By Jessica Easthope
These days sending an email is as simple as it gets, but Transfiguration-St. Stanislaus Kostka Church in Maspeth, Queens is an example of just how much of an impact emails can make.
“It’s hard to imagine how something that we’ve been doing so simply got national attention,” said Monsignor Joseph Calise, the pastor of the church.
During the pandemic Monsignor Calise sent out daily emails to parishioners. The gesture got him a nomination for a Parish Excellence Award.
“The message might simply be, ‘We’re thinking of you. We’re praying for you’…nothing extravagant, nothing fancy, just that simple concern,” Monsignor Calise said of his emails.
The national awards are for parishes that are going above and beyond during the pandemic. Scot Landry, the Founder of Parish Excellence, says the purpose of the awards is not only to highlight what some parishes have done, but to inspire Catholics everywhere.
“I thought now was the right time to try and identify what is really working in parishes that should be shared with everybody,” Scot explained.
For Michael Edmonds, a parishioner of the church, Monsignor Calise’s emails were a source of hope during a time of isolation.
“I got goosebumps, it was really what it’s all about,” he told Currents News. “It made me feel closer to this parish and the people in it, it gave us faith and confidence that it would get better, and it did.”
Knowing the daily emails made a difference and inspired parishioners to help each other, Monsignor Calise says he’s already won.
“When you see the Christ-like response people have to loving one another you realize the message of the Gospel is alive,” he explained.
Nominations are being accepted online at ParishExcellence.com until October 19. The awards summit will be held virtually starting the week of November 9.