Dear Fellow Parishioners, How wonderful it was and is to see everyone at Masses during this Christmas Season wearing masks. We are experiencing an uptick in covid-19 numbers due to the Omicron variant and without being encouraged or asked everyone just put their masks on and are willing to keep each other safe during the times that we gather. Thank you so very much for your willingness to care for one another.
It is very difficult to know how to build community and navigate as the Catholic Community of Sacred Heart during a lingering pandemic. Everyone has different levels of comfort in being present with others. Isolation and fear can take over our lives and we can use the pandemic as an excuse rather than a reason not to gather together. Being fully vaccinated, boostered, and masked will keep us as safe as we possibly can when assemble as a community.
At the same time, we are depending on the few ministers who are willing to be readers of the Word, canters, greeters, AV operators and live streamers. My fear is that these same people get burnt out due to so few to share the ministry load. Some are waiting for things to get back to normal. I am afraid this is the new normal. We will not be able to share the communion cup during this pandemic. We have a difficult time getting ministers for two Masses on the weekend, so we certainly can’t schedule three. We don’t have the financial and personnel resources to have the luxury to do so.
My greatest fear is the isolation that many may be experiencing. Isolation leads to broken relationships, depression, and even worse, loss of hope and desire to live. I am encouraging everyone to make to effort to join us in worship on the weekend, or come to Mass during our weekday gathering at 9:00 A.M. Monday through Thursday. In the meantime, we are going to try to assemble outreach teams that will make phone calls to check in on each household. Also, if you have any wisdom on how we can help grow our community during a pandemic, please don’t hold back, let us know.