When we were offering the "parking lot Mass" for almost a year due to "pandemic," some people who were offered a weekly bulletin when they drove up, told one of our wonderful volunteers (or me), "I dont need one, I'm getting it online through our parish website." I would hope that those who said this as well as others (including those who come to Mass every weekend) are accessing our wonderful church website (www.hsvsacredheart.com) for this and for other helpful information about our parish. I pray the parking lot folks will see and read this pastor's column as well as the rest of our parishioners who read the bulletin because the topic is weekly participation in the celebration AND RECEPTION of the Eucharist. I continue to be greatly concerned about our parishioners who are still not receiving Holy Communion at least once a week. I say once a week because if the fear of getting COVID is still keeping people (including some of you) away from coming to Mass on the weekend because of the numbers of people in church (though our folks are still good about social distancing in the pews), it is alarming to me that they are not coming to at least one daily Mass a week when there are normally about 40 people present in a church that has a capacity of 600 if all the spaces in the pews are taken.
Is it that some have gotten used to participating in the Mass online or on television and have become "satisfied with that" which means making a "Spiritual Communion" at the time people who are attending Mass are receiving Jesus, the Bread of Life? Is it because they have gotten out of the habit of going to weekend Mass and are not choosing to start a new habit (at least while the pandemic has not completely waned) of coming to a daily Mass every week? Is their absence from attending the Mass and receiving the Eucharist coming from a lack of appreciation or even belief in the "Real Presence" of Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist? Is their absence from Mass for another reason or reasons? I truly need the help of parishioners who are attending Mass weekly to invite parishioners who are not coming, to come back (because you, others, and firstly the Lord is missing them) and attest to the importance for you of receiving Jesus weekly in Holy Communion. (Of course our shut-ins are receiving Holy Communion weekly through myself or devoted lay ministers of Holy Communion to our homebound who cannot come to church). If you want to be straight forward and ask why they aren't coming to church for Mass at least once a week and not respond but let me know by e-mail (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) I would appreciate that input.
I continue to pray for an end to the pandemic (as I know many of you do), and I'm also realistic that according to some "experts" it may never completely go away and at some point we all must resume our lives as they were before the pandemic which means, I hope, in order of priority being with the worshipping community for Mass (and reception of the Body of Christ) on the Day of the Resurrection, the Lord's Day!
Is it that some have gotten used to participating in the Mass online or on television and have become "satisfied with that" which means making a "Spiritual Communion" at the time people who are attending Mass are receiving Jesus, the Bread of Life? Is it because they have gotten out of the habit of going to weekend Mass and are not choosing to start a new habit (at least while the pandemic has not completely waned) of coming to a daily Mass every week? Is their absence from attending the Mass and receiving the Eucharist coming from a lack of appreciation or even belief in the "Real Presence" of Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist? Is their absence from Mass for another reason or reasons? I truly need the help of parishioners who are attending Mass weekly to invite parishioners who are not coming, to come back (because you, others, and firstly the Lord is missing them) and attest to the importance for you of receiving Jesus weekly in Holy Communion. (Of course our shut-ins are receiving Holy Communion weekly through myself or devoted lay ministers of Holy Communion to our homebound who cannot come to church). If you want to be straight forward and ask why they aren't coming to church for Mass at least once a week and not respond but let me know by e-mail (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) I would appreciate that input.
I continue to pray for an end to the pandemic (as I know many of you do), and I'm also realistic that according to some "experts" it may never completely go away and at some point we all must resume our lives as they were before the pandemic which means, I hope, in order of priority being with the worshipping community for Mass (and reception of the Body of Christ) on the Day of the Resurrection, the Lord's Day!