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Dear Friends in Christ,
I hope this letter finds you well as we conclude the Easter season and prepare to celebrate the great Feast of Pentecost – the gift of God’s Spirit to the Church. This year our celebration takes place with hope and gratitude as we begin to see daylight at the end of the long tunnel of this global pandemic. It is not lost on me nor any of us that many Americans and indeed many throughout the world continue to suffer acutely from the devastating effects of COVID-19. I ask you to join me in prayer for those who have suffered so much and for those who continue to suffer from a lack of health and the privation of justice.
Here, at Our Lady of Lourdes, we have sought to “thread the needle” between the centrality of the Eucharist as the source and summit of our Catholic faith and the importance of public health. I thank our parishioners, parish leaders, and staff who have helped us trod this long path over these past months well and prudently. Soon, following the advise and counsel of the Archdiocese, we will once again fill our baptismal font and will be able to resume liturgical celebrations in a manner to which you have become accustomed. Presently, you are welcome to sing at Mass and to sing the Mass parts with all due praise to God. For the time being, we will continue our current Mass schedule, with the 10 a.m. Mass livestreamed.
I am happy to announce that this weekend will be the last weekend that we will require registration for any of the Sunday Masses (registration for the 5 p.m. and 8 a.m. Masses had been previously suspended). We also anticipate that, beginning the weekend of May 29-30, we will open Our Lady of Lourdes at full capacity. While the city of Minneapolis continues to require masks to be worn indoors, even for those who have been fully vaccinated, I am hoping that this mask mandate will end soon. I encourage all parishioners to become fully vaccinated and thank those who have already chosen to avail themselves of this important opportunity.
In looking at our common life together and opening back up, I am excited to announce that we will have a number of opportunities this summer to reconnect and experience the rich fellowship that mark this fine parish. We have several events on tap this summer including several fellowship and faith formation opportunities: the Lourdes Healing Tent, a summer book club; coffee and doughnuts in the courtyard; a courtyard cookout; and more. More information is soon forthcoming on these events.
Three events to put on your calendar bridge the beginning, midpoint, and the conclusion of summer. On Wednesday, June 2nd, Lourdes will host an Evening Celebration of Gratitude. We will gather in church for chanted evening prayer (Vespers) at 5:30 p.m. followed by the
presentation of our annual Fleur de lis Awards. A reception in the courtyard will follow. All are welcome! Yes – the Lourdes Block Party is back this summer – at least a scaled down version that will be much fun and celebrate robustly summer in Minneapolis and our historic parish that anchors the first neighborhood of our river city. Sunday, August 15 is the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, our patron saint. This is a fitting day to dedicate the
new Ralph Strangis Memorial Pipe Organ, three years to the day of Ralph’s passing.
Lastly, and not least in importance, I know that this time has been a challenge for so many and has also been a time of anguish and indeed suffering. Parish leaders will be reaching out to parishioners for prayer intentions and requests and the Lourdes Healing Ministry will initiate opportunities for dialogue and accompaniment. What does a post-pandemic parish look like and how do we respond to the needs of parishioners and our broader community with the truth and joy of Jesus Christ? We will discern these important questions together, according the guidance of the Holy Spirit – the Lord and giver of life.
Peace,
Fr. Griffith