In case you haven't "heard," Bishop Taylor has recently released some new protocols when it comes to safety measures in light of the threat of the coronavirus, after receiving counsel from the presbyteral council of our diocese. While keeping the "mask mandate" when we are in church, he is allowing for more spacing in the pews when needed (parishioners can sit behind each other, and maintain 6 foot distance between families). We now have altar servers back, gift bearers bringing up the bread and wine (please sign up in the back of church or call Marcie Margel) and holy water back in the font and at the entrances of church (though we will keep the "touchless" holy water dispensers at the main entrances into the church from the Narthex.
In addition to all this, the bishop is giving permission for lay Extraordinary ministers of Communion to resume bringing Communion to people who are shut-in because of health, age or continuing concerns about the coronavirus IF THESE MINISTERS HAVE BEEN FULLY VACCINATED. For now if you haven't been receiving Holy Communion from me in your homes and you would like to receive it weekly, call the church office at 922-2062, ext. 10 and leave your name and phone number and you wil be notified as to who will be bringing you Holy Communion either on Saturday after the 5:00 p.m. Mass or after one of the Sunday morning Masses (unless other arrangements are made). These visits include a brief form of prayer and scripture before receiving Holy Communion.
Please respond to this invitation and start receiving Jesus, the bread of life in your homes for now. If (or I hope when) you can come back to church for Mass, let the Extraordinary minister know that is the case and you will be taken off the list. Holy Communion in the home or rehab. center can also be brought to you while you are recovering from an illness or surgery. I appreciate all the E.M.'s to the sick and shut-ins that have the training and willingness to help me in bringing Jesus to you in your time of need. Please don't hesitate to call me at 501-209-2502 if you or a loved one would like to receive the anointing of the sick before surgery, or due to a chronic or serious illness.
In addition to all this, the bishop is giving permission for lay Extraordinary ministers of Communion to resume bringing Communion to people who are shut-in because of health, age or continuing concerns about the coronavirus IF THESE MINISTERS HAVE BEEN FULLY VACCINATED. For now if you haven't been receiving Holy Communion from me in your homes and you would like to receive it weekly, call the church office at 922-2062, ext. 10 and leave your name and phone number and you wil be notified as to who will be bringing you Holy Communion either on Saturday after the 5:00 p.m. Mass or after one of the Sunday morning Masses (unless other arrangements are made). These visits include a brief form of prayer and scripture before receiving Holy Communion.
Please respond to this invitation and start receiving Jesus, the bread of life in your homes for now. If (or I hope when) you can come back to church for Mass, let the Extraordinary minister know that is the case and you will be taken off the list. Holy Communion in the home or rehab. center can also be brought to you while you are recovering from an illness or surgery. I appreciate all the E.M.'s to the sick and shut-ins that have the training and willingness to help me in bringing Jesus to you in your time of need. Please don't hesitate to call me at 501-209-2502 if you or a loved one would like to receive the anointing of the sick before surgery, or due to a chronic or serious illness.
During the season of Easter we are exposed to a great deal of the "Acts of the Apostles" during Masses both on weekdays and the weekend. It comes from Luke who wrote the Gospel of Luke and focuses on the growth of the Church under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Whether it be in the earliest days of the Church or today, the call of the curcified and risen Lord is to : "Go out to all the world and tell the good news (Mark 16:15)." This is a calling, not only for the ordained (to priesthood or the diaconate), and religious, but to all the baptized!!
I am happy to announce that as of April 5, we now have parishioner Cathy Kraus taking on a part-time paid position as director of adult religious education for adults at Sacred Heart Parish. Cathy has a background as "Director of Religious Education" in some previous parishes and is well qualified to take on this new position in our parish. You may already know Cathy as she has used the gift of her singing voice as one of our cantors at Mass. I and the education commission of the parish are happy to have her give focus to adult religious education for our parishioners to offer opportunities for them to grow in their faith and (I hope) prepare them to go beyond the boundaries of our parish to share the "Good News" of Jesus Christ crucified and risen and his Church with others and help us all to be true to our baptismal calling. She will be in the office that is one door down from mine and can be reached by phone at 922-2062, ext. 11. Please be ready to leave a message as her office hours have not yet been set. I pray we will all offer Cathy our support and look forward to seeing our parish grow even stronger than it's been in the area of adult religious education.
