The Rev. Pedro Arana
Pastor, St. Brigid’s Parish
179 Murray Street,
Ottawa,
Ontario
K1N 5M7
Dear Father Arana,
Further to meetings held by Msgr. Patrick
Powers and Mrs. Donoghue and Mr. Gillin of your parish, I am delighted to inform you that I am satisfied with the efforts
of St. Brigid’s parishioners to restore your building.
The people of your parish have experienced
great success in contributing to both the fundraising campaign as to the general administration of the parish. I also recognize that your parish has endeavored to increase both its population as well as its visibility. Most significally, I accept the contention by Patrick Gillin, that there were important
errors in the time-line of the initial restoration project, thus considerably reducing the overall amount which will be required.
Nonetheless, in spite of all these developments,
your parish faces a major, uphill battle in keeping up with rapidly increasing operating costs and the inevitable unexpected
expenses involved in major repairs. It seems a shame that your community will
dedicate untold amounts of funds to maintaining a deteriorating building while a perfectly restored one is located two blocks
away. A fully bilingual Church which desperately needs more parishioners in order
to meet its own pastoral objectives and operating costs. Hence, while it is evident
you wish to continue to try, I want you to know that you would always be welcome as equal and full-fledged parishioners of
Notre Dame Cathedral.
I wish you every
possible happiness and success in the future and offer you my blessings and congratulations on this auspicious occasion when
restored murals will be unveiled.
