st mary’s catholic churchsmcgvl.org/wp-content/uploads/20200503.pdf · 5/3/2020 · individual...
TRANSCRIPT
St Mary’s Catholic Church
Greenville, South Carolina
@ @ @ @ @
3 May 2020
Dear Friends in Christ,
I have splendid news on this Fourth Sunday of Easter: Our Bishop Robert Guglielmone has decided that the public celebration of the sacraments will return in the Diocese of Charleston in the following way:
Weekday Mass resumes on Monday 11 MaySunday Mass resumes on the weekend of 16 and 17 MayGeneral Absolution of Sins will be granted before each Sunday Mass through PentecostIndividual Confessions resume on Monday 1 June
For at least the first four weeks back we must limit attendance in all of our parishes to no more than 25% of our seating capacity in order to provide adequate space for social distancing. At Saint Mary’s this means we can allow up to 115 persons to be in the church at any one time, and every other pew will remain closed until we are able to lift restrictions on attendance. Detailed instructions will be forthcoming from the diocese on how everyone can assist in maintaining safety during these transitional weeks, but for now the following points are essential.
Until further notice, no one has an obligation to attend Mass, and therefore no sin is committed by anyone who does not attend Mass in person. Those who are at risk from the virus because of age or infirmity are asked not to attend Mass until this crisis is over. Since you do not have to come, you should not come if you are over 65, have diabetes, have cardiac or respiratory disease, have a compromised immune system, or have any of the other risk factors identified by the CDC. Put most simply: do not come to Mass if you should not be in groups or even if you are just concerned about the risk of infection for any reason whatsoever.
To regulate the number of people who can come to any given Mass on Sunday, Saint Mary’s will follow a system for four weeks based on the birth year and last name of the head of each household. This week I will send every family in the parish a detailed description of this system, but for now the essential point is that it will take four weeks to give everyone in the parish an opportunity to come to Mass on Sunday. So please continue to be patient as we ease back into the regular celebration of the sacraments.
Some of you will think this is too soon while others have been waiting for the day. The detailed plans which the diocese will be providing have been reviewed by state officials in Columbia, and we are confident that this approach is prudent and carefully considered. But while we will do everything possible to provide a safe environment, everyone should be mindful of the seriousness of this virus and continue to take personal responsibility for their own safety. Fasting from the sacraments and the company of others has been a heavy burden, but we are approaching a new moment in this journey. So let us remain stouthearted and wait upon the LORD.
Father Newman
On 4 August last year, the 160th anniversary of the death of the Curé of Ars, I chose to write a letter to all those priests who daily devote their lives to the service of God’s people in response to the Lord’s call.
On that occasion, I chose four key words – pain, gratitude, encouragement and praise – as a way of thanking priests and supporting their ministry. I believe that today, on this 57th World Day of Prayer for Vocations, those words can be addressed to the whole people of God, against the backdrop of the Gospel passage that recounts for us the remarkable experience of Jesus and Peter during a stormy night on the Sea of Galilee (cf. Matthew 14.22-33).
After the multiplication of the loaves, which had astonished the crowds, Jesus told his disciples to get into the boat and precede him to the other shore, while he took leave of the people. The image of the disciples
crossing the lake can evoke our own life’s journey. Indeed, the boat of our lives slowly advances, restlessly looking for a safe haven and prepared to face the perils and promises of the sea, yet at the same time trusting that the helmsman will ultimately keep us on the right course. At times, though, the boat can drift off course, misled by mirages, not the lighthouse that leads it home, and be tossed by the tempests of difficulty, doubt and fear.
Something similar takes place in the hearts of those who, called to follow the Teacher of Nazareth, have to undertake a crossing and abandon their own security to become the Lord’s disciples. The risk involved is real: the night falls, the headwinds howl, the boat is tossed by the waves, and fear of failure, of not being up to the call, can threaten to overwhelm them.
The Gospel, however, tells us that in the midst of this challenging journey we are not alone. Like the first ray of dawn in the heart of the night, the Lord comes walking on the troubled waters to join the disciples; he invites Peter to come to him on the waves, saves him when he sees him sinking and, once in the boat, makes the winds die down.
The first word of vocation, then, is gratitude. Taking the right course is not something we do on our own, nor does it depend solely on the road we choose to travel. How we find fulfilment in
life is more than a decision we make as isolated individuals; above all else, it is a response to a call from on high. The Lord points out our destination on the opposite shore and he grants us the courage to board the boat. In calling us, he becomes our helmsman; he accompanies and guides us; he prevents us from running aground on the shoals of indecision and even enables us to walk on surging waters.
