Pastor’s Weekly Letter, April 8, 2020

Pastor’s Weekly Letter, April 8, 2020

9 Apr 2020 | Posted by: chadmin

To view our complete bulletin online, click here.

April 8, 2020

Dear friend,

Happy Easter! I’m writing on Wednesday of Holy Week, but not sure when each of you will read this bulletin. These days of Holy Week are such a blessing for the Christian soul. Everything we hold to be true about salvation in Christ is represented in the drama of the Triduum liturgy. The liturgy is meant to be “experienced,” which is certainly a challenge with our physical distancing. Our hope is that the live broadcast of the liturgy enables you to pray at home and feel connected to your church. Even if you are reading this at Easter, the recordings from this live broadcast schedule are saved on both YouTube and Facebook Video.

Holy Thursday: 7 pm – Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper

Good Friday: 1:30 pm – Rosary; 2:00 pm – Stations of the Cross; 2:30 pm – Divine Mercy Chaplet; 3:00 pm – Passion of the Lord; 7:00 pm – Tenebrae

Holy Saturday: 8 pm – Easter Vigil

Easter Sunday: 8 am – Mass

Next week: 8 am – Mass Daily

During these days of Holy Week, we remember the Love of Christ for us. Essential Christ invites us to allow Him to be God for us, while challenging us to walk in His footsteps. Obviously, none of us is God. However, we are able to love and serve one another. We all have a role to play in the Mystery of Salvation. God calls us to be active participants in our own salvation and to help others achieve salvation. It is the work of Christ that brings eternal life, but it is our “yes” that allows that work to be done in each of our souls. As we live the drama of the Paschal Mystery, in our own way, these days of holiness challenge us to apply the Christian message to our daily lives. Please continue to pray for all affected by the coronavirus and for a healthy return to a functioning society.

This week, parish staff began calling parishioners over 75 years of age. We want to do our part to check in on people. We are happy to provide assistance where needed. If you know of anyone that needs assistance, you are welcome to contact the parish office:  parish@stphils.com or 309-682-8642. It is also a good time to reach out to those you know that might not have anyone checking on them. As always, it’s better to be safe than sorry. We have heard of many scams being attempted in this time. It really is disappointing. Don’t be surprised if you get a call from us, but don’t be afraid to hang up on anyone who calls or not answer a number you do not know, as many are trying to abuse our current situation.

God bless you,

Father David