Church and society. I am grateful for this opportunity to walk alongside clergy and parishioners in strengthening our parishes and ministries, the heart of our Archdiocese.