Every vocation is born of that gaze of love with which the Lord came to meet us, perhaps even at a time when our boat was being battered by the storm. “Vocation, more than our own choice, is a response to the Lord’s unmerited call” (Letter to Priests, 4 August 2019). We will succeed in discovering and embracing our vocation once we open our hearts in gratitude and perceive the passage of God in our lives.
When the disciples see Jesus walking towards them on the sea, they first think that he is a ghost and are
“ Every vocation is born of that
gaze of love with which the Lord
came to meet us ”
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Jesus
the
Good
Shepherd
Message of His Holiness Pope Francis for the 57th World Day of Prayer for Vocations
3 May 2020 - Fourth Sunday of EasterTheme: Words of Vocation.
filled with fear. Jesus immediately reassures them with words that should constantly accompany our lives and our vocational journey: “Take heart, it is I; have no fear” (Matthew 14.27). This, then, is the second word I wish to offer you: encouragement.
What frequently hinders our journey, our growth, our choosing the road the Lord is marking out for us, are certain “ghosts” that trouble our hearts. When we are called to leave safe shores and embrace a state of life – like marriage, ministerial priesthood, consecrated life – our first reaction is often from the “ghost of disbelief”. Surely, this vocation is not for me! Can this really be the right path? Is the Lord really asking me to do this?
Those thoughts can keep growing – justifications and calculations that sap our determination and leave us hesitant and powerless on the shore where we started. We think we might be wrong, not up to the challenge, or simply glimpsing a ghost to be exorcized.
The Lord knows that a fundamental life choice – like marriage or special consecration to his service – calls for courage. He knows the questions, doubts and difficulties that toss the boat of our heart, and so he reassures us: “Take heart, it is I; have no fear!” We know in faith that he is present and comes to meet us, that he is ever at our side even amid stormy seas. This knowledge sets us free from that lethargy which I have called “sweet sorrow” (Letter to Priests, 4 August 2019), the interior discouragement that hold us back from experiencing the beauty of our vocation.
In the Letter to Priests, I also spoke about pain, but here I would like to translate the word differently, as fatigue. Every vocation brings with it a responsibility. The Lord calls us because he wants to enable us, like Peter, to “walk on water”, in other
words, to take charge of our lives and place them at the service of the Gospel, in the concrete and everyday ways that he shows us, and specifically in the different forms of lay, priestly and consecrated vocation. Yet, like Saint Peter, our desire and enthusiasm coexist with our failings and fears.
If we let ourselves be daunted by the responsibilities that await us – whether in married life or priestly ministry – or by the hardships in store for us, then we will soon turn away from the gaze of Jesus and, like Peter, we will begin to sink. On the other hand, despite our frailty and poverty, faith enables us to walk towards the Risen Lord and to weather every storm. Whenever fatigue or fear make us start to sink, Jesus holds out his hand to us. He gives us the enthusiasm we need to live our vocation with joy and fervour.
When Jesus at last boards the boat, the winds die down and the waves are calmed. Here we have a beautiful image of what the Lord can do at times of turbulence and tempest in our lives. He stills those winds, so that the forces of evil, fear and resignation no longer have power over us.
As we live out our specific vocation, those headwinds can wear us down. Here I think of all those who have important responsibilities in civil society, spouses whom I like to refer to – not without reason – as “courageous”, and in a particular way those who have embraced the consecrated life or the priesthood. I am conscious of your hard work, the sense of isolation that can at times weigh upon your hearts, the risk of falling into a rut that can gradually make the ardent flame of our vocation die down, the burden of the uncertainty and insecurity of the times, and worry about the future. Take heart, do not be afraid! Jesus is at our side, and if we acknowledge him as the one Lord of our lives, he will stretch out his hand, take hold of us
and save us.
Even amid the storm-tossed waters, then, our lives become open to praise. This is the last of our vocation words, and it is an invitation to cultivate the interior disposition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Grateful that Lord gazed upon her, faithful amid fear and turmoil, she courageously embraced her vocation and made of her life an eternal song of praise to the Lord.
Dear friends, on this day in particular, but also in the ordinary pastoral life of our communities, I ask the Church to continue to promote vocations. May she touch the hearts of the faithful and enable each of them to discover with gratitude God’s call in their lives, to find courage to say “yes” to God, to overcome all weariness through faith in Christ, and to make of their lives a song of praise for God, for their brothers and sisters, and for the whole world. May the Virgin Mary accompany us and intercede for us.
