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March 19, 2020
+ Solemnity of St. Joseph, husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Dear Friends in Christ,
In the midst of these challenging times in the United States and globally, I wanted to reach out to our community of faith at Our Lady of Lourdes to offer words of encouragement in Christ and to update you on changes regarding our shared life together. For many of us, the effects of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) are unlike anything experienced in our lifetime. This pandemic has upended life as we know it coast to coast and throughout the world. My heart goes out to those who have lost loved ones as a result of the virus and those who are suffering with it. Please join me in praying for the safety and wellbeing of our medical care professionals who are putting their own health on the line in service of the sick. Additionally, my prayers are with the elderly and other vulnerable groups and those who are experiencing anxiety and fear due to health or economic concerns. To be sure, we know by faith that the God of Jesus Christ is with us in these challenging times and will never abandon us.
In terms of our shared life together at Our Lady of Lourdes, I can update you on a number of decisions and changes related to our sacramental life and parish events. I led a conference call yesterday with our Lourdes Leadership Team (LLT) which includes our parish trustees, the chairs of our parish council, finance council, and justice and charity committee, and Fr. Evans, Mary Asp, and Julie Craven. It was a productive call and we quickly reached consensus in a number of important areas. Additionally, late yesterday, parishes received the directive from Archbishop Hebda that all public Masses in the Archdiocese were suspended, effective immediately, for at least the next two weeks.
As a result of our LLT meeting and the directive from Archbishop Hebda, all public Masses are suspended at Our Lady of Lourdes. We will offer one live streamed private Mass on Sunday mornings at 11 a.m. The building will not be open for worshippers during this Mass. Further details about how parishioners can access the live streamed Mass is forthcoming. In addition, the Sacrament of Reconciliation will be offered on Sunday mornings from 9:30 – 10:30 in the church sanctuary. Regarding Reconciliation, all current CDC and Archdiocesan guidelines will be strictly followed – there will not be more than 10 people in the church at a time and at least six feet of social distancing will be observed. As Americans and Catholics, we abide by these guidelines, including directives about working from home and avoiding non-essential travel, because they are in accord with the public good and health of our community and nation. The sacrifices we make now, including our fast from the Eucharist, can literally save lives and help curb the spread of the virus.
The Sacrament of Anointing will be available upon request. Appropriate precautions will be observed in the administration of this sacrament, upon the advice and guidance of the Archdiocese. Funerals and weddings will be handled on a case by case basis. All other parish events in March and April are canceled, with the exception of RCIA classes, which will observe the guidelines outlined above. We are happy that our brothers and sisters who are journeying to full communion with the Catholic Church will remain on track to be received into the Church at Easter. Their faith and continuing journey is a sign of hope for all of us. I thank Fr. Evans for his pastoral care of the RCIA candidates and indeed the parish at this time. I am also thankful to Susan Stabile for her excellent work with the RCIA group.
Regarding sacramental preparation for First Communion and Confirmation, Linda Ferris is in close contact with parents about updates and options going forward.
Beginning today, the parish office is closed and staff have been asked to work from home. We will find creative ways to reach out to our parishioners in the coming weeks and we assure you that we will continue serving you and the community. Staff will be checking phone and email messages regularly. Julie Craven continues her stellar work in the area of communications and will be intentional about sharing a variety of resources that will be helpful to you on your journey of faith. I am thankful to our entire staff, including Mary Asp, who has been working hard to manage the day to day life and business of the parish during these trying times.
As you can imagine, Lourdes has been impacted financially by this crisis and will continue to be in the near term. Notwithstanding financial challenges that some of you may be presently facing, your
support of Lourdes as we seek to remain healthy and vibrant is greatly appreciated.
As I continue my sabbatical in south Texas, I remain united with you in faith and hope and in the deep spiritual communion we share as Catholics. You are in my constant prayers and I will continue to offer my daily Mass for the Lourdes community often. I plan to journey back to the northland in April, during a time most suitable to travel.
Today, we celebrate the great Feast of St. Joseph – foster father of Jesus and husband of the Blessed Mother. Joseph is often an unsung saint. Along with Mary, Joseph is the only saint that we consistently call on for intercession at every Mass celebrated throughout the world. His courage and faith are inspiring and his prayers as universal patron of the Catholic Church efficacious, especially at this time of challenge and uncertainty. As Catholics, we are invited to follow Mary and Joseph in their model of faith and trust in the Lord and to call on their prayers.
Lastly, there are a few fundamental truths that have been consoling to me during this time of uncertainty. We are all in this together - we will get through this crisis – and we will emerge from it stronger than before. When we do, we will have a fantastic gathering at Lourdes where we celebrate the goodness of God, the resilience of faith, and the ties that bind us.
Be safe, be well, be strong, and remain ever hopeful in a God who loves us.
United in Christ,
Rev. Daniel Griffith