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Daily Mass - January 25, 2021
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3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time - January 24, 2021
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From Father Larry Adams
As I write this column, the live coverage of the presidential inauguration is playing in the background. It’s been a difficult election season, a difficult experience of COVID, and a difficult year in general. But, as I preached at this morning’s Mass, we place our trust in God and in our Savior. Whatever 2021 has in store for us, we place it in God’s hands and ask for his loving care and protection!
As we look forward to the upcoming season, a few things have been on my mind:- Recently, we experienced a power failure at St Gerard Majella Church, which shut down the heat and much of the interior lighting. Repairs will take some time to complete. In the meantime, due to the lack of heat and light inside, we’ll be unable to hold liturgies (such as funerals, Taize services, and others) at St Gerard Majella Church. We’ll be sure to make a public announcement, once repairs are completed!
- One of our staff members, Leo, has decided to move on to new opportunities. We appreciate all his hard work and dedication for our community over the past four years, and we wish him the best of luck in the future!
- With Leo’s departure, an opening for maintenance worker on our staff has become available. Elsewhere in this bulletin, you will find the job posting. If you or someone you know is interested, please let us know!
- The policy of the diocese continues to be that we are unable to utilize our facilities for public events, with the exception of liturgies. As we look forward to the beginning of Lent, we realize that we’re accustomed to holding a “Mardi Gras” celebration each year. Unfortunately, we’ll be unable to hold this celebration this year.
- Another custom we’ve had is the burning of last year’s palms at the Mardi Gras celebration. If you have palms that you’d like us to burn, please look for the baskets which you’ll find in the lobbies at St Bernadette Church and St Susanna Church. Although we won’t have a public event, we’ll burn and take care of your blessed palms.
- We’ve also been thinking about St Blaise day blessings. It’s a little-known fact, but when St Blaise day falls on a Sunday, the normal way to provide these blessings is with a single blessing to all people at the conclusion of Mass (in other words, without individual blessings using crossed candles). Given the realities of the pandemic, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has indicated that the “single blessing to all, without candles” is how we should perform the blessing this year. Our Mass on St Blaise day (Wednesday, February 3) will take place at St Bernadette at 9:30am, with a blessing (without candles) for all in attendance at the conclusion of Mass.
- We’re also beginning to think about Lent – Ash Wednesday, Friday Stations of the Cross, and other observances. Please keep an eye on the bulletin – we hope to publicize our Lenten schedules in the coming weeks!
Fr Larry
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