Rome, Saint John Lateran, 8 March 2020, the Second Sunday of Lent
Franciscus
Calendar of EventsMass Schedule & Intentions ** Meetings & Events * Sunday, 3 May 2020 7.30 am @ Connie & Paul Trunfio 9.00 am @ Mary Hoskin11.00 am Pro populo
Sunday, 3 May 2020
Monday, 4 May 2020
7.00 am @ Dr John Alvis & Sara Alvis
Monday, 4 May 2020
Tuesday, 5 May 2020
7.00 am @ Tammy McKenzie
Tuesday, 5 May 2020
Wednesday, 6 May 2020 7.00 am @ Jim Ghighi
Wednesday, 6 May 2020
Thursday, 7 May 2020
7.00 pm @ James L Ghighi
Thursday, 7 May 2020
Friday, 8 May 2020
7.00 am Nathaniel Damian Grabosky
Friday, 8 May 2020
Saturday, 9 May 2020
5.00 pm @ Lillian Sasso
Saturday, 9 May 2020
Financial Report
Weekend of 25/26 April Needed 35,200 Received 31,934 Shortage 3,266
Poor Box 431
Offertory Year to Date Needed 1,513,600 Received 1,549,813 Surplus 36,213
Electronic Giving: If you want to have direct management of your Electronic Fund Transfer online, you can now do so through the “Make a Gift” link on the homepage of our website. For more information or if you have any questions please contact Jennifer Anderson at [email protected].
Our Solemn Mass at 11 am each Sunday is streamed live on our parish Facebook page and is available later as a recording on both our Facebook page and the parish YouTube channel.
Forward in FaithCapital Campaign$7 Million to Raise
2019 to 2023
Donations Received
Pledge Balance
Still to Go
1,694,920
1,350,584
3,954,495
** The church will remain open for private prayer Monday-Saturday from 9 am to 4 pm and Sunday from 1 pm to 4 pm, but no more than ten people at a time can be present in the building and no liturgical celebrations are permitted.
Currently scheduled Mass intentions will be offered at a private Mass.
Collection for 2/3 MaySupport of the Parish
St Mary’s is sustained bythe generosity of our parishioners.
Parish News
Prayer RequestsPlease pray for all those who are hospitalized and for all those who are shut-ins, ill or recuperating at home, especially Paulina Cruz, Brett Gervais, Michael Pinto, Joseph & Sandy Srp, Marie-Therese Isidore, Carlton Carpenter, Jim Barber, Alfred Smith, Mauren Lukovic, Christine Tancrell, Celsea Patry, John Tyler, Hunter Conant, Ruth O’Rourke, Rafael Marquez, Lori Wylie, Kenneth & Nancy Tessier, Patricia O’Leary, Robert Brown, John Hever, Juliet Roy, Chris Papademitriou, Jeannine Harvey, Jim & Adair Andreasson, Ellen Plowden, Mary Lou Ferguson, Mary Stillmock, Chuck & Shelby Gaschler, Rose Mary Koski, Mary Berman, James Smith, Anna Deehan, Nancy Laliberty and Beth Hambleton.
Requiescat in pacePlease pray for the repose of the souls of Lenore Cole and Joseph Lepak (father of Greg Lepak), who died recently. We extend our prayers and sympathy to their family and friends.
Prayer For The Faithful DepartedEternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and may perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls, and all the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
EFT Donation
St Mary’s offers Electronic Funds Transfer through the parish website as a way to automate your regular weekly offertory donation.
EFT donation lets you • make a one-time or recurring donation• change your plan• update your account information• contribute to parish, diocesan, and second collections• view your online donation history
EFT donation options include:Direct Debit Donation that allows you to automatically transfer funds from your checking or savings account.
Credit & Debit Card Donation that allows you to make offerings automatically on a pre-determined schedule using a credit or debit card.
Visit the ‘Make a Gift’ linkon the homepage of our parish website.
Donation Information
Mail-In Donation
If you would rather not use EFT, you may mailyour contribution to the parish office at
St Mary’s Catholic Church111 Hampton AvenueGreenville, SC 29601
Thank you for your generosity and support.
Job OpeningSt Mary’s School is accepting applications for a qualified full-time kindergarten teaching assistant starting in August 2020. Prior experience working with young children is preferred, but not required. Candidates need not possess a formal teaching license for this position. Email resume and cover letter to [email protected]. Deadline for applications is Friday, 29 May.
Vacation Bible SchoolVBS has been canceled for 2020.
Please join us next year for VBS 2021.
St Mary’s is online:Website https://smcgvl.org
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/stmarysgvl/
YouTube Saint Mary’s Catholic Church Greenville, SC
Daily Mass Readings For the daily Mass readings,
visit http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/
Prayer Chain MinistrySt Mary’s Prayer Chain is a network of parishioners who receive prayer requests by telephone and then pray for those requests. Please call the office at 271.8422, ext. 127 to submit your requests. Information received will be kept confidential.