While I have your attention, please say a prayer of thanks for Lynne Border, our organist, the cantors and all the liturgical ministers who worked with me to help make our Triduum liturgies so beautiful and meaningful. Also give thanks for (and to) Mark Lukasavige (our sacristan) and Sandy Darnell and her helpers (our liturgical environment people) who all worked behind the scenes to make the Triduum happen. Also, appreciation to Rick Darnell my "sound man" who worked two Masses on Easter Sunday to see that some of our parishioners could hear the Mass from the parking lot from their radios and be able to receive Communion at one of those Easter Masses. Finally, to Dave Witchger I say thanks for always preparing a wonderful (and safe) Easter fire for the Easter Vigil!
I am happy to announce that as of April 5, we now have parishioner Cathy Kraus taking on a part-time paid position as director of adult religious education for adults at Sacred Heart Parish. Cathy has a background as "Director of Religious Education" in some previous parishes and is well qualified to take on this new position in our parish. You may already know Cathy as she has used the gift of her singing voice as one of our cantors at Mass. I and the education commission of the parish are happy to have her give focus to adult religious education for our parishioners to offer opportunities for them to grow in their faith and (I hope) prepare them to go beyond the boundaries of our parish to share the "Good News" of Jesus Christ crucified and risen and his Church with others and help us all to be true to our baptismal calling. She will be in the office that is one door down from mine and can be reached by phone at 922-2062, ext. 11. Please be ready to leave a message as her office hours have not yet been set. I pray we will all offer Cathy our support and look forward to seeing our parish grow even stronger than it's been in the area of adult religious education.
While I have your attention, please say a prayer of thanks for Lynne Border, our organist, the cantors and all the liturgical ministers who worked with me to help make our Triduum liturgies so beautiful and meaningful. Also give thanks for (and to) Mark Lukasavige (our sacristan) and Sandy Darnell and her helpers (our liturgical environment people) who all worked behind the scenes to make the Triduum happen. Also, appreciation to Rick Darnell my "sound man" who worked two Masses on Easter Sunday to see that some of our parishioners could hear the Mass from the parking lot from their radios and be able to receive Communion at one of those Easter Masses. Finally, to Dave Witchger I say thanks for always preparing a wonderful (and safe) Easter fire for the Easter Vigil!
As I compose this column for the Easter Sunday bulletin (on Tuesday, March 23) there is not surprisingly, some uncertainties about whether there will be any relaxation of the protocols we have followed inside our church facilities for almost a year. Needless to say, it will surely be an Easter FAR DIFFERENT from last year when we were not able to gather together in person to celebrate with joy the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and what that means to us who truly believe in the new and eternal life Jesus won for us through his passion, death, and resurrection. I recall sitting in an empty church on Easter Sunday morning with rain falling outside and trying to celebrate in my heart the resurrectioin of Jesus without presiding at Masses filled with people who had been renewed by their Lenten practices at home and at church and happily renewed their baptismal promises. Thankfully we were able to start having public Mass before the Easter season was over (May 9 and 10) though it was anything but "normal" with all of safety protocols in place due to the coronavirus. This Easter is still not "normal," but I hope and pray that we have let the Lord strengthen us with his spirit throughout this "unprecedented" year and lift us up when we were down and tempted to stay down.
While I know in advance that we won't have the normal numbers of people coming to Mass on Easter, I am prepared to do what I can, with your assistance to welcome back during the long 50 day Easter Season those who have not been in church for Mass for a long time and join with them in praising God for his mercy and love that has shone and continues to shine even in the darkest of times in the minds and hearts who worship him as the "Light of the World" and hopefully the Light of our own individual lives. As Steve Angrisano's song goes: "Alleluia! Love is alive the Lord he has risen for all. Your people sing ALLELUIA!!!"
A Blessed Easter and Easter Season to us all!!!
While I know in advance that we won't have the normal numbers of people coming to Mass on Easter, I am prepared to do what I can, with your assistance to welcome back during the long 50 day Easter Season those who have not been in church for Mass for a long time and join with them in praising God for his mercy and love that has shone and continues to shine even in the darkest of times in the minds and hearts who worship him as the "Light of the World" and hopefully the Light of our own individual lives. As Steve Angrisano's song goes: "Alleluia! Love is alive the Lord he has risen for all. Your people sing ALLELUIA!!!"
A Blessed Easter and Easter Season to us all!!!