Greetings from Fr. Dave

Palm Sunday! Here we go into Holy Week 2020. The events we celebrate this week beginning with Jesus’ triumphal entrance into Jerusalem are the core of our “salvation story.” We remember them each year, and we enter deeply into them each year as a way of connecting ever more deeply with our Lord.
 
Obviously, this year is different…….in so many ways.  As I mentioned in our Wednesday update earlier this week, we will not pretend that we are doing these liturgies with our usual full church and with all the impact normally available us.
 

Please note that our Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Vigil liturgies will all be live-streamed at 7:00pm on each of those evenings. Recordings will not be available to watch at a later time.
 
Our Easter Sunday Mass will also be live-streamed at 8:00am. The recording will then be available to watch by 9:30am at the latest (possibly sooner).

 
We have had questions asked about how we will be doing the sacraments of initiation for those going through the RCIA process this year. At our final weekend in March before we had to cancel Masses, we introduced our wonderful group to the parish at the 9:30am Mass. We are waiting until the restrictions on size of gatherings is removed or at least raised to a higher amount and will then be receiving them. One possibility the Archdiocese is proposing is on the Vigil of Pentecost, May 30 ^th, but of course we can’t confirm that until we know how the CV is reacting to our efforts to shelter at home and avoid contact. We’ll keep you posted!
 
We put a Reconciliation Service on our website this week. Here are the words of the reflection I shared with you. They came from Pope Francis at the beginning of Lent.
 

Fast from hurting words and say kind words.
Fast from sadness and be filled with gratitude.
Fast from anger and be filled with patience.
Fast from pessimism and be filled with hope.
Fast from worries and have trust in God.
Fast from complaints and instead give compliments.
Fast from bitterness and fill your heart with joy.
Fast from selfishness and be compassionate to others.
Fast from grudges and be reconciled.
Fast from words and be silent so you can listen.

 

Last week, we had the death of LeRoy Smith. God bless him and his family, and provide the grace needed!