Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
In my 30 plus years as a priest, I never thought the day would come when, as a Church, we would not be able to gather to celebrate public Mass or the
Sacraments. I remember 9/11 and how we all gathered in prayer after the attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. How good it was to gather at church and pray. But now, even that is taken from us.
As Catholic Christians, our faith is shared and expressed in community. Our faith, like a “good” virus, spreads from people to people. Now, however, we need to protect ourselves and those who are the most vulnerable from this new, dangerous, life-threatening Covid 19 Coronavirus. This means that we must hunker down, keep ourselves physically distant from one another, and take the necessary precautions to prevent ourselves from getting this virus and/or spreading it to others.
How can we keep our faith strong during times like this? Do not be afraid!! We must remember that throughout history, God never abandoned His people:
When the Jewish people were enslaved in Egypt – God rescued them.
When Israel was devastated by Babylon. When Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed and the people were exiled in a foreign country, God never abandoned them.
When external signs of God’s presence (like the temple) were gone and the people felt alone, God upheld them.
At the Cross, when all seemed lost, Jesus died … but, three days later, he rose from the dead!
When the disciples were ridiculed, tortured and put to death, a new Church was being born on the faith of those early martyrs.
Plagues and pandemics have been a part of our history many times and it has always made the Church stronger and more vibrant!
Throughout our history, the Catholic Church has survived persecution, disease, famine, and abuse.
God is with us! Do not be afraid. We are all in this together!
During these days of uncertainty, St. Mary of the Assumption Parish will remain very much alive and we will do our best, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to minister to your needs. The Church is not our buidling. WE ARE THE CHURCH! So let us never say that the Church is closed. Attached is a list of Questions & Answers that you will want to read. The parish will stream, in English and Spanish, Sunday Mass and daily Mass. Other prayers and reflections will be recorded and made available.
All of the Redemptorists are here to assist you. We will do our best to meet your individual needs during this time. We want to be present realizing that we also don’t want to spread disease. We are not allowed to share Communion outside of Mass. If we could do this, we would be celebrating Mass. If you need to call me, do not hesitate.
Please use this time to draw close to Jesus in prayer, silence, reflection and meditation. If you have children, please pray with them and exercise patience. All this isolation and social distancing will pass … and we can become better, stronger and more faithful if we use this time to grow closer to God. We are never alone – the Saints and Angels accompany us! God will never abandon us. Do not be afraid!
Sincerely,
Fr. Patrick Keyes, CSSR
Questions & Answers
What is St. Mary of the Assumption doing to help us stay connected during the COVID-19?
We want to honor your connection to spiritual community as much as possible with the resources we have available. At this point in time, we have the benefit of technology to remain socially connected while social distancing. In an effort to support you in your spiritual journey during this time, we will offer a variety of prayerful touchpoints through the days and weeks ahead. Join us as we connect with each other and our community. We will actively be using our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/stmaryschurchwhittier/ along with updating our website, app and using email blasts.
We will livestream daily mass in Spanish at 8:30 AM and English 5:00 PM from our Redemptorist Chapel. Sunday Mass in Spanish at 8:00 AM and 9:45 English
We will offer a daily rosary that will be led at noon in English and 7:00 PM in Spanish.
Am I allowed to go to the Church to pray?
Unfortunately no. St. Mary’s door will be closed for the duration of the quarantine. Unfortunately, in-person participation of the liturgy is unavailable; however, we encourage you to watch the Mass on our Facebook page and participate in prayer from home.
Is the office open?
The office is open from 9:00 AM -12:00 PM and 1:00 - 5:00 PM, but only by phone. Laura Guerrero, our receptionist, is working from home. Please call the regular office number 562-698-0107 and she can get a hold of us. In an emergency call 562-569-4609.
How can I stay connected to St. Mary’s during this time of social distancing?
We would love to utilize this time to connect with parishioners. If you would be interested in making phone calls or writing letters to parishioners, please contact the office Lguerrero@stmaryschurch-whittier.org or pkeyes@stmaryschurch-whittier.org
What if I am not on Facebook or do not have the internet?
We are working on finding a livestream for those who don’t have internet service. You can see the Mass on TV and other services. If you do not have internet and are interested, many local internet providers are offering free internet during the social distancing time.
How do I make my Sunday offering?
You can drop off your envelope at the Rectory or send it in the mail. You can also donate on line at https://stmaryschurch-whittier.org/donate. As a Church, we are committed to keeping our staff employed; however, we have cut their hours but we still have many expenses.
I lost my job or I need help?
Please call the Rectory, we have limited funds available, but we will try to help. On Saturday from 10 am to noon our food bank will be open for food distribution. You can also call 855-423-6780, which is a hotline set up by the Knights of Columbus and St. Vincent De Paul Society to help.
Is confession still available?
No, but we are going to organize an online penance service for Saturdays at 3:30 PM in English and 7:30 PM in Spanish. Pope Francis has outlined a way we can help you make your confession at home and to make an act of contrition.
Can my small group, Exodus group or prayer group meet during this time?
No groups larger than 10 are allowed to meet during this time. Because of this, we encourage our small groups who are able to connect via video conferencing such as Facebook messenger, FaceTime, or Zoom. If you would like assistance in setting your group up for this, please contact Lillian Cruces at drecruces@gmail.com.
Will we celebrate Palm Sunday and Holy Week Services?
Yes, but only by livestreaming. We will celebrate a truncated service in our Community Chapel and livestream the celebrations. We will not be able to bless or distribute palms. Palm Sunday will be celebrated on Saturday April 4th at 5:00 Pm and Sunday April 5th at 8 in Spanish and 9:45 in English.
Is the school closed?
No, the school is still open but online. Fortunately, the school was ready to go
online so all of our students are learning at home using their chrome books. I have heard good reports about wonderful online learning. The school will reopen when it is safe. Please call 562-698-0253.
What about the sacraments, such as first Communion, baptism and marriage?
These sacraments will be rescheduled for a later date.
Can we be anointed?
We are trying to minimize contact with people as much as possible. We will pray with you on the phone and in danger of death we will come to offer the final blessing and commendation of the dying. Again minimizing contact as much as possible.
Can we have a funeral mass?
Not during the time of the pandemic. We will celebrate burials with only 10 people present. We will organize memorial masses after the pandemic has passed.
When will the Church reopen?
We do not know. We hope by the April 19, but this is too soon to know. What I do know is that when we reopen, we will celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus together with a beautiful celebration of triumph over death.