Memo from Msgr. Raun July 10th, 2020

July 10th, 2020
by STA_Michael Allen

My dear family,
Greetings in the Lord Jesus!

5 Questions to Calm Your Fears as We Emerge from COVID-19

2. What Does the Bible Say about Our Future?

Let’s dive into some verses that talk about the future and how God plays into it.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11
This was written to the Israelites as the Babylonians took them into a 70-year captivity, but it speaks to us of how God always deals with His people.We know that He does have a plan for our lives, full of hope.

Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
Even if we can’t see our future, we know who holds it. We can continue to trust in the Lord and know that He will make our paths straight, even when we can’t see beyond the next few steps.

2 Corinthians 4:17 explains, “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” St. Paul reminds us here that no matter what we face in the future, all our struggles will pale in comparison with the abundant joy we will experience when we see Jesus in heaven.
Hope Bolinger
Crosswalk.com
HOW WE ARE RECEIVING COMMUNION: I hear that some folks are unhappy - in fact not even going to Mass - because for the time being we have to receive Holy Communion on the hand. Well, these are my thoughts:

As you know, your pastor is an old-fashioned clergyman. If I were the Pope, we would all be receiving on the tongue and kneeling at the Communion rail. I just personally think it is more reverent. Alas, I am not the Pope.
Having said that, we know that receiving on the hand was the practice of the early Church for centuries. No doubt our Lord gave Communion on the hand at the Last Supper. Our Holy Father the Pope has said that this is an approved practice, and he himself gives Communion on the hand to people. To say that receiving on the hand is wrong or a sin is silliness.
I have read enough doctors who are not only learned in their field but also believing pious Catholics that say that receiving on the tongue does increase the risk of spreading the virus.
Following their advise, our father the Archbishop has decreed that, for the present emergency, we must receive Holy Communion in the hand. He did this out of concern for the health of the faithful, and so that we can continue to have public Mass without endangering the health of the community.
Obedience is not a virtue if it means that we only obey those things that we like!
The important thing is that we attend Holy Mass and receive our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. If I were told that I had to stand on my head to receive Communion, I would do it. It wouldn't be pretty, but I would do it. As Fr. McKee likes to say "Keep your eye on the prize." The prize is Jesus. I love rituals, but God forbid if we ever place any particular ritual above Jesus. Let's not gripe over things of relatively little importance, but rather thank God that we can once again attend Mass and receive Holy Communion.

IF YOU ARE NOT COMFORTABLE GOING INTO CHURCH TO RECEIVE COMMUNION, remember that starting this Sunday, at the end of the 9 am Mass, we will have a Eucharistic Minister go to the front of the Religious Education Building with the Blessed Sacrament to distribute Holy Communion outdoors. You can come to church at 9 am, listen to the Mass on your radio (106.5 FM), and then receive Holy Communion. We will see how many people respond to this in the next few weeks. I hope this allows more people to be able to receive our Lord.

MONDAY NIGHT BIBLE STUDY: We continue of study of Biblical Hope for Mental Health with "The Reality Choice". Mental health depends on being rooted in spiritual reality, and we will study the first Beatitude to learn how to do that. This is good stuff we all need to know! Monday, July 13, 7 pm, on the parish app or website. Come join me!

HOW TO GO TO MASS:
1. All Masses - just show up. But remember that we have to close off the church when we reach 250 people in attendance.
2. Wear a mask.

3. Be prepared to receive Communion in the hand.

IF WE REACH 250 PEOPLE AT A MASS, and a person arrives after that, they will be invited to come to another Mass, or they can go to their car and wait, and they will be allowed to join the Communion line at the end of Mass. Together with this, we are now broadcasting every Sunday Mass on our new low-wattage FM transmitter, at 106.5 FM. You can receive this signal from anyplace in the parking lot of the church. If you still do not feel comfortable going into the church for Mass, you can listen to it in your car and at the end of Mass come in to receive Holy Communion!
CONFESSIONS:
Weekdays: 8 am and 5 pm
Saturday: 8 am and 2:30 pm

BAPTISMS, MARRIAGES,SICK CALLS and FUNERALS are all taking place, albeit under the restrictions mandated by the Archbishop and the Governor. Just call the parish office and we will gladly help you with the preparations needed.
PLEASE SHARE ALL THIS INFORMATION WITH THOSE WHO DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THE INTERNET!
HOLINESS TIP : The Supernatural Power of Humility, According to the Saints
“Jesus taught me that the only glory which matters is the glory which lasts forever,
and that one does not have to perform shining deeds to win that, but to hide one’s acts of virtue from others, and even from oneself, so that ‘the left hand does not know what the right hand is doing.'” (St. Therese)

LAUGHTER IS THE BEST MEDICINE: my Dad sent me these !

My super power is holding on to junk for years and then throwing it away the week before I need it.
I always knew I would grow old. How fast it would happen was a bit of a surprise, though.

OUR PRAYER FOR THE DAY: This is the prayer I say every day after I receive Holy Communion
Soul of Christ, sanctify me.
Body of Christ, save me.
Blood of Christ, inebriate me.
Water from the side of Christ, wash me.
Passion of Christ, strengthen me.
O Good Jesus, hear me.
Within Thy wounds hide me.
Suffer me not to be separated from thee.
From the malignant enemy defend me.
In the hour of my death call me.
And bid me come unto Thee,
That with all Thy saints,
I may praise thee
Forever and ever.
Amen.

I send you my fatherly blessing, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen !
Msgr. Doug Raun


	God Bless You

Posted in Daily Memo from Msgr. Raun

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