Memo from Msgr. Raun- Friday June 12th, 2020
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| | My dear family, Greetings in the Lord Jesus! WAYS TO HOLD ON TO JOY IN TROUBLED TIMES Realize Your Strength Comes from Joy Most of the time I think we get this concept backwards. We think joy is a result of being strong. But the Bible clearly states in Nehemiah 8:10 that our strength comes from the joy of the Lord. What is the Lord’s joy, and how does it give us strength? God knew the plan He had for Jesus to come as a human being and provide salvation from sin through his sacrificial death on the cross. He also knew death couldn’t keep Jesus in the grave and that He would rise again and one day return in victory. The completion of the plan to save us is the source of his joy. Jesus gives us his power over sin and death, and this is where our strength comes from. We can hold onto his joy and the ability it confers on us to weather any storm or face any obstacle. The best part is, we don’t have to worry about it running out or failing. “ . . . Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!" Nehemiah 8:10 I'M BACK! Sorry that we haven't had a memo for a few days, but I had an opportunity early this week to go up to Denver to visit Fr. Hilton. It did wonders for my mental health. I drove up Sunday afternoon and came back Wednesday morning. BIG NEWS ABOUT MASS: We had a big staff meeting yesterday via Zoom, and made some decisions concerning Mass. The bottom line is this: you no longer need to make a "reservation" to come to Sunday Mass. This is the reason. At none of our Masses have we been close to our 250 person capacity. We also realize that for some people, making a reservation is just too hard or they just can't get their mind around it. With this, we hope to get more people to Mass. But please remember this - by order of both the Archbishop and the Governor, we cannot allow more than 250 people to attend any one Mass! So come early. If more than 250 people show up, the ushers will have to ask them to come to a later Mass, or sit in their cars, listen to the Mass on the radio or say their own prayers, and then enter the church at the end of Mass to receive Holy Communion. I know it's weird, friends, but it is the best we can come up with. For this to work, we all need a lot of understanding, patience, and love. I hear that some people have been really ugly with the ushers when they are just trying to do their job. Shame on such people. We should all just be filled with joy that we have the possibility of going to Mass and receiving our Lord in Holy Communion. A lot of people are working very hard to make that happen, and they deserve our gratitude, not our giving them grief. I know that everyone is tired and out-of-sorts nowadays, but Christian love must rise above everything! Of course we will continue to stream the 9 am Mass and the 6 pm Holy Hour each day. If you are sick, please stay home! If you are high-risk, please honestly evaluate your personal situation. Remember that the Sunday Mass obligation is still dispensed by the Archbishop. But that does not mean that we ought to stay away from Mass if we are low-risk! Even if at the moment it is not a mortal sin to miss Sunday Mass, what should motivate us to go to Mass is the love of Jesus Christ more than the fear of hell. HOW TO GO TO MASS: 1. All Masses - just show up. But remember that we have to close the church when we reach 250 people in attendance. 2. Wear a mask. 3. Be prepared to receive Communion in the hand. BIG NEWS ABOUT CONFESSIONS: as of Monday, June 15, we will have confessions in the Adoration Chapel every morning at 8 am, in addition to the evening confessions. PLEASE SHARE ALL THIS INFORMATION WITH THOSE WHO DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THE INTERNET! PRAISE REPORT: from Deacon Frank Smith and the Care Kit team: "The St. Vincent de Paul office staff passed me a request for a Care Kit Wednesday that said: “ -only has 1 can of peaches in house -no TP. Was in hospital Needs Care Kit ASAP.” I immediately put a Care Kit together, added a few other items to the non-perishable basics such as apples, oranges, potatoes, bread, peanut butter, and eggs. Considering her circumstances, I didn’t want to delay two days for delivery on Friday, the next regular Care Kit delivery day. I called right away, but no answer so I left a message but didn’t hear back until late Thursday. I offered to deliver the Kit then, but she assured me she is okay until Friday; she has enough oatmeal for dinner. When I delivered the Care Kit Friday after mass, the lady could not find enough words through her grateful tears to express how to thank the parish for caring so much, for the phone call and for the food she so desperately needed. After a brief visit and sharing a few tears and praying together, she wheeled her groceries back to her modest trailer in her little wagon." HOLINESS TIP : words of wisdom from St. John of the Cross: “Strive to preserve your heart in peace; let no event of this world disturb it.” PRAY FOR OUR NATION! PRAY, PRAY, PRAY! LAUGHTER IS THE BEST MEDICINE: Real quotes from church bulletins...... The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon. Ladies, don’t forget the rummage sale. It’s a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Bring your husbands. Holy Thursday service: The ladies of the altar guild will be stripping on the altar. The pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the Congregation would lend him their electric girdles for the pancake breakfast next Sunday. OUR PRAYER FOR THE DAY: June is the month of the Sacred Heart.... O most holy Heart of Jesus, fountain of every blessing, I adore you, I love you and will a lively sorrow for my sins. I offer you this poor heart of mine. Make me humble, patient, pure, and wholly obedient to your will. Grant, good Jesus, that I may live in you and for you. Protect me in the midst of danger; comfort me in my afflictions; give me health of body, assistance in my temporal needs, your blessings on all that I do, and the grace of a holy death. Within your heart I place my every care. In every need let me come to you with humble trust saying, Heart of Jesus, help me. Amen. I send you my fatherly blessing, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen ! Msgr. Doug Raun | |
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