Formed.org Online resources are available to every member of our parish through a program called Formed. This website includes a variety of free resources - including books, movies, podcasts - for people of all ages. Register at Formed.org using our parish code: 8B7VRM.
AmazonSmileSign into your Amazon account, and select St Mary’s
Catholic School as your organization of choice. Amazon will donate 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products. You use the same account on Amazon.com and AmazonSmile.
https://smile.amazon.com/ch/57-0426237
Act of Spiritual Communion
Lord Jesus, I love you above all things. How I long to receive you with my brothers and sisters at the table you have prepared. But since I cannot at this moment receive you in the holy sacrament of your Body and Blood, I ask you to feed me with the manna of your Holy Spirit and nourish me with your holy presence. I unite myself completely to you; never permit me to be separated from your love. Amen.
Welcome NewcomersWe welcome the following new members to our parish family: Ms Christiane Lengenfelder, Mr Ryan Kropfelder, Mr & Mrs John Hight and Ms Rosa Howard Hernandez.
Mass Intentions To schedule a Mass intention, contact Vickie Acosta at 864.271.8422 or [email protected].
2020 Ordinations for theDiocese of Charleston
Please pray for
Seminarian Rafael Ghattas who will be ordained to the transitional diaconate.
Deacons Will Frei and Michael Cellars who will be ordained to the Sacred Priesthood.
Our Lady’s PantryCatholic Charities Our Lady’s Pantry is remaining open and
our hours during this time are Tuesdays and Thursdays between 12 noon and 3 pm. We are located directly behind San Sebastian church at 2300 Old Buncombe Road, Greenville, SC 29609. We have
adjusted our intake procedure to offer pre-packaged food available through drive thru pick-up. We want to make sure all who may need food are aware that we are open. For questions, contact Gracie Ortiz, Catholic Charities Regional Coordinator for the Upstate, 864.331.2626 and [email protected].
CONVERGINGROADS.COM
Converging RoadsTM is an initiative of the St. John Paul II Foundation.
CATHOLIC SOCIAL DOCTRINE IN MEDICINE MMAAYY 99,, 22002200 || 99::3300 AAMM -- 55::3300 PPMM || OONNLLIINNEE CCOONNFFEERREENNCCEE
WHERE HEALTH CARE ETHICS AND MEDICINE CONVERGE
Care for the Sick & Dying: Rooted in Catholic Social Doctrine Sister Mary Diana Dreger, OP, MD
The Secular Attack on Religious Liberty of Medical Practitioners in the Literature and Law Joseph Meaney, PhD
Religious Freedom and Vaccines Compulsion: A View Through Catholic Social Teaching Paul J. Carson, MD, FACP
A Catholic Response to the Opioid Crisis Jeffrey Berger, MD, FASAM
Access to Healthcare for the Poor & Undocumented Sister Mary Diana Dreger, OP, MD and Deacon Clarke E. Cochran, PhD
Ethical Standards in the Pharmaceutical Industry Jennifer E. Miller, PhD
Hidden in Plain Sight: Human Trafficking in Our Midst Debbie Shinskie, RN
TM
Continuing education credits for healthcare professionals will be offered.
REGISTRATIONPRESENTED BY
To register or for more information, visit
CONVERGINGROADS.COMor contact Susie Lopez at
[email protected] or 832-779-1070
Conference will be live streamed and recordings will be available 72 hours following the conclusion of the event
We are excited to share with you that in the midst of these extraordinary times, with many things being cancelled and postponed, the Converging Roads conference in the Diocese of Charlotte will now be live streamed instead of taking place in person. The online conference will take place on the original date, Saturday, 9 May from 9.30 am – 5.30 pm ET, with the same topics and excellent faculty sharing their expertise with the local medical community.
By joining the livestream conference, attendees will still be able to earn continuing education for the presentations for which they participate (up to 7 hours). For those unable to be present for the live stream, the presentations will be available for 72 hours following the virtual conference. More information regarding streaming options for the conference will be included upon registration. Registration fees have been reduced.
Father Jay Scott Newman, VFPastor of St Mary’s [email protected]
Father Jonathan DuncanChaplain to St Joseph’s Catholic [email protected]
Father Bartholomew Leon Administrator of St Rafka [email protected]
Assisting Priests
Permanent Deacons
Vickie Acosta Executive Assistant to the [email protected]
Jennifer AndersonDirector of Finance and Human [email protected]
Arlen [email protected]
Jaime EscobarDirector of [