March 24, 2020

My Dear Brothers & Sisters in Christ,

Where to begin? First of all, remember we are under the protection of our all-loving God. We thank Him for His love & protection during these trying times.  All of you are in my heart & daily prayers.  I pray that, like the night of the Passover from Egyptian bondage, that this virus will pass over our homes & loved ones, & that we be spared from any & all Illness.  I ask you that we, in solidarity, pray for the souls who have succumbed to this virus, pray for those who are infected by the virus at present, & pray that our trust in the Lord brings us peace in our hearts.

Life has changed temporarily. It has slowed down for us, & that’s a good thing. Gone are the hectic schedules that kept us away from homes. Getting our children to the ballparks, swim lessons, dance practices, & other extracurricular activities that relegated our homes to practically just a place to bathe & sleep.  Now we find ourselves with ample time on our hands. What are we doing with this newfound time?  Hopefully, rediscovering the beauty of family. Finding time to talk to each other with a listening heart.  Spending time together, maybe watching wholesome family movies, playing board games together, embarking on “an all hands on deck” mission to give your homes a good spring cleaning. Most importantly, setting aside a special time each day to pray together as family.

The one thing that hasn’t changed, is that we are Catholics. The inability to celebrate Mass, & the burning desire to receive Eucharist continues to be an unfulfilled desire in all of us. But that doesn’t prevent us living our faith. First, by our commitment to daily prayer, which always begins with praise & adoration to our Triune God, then thanksgiving for all of our blessings, followed by our daily petitions, & finally, quieting ourselves, & saying “speak Lord, your servant is listening”. Are there people we know who aren’t able to get out & get groceries, get to the pharmacy to pick up medicines?  We are our brother & sister’s keeper, & it’s our obligation & privilege to love God, through love of our neighbor.  

Pray for men & women in the medical profession, who leave the safety of their homes to fight this war on the front lines. Pray for all first responders who are willing to do whatever is necessary to rush to the aid of any/all, regardless of the personal costs involved. Pray for their families, that they might put their heartfelt trust in God, that their loved one will return home safely & healthy.

I encourage you to take advantage of tuning in to Masses offered through electronic mediums. Pray a prayer of Spiritual Communion every day. As a family, gather together for Way of the Cross in your homes on Friday nights. KEEP THE FAITH!
 
Sincerely Yours in Christ.
Fr. Mixie

Nowhere in the New Testament can you find a designated percentage of income a person should set aside as a tithe; but only says gifts should be “in keeping with income” (1 Corinthians 16:2). Some in the Christian church have taken the 10 percent figure from the Old Testament tithe and applied it as a “recommended minimum” for Christians in their giving. The New Testament talks about the importance and benefits of giving. We are to give as we are able. Sometimes that means giving more than 10 percent; sometimes that may mean giving less. It all depends on the ability of the Christian and the needs of the church. Every Christian should diligently pray and seek God’s wisdom in the matter of participating in tithing and/or how much to give (James 1:5). Above all, tithes and offerings should be given with pure motives and an attitude of worship to God and service to the body of Christ. “Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7). (Cautious Note: Read the biblical account of the 1st tithe to God—The story of Cane and Able) Recently, you may have noticed that we have been making a push towards our “Direct Debit Program” where parishioners can set up a monthly transfer of funds from your own account directly into the church account. You choose the amount of the monthly transfer to be processed either on the 15th or the 30th of each month. This simplifies your giving process & more importantly, is consistent with “Giving of Your First Fruits” because God desires us to prayerfully commit to Him first; not whatever might be left of our monthly budget. 

Direct Debit Information and Form

 
Please check this website regularly as additional information will be forthcoming. .

ALL MASSES ARE CANCELED and any other gatherings for prayers must be canceled.

The Way of the Cross is canceled.

Confession times for Wednesday evenings have been canceled.

Adoration Chapel will close today (March 16th) at 6:00 PM until further notice.
There will be no meeting on March 23rd for adorers.

There are No CCD classes until further notice.

There are No FOY activities until further notice.


Please check our website daily for any changes in plans and/or schedules.