Memo from Msgr. Raun- Thursday November 5th, 2020
| My dear family, Peace and blessing from the Lord Jesus to you all. THANKSGIVING FOOD DRIVE : I have always found it a source of joy that in-between the Thanksgiving Baskets given out through the St. Vincent de Paul Society, and the Thanksgiving Dinner served by the good folk at St. Felix Pantry, no one needs go without a proper Thanksgiving dinner in Rio Rancho. This year we will also have our St. V de P Thanksgiving food drive, but it will be adjusted because of the corona-virus. Please read carefully this memo from our St. Vincent de Paul Conference: "The annual Thanksgiving food distribution sponsored by your St. Vincent de Paul Society is only a few weeks away. The Society is dependent on your generosity once again this year. St. Vincent de Paul will be collecting frozen turkeys, frozen pies and monetary donations. Other food items are not needed this year. All monetary donations designated for Thanksgiving will be used to provide families with a nice meal. Any remaining funds will help pay rents and utilities in the coming cold months. Donations will be taken at Fr. D’Arco Hall beginning Friday, November 13- November 20th from 8:00AM- 6:00PM daily. That is only one week to collect enough to feed over 600 families. Monetary donations can also be dropped off at the Parish office in an envelope marked “Thanksgiving”. If your family is in need of a Thanksgiving dinner, please use this service on Saturday, November 21st from 9:00- noon in the parish parking lot. Covid practices will be followed at our drive-up service. If you are home bound and need assistance, please call our St. Vincent de Paul office for information at 892-0526. Thank you for your donations and prayers." Our wonderful St. Vincent de Paul Conference also continues its wonderful work of assisting those in need around us every day. This is what they did in the month of October: 36 families assisted Rental assistance- $5026.00 Utility assistance- $5137.02 YOU CAN RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNION EVERY SUNDAY - IN FACT YOU CAN RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNION EVERY DAY ! Friends, as disappointed as we are over the closure of public Masses, we must remember the BIG difference from what we went through from March through May - now we can receive Holy Communion! Daily! And because it is outside, with people socially-distanced and wearing masks, I can see no reason why anyone who is not home-bound cannot be receiving Holy Communion at least weekly. If you are particularly high-risk, just wait until the end of the line. I have received many positive comments on our "parking-lot" Masses and Communion. I'll just share this one: "By the way, the new parking lot Masses are wonderful!! We've attended a few already, and they have a really nice feel. The FM radio station is clear as a bell, and the way we receive Holy Communion is very easy. We had felt a little skeptical when we first heard it described, but having experienced it, it's great! Kudos to you and the staff for coming up with this idea. We are so blessed here at St Thomas." REMEMBER: HOW TO RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNION DURING THIS TIME: 1. The normal schedule of Masses - weekday and weekend - are being celebrated in the church. These will be private Masses. 2. BUT - every Mass is being broadcast on our low-wattage FM transmitter at 106.5 FM. You can listen to the Mass anywhere in our parish parking lot. Just sit in your car and listen to the Mass. 3. THEN - after each Mass, Eucharistic Ministers go out of the doors of the church with the Blessed Sacrament. Just go line up at the doors and receive Holy Communion. Please remember to wear your mask and to keep socially distanced while lining up to receive Communion. And - be very considerate and careful of your fellow parishioners in the parking lot as you drive away! 4. The 9 am Mass will continue to be live-streamed daily, and can be seen on our parish app and website (stanm.org). Also, remember the following: We are opening the church building every day at 9:30 am until 6:00 pm. (On Sundays from 2 pm to 6 pm.) We have Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament during these times. We are hearing Confessions Monday through Friday at 9:30 am and 5:00 pm. Saturday confessions will be at 9:30 am and 2:30 pm. Please call the parish office to arrange funerals, marriages and baptisms. There are to be no more than 10 persons present, and are to be celebrated without Mass. Your priests are happy to make sick calls. Every precaution will be taken to protect the health of the sick person and the priest. Just call the parish office. MORE HOMEBOUND EXTRAORDINARY MINISTERS OF HOLY COMMUNION NEEDED: We are getting more and more requests to bring Holy Communion to the sick and homebound. We need more help in doing this! To qualify, you must be a practicing Catholic and under 60 years of age. It is a very fulfilling ministry. We will give you all the training needed. To volunteer, just call the parish office - 892-1511. PLEASE SHARE ALL THIS INFORMATION WITH THOSE WHO DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THE INTERNET! Laughing is the best medicine : back by popular demand, more corny jokes... Why couldn't the girl type on her computer? Answer: She lost her keys Why was the cat afraid of the tree? Answer: Because of the bark What is the longest word in the English dictionary? Answer? Smiles, There is a mile between the S's A prayer for our nation: Dear Father in heaven, as we face these uncertain times in our nation and the world, we ask you, Lord, to dwell among us. We are comforted by the knowledge that You alone are our Savior and Lord, and the ultimate Master of life. We trust our nation to Your loving care, Lord. Send Your Spirit to touch the hearts of our nation’s leaders. Give them the wisdom to know what is right, and the courage to do it. Give us Your light and Your truth to guide us in our ways so that we may seek Your will in our lives and impact the world around us for Your Kingdom, through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord. 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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