Fr. Daniel's Letter to his Parishioners

 

Dear Parishioners,

As we celebrate Palm Sunday, I am so hoping that this letter is being read by the larger number of people who came to Mass.  The COVID restrictions are easing up and now we can have 50% capacity.  We are still following all the same protocols of mask wearing, contact tracing, no missals in the pews, no choir, and social distancing so we will most likely run out of spots for people before we reach the capacity.  Regardless, it is still a step in the right direction.  Please be patient with us because we are used to only handling 50 people in the Church and 50 people in the overflow.  It has been a year since we celebrated Holy Mass with a larger number of people so it will feel great to see some of you.

Palm Sunday starts Holy Week, the highest and holiest week of the year for us.  Hopefully you will take advantage of the many services we have to celebrate the last days of Jesus’ life on this earth.  We will have Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy

Saturday in three churches this year because when we planned the celebrations, we did not know the number that would be allowed to attend.  My goal was to make as many seats available as possible while also maintaining a safe place.  With the multiple celebrations in the area, everyone who wants to attend, will be able to attend.  Also, for those who are not yet comfortable    entering the Church, we will live stream all of the liturgies from the Basilica. 

I would like to extend a big THANK YOU to Brian Wilson who organized the Consecration to St. Joseph and the 33 days of prayer leading up to it.  Pope Francis has declared this the year of St. Joseph.  My hope is that since some of our parishioners come from the former St. Joseph Church on Main Street, we will do a few prayerful events during this year to ask for his              intercession and to reconnect those who attended the Church.  I have come to find that there is a special bond that exists among people who prayed together in a Church that persists even after the Church was closed.  I believe it is important to honor that relationship.

Have a very prayerful and holy “Holy Week.   ~  Fr. Daniel

 


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