For this week, I would like to say a few words about our secretary,
Fiona Pereira and the retirement reception held last weekend. I would like to
thank the Social Committee and all their helpers for a wonderful afternoon.
Thanks also to Dylan Prior and Kaitlin Vetro for the music all afternoon and
Fiona’s family for the beautiful decorations. The cake was amazing thanks to
Doris Zammit. The students from St. Paul Secondary School were invaluable in
helping to run the event and keep things flowing in the kitchen. Thanks to all
those who paid tribute to Fiona with presentations and speeches as well. I am
sure that Fiona, George and the family were very happy with the event.
Fiona has been with the parish for 22 consecutive years. The position of
parish secretary involves a huge variety of tasks and responsibilities. They
are far too numerous to mention here but I am sure you can imagine the scope of
work: weddings, funerals, telephone operations, serving 3 staff members, making
appointments, scheduling all religious and social events for the year, Mass
intentions, and many others. The accounting responsibilities alone are
monumental: keeping the books in order, financial reports for the finance
committee, writing up and calculating the yearly charitable report for the
government and every six months, the Archdiocese. Employee files, payroll and
Government source deductions, payments of all invoices, reconciling bank
statements, tax returns for employees and receipts for parishioners are just a
few of the accounting duties Let me say that every one of these duties and
responsibilities has been handled professionally and timely. These shoes are
indeed difficult to fill. I would simply say thank-you for everything to Fiona
and I wish her a healthy and happy retirement in the midst of God’s blessings.
Sincerely, Fr. Phil
