Sunday, November 28 2021
Dear Parishioners,
In order to assist you in your First Friday/Saturday devotions, I have developed the following plan. This coming (First) Friday and Saturday I will be available in the confessional at 8:00 a.m. Only one person at a time will be allowed in the church. My assistant will monitor those going to the confessional. At 9:00 a.m. the church will be opened for a brief Communion service. People should leave within 10 minutes of receiving Communion. As to First Saturday, anyone unable to fulfill the devotion on Saturday may do so on Sunday this month by decree of this unworthy priest. In the words of Sister Lucy (speaking the words given to her), "The practice of this devotion will be equally acceptable on the Sunday following the First Saturday when My Priests, for a just cause, allow it to souls." Finally, there will obviously be no Eucharistic adoration this month. That will continue in January.
Mass will be live-streamed on Sunday (tomorrow) at 10:00 a.m. I ask that the church be empty at 9:15 a.m. (Individuals praying in the chapel on Thanksgiving Day contributed to the delay in Mass starting on time.)
Please do not forget the financial needs of the church at this time. Again, checks should be made to OLHC (not to me), and sent to my PO box. If you have envelopes, please use them. (FYI, these will remain sealed until they are processed.)
The following are protocols for families with coughing children: Mothers have the most difficult task of any of us in understanding how their childrens' symptoms should be interpreted. The following criteria should be adequate to answer the question. Children with chronic coughs of more than 10 days and who are fever-free may attend church. Children with coughs lasting less than 10 days or who have a fever should not attend church, nor should their parents. However, children who have tested negative for Coronavirus within 72 hours and who otherwise have mild symptoms may attend Mass along with their families.
I believe that Fr. Wiest is recovering slowly but surely. Contrary to rumor, he is still in the hospital. It appears to me that this is going to be a slow recovery. He has had a very lonely stay in the hospital, and has suffered greatly. Please keep him in your prayers.
In our Lord,
Fr. Starbuck
P.S. For updates from Angela Siffron please email her at: Churchlady@neptuneplumbing.com directly. I will send updates to her, which she will forward via the server list. In other words, do not contact me to be on this list. Please be sure to keep Angela updated on Covid cases in the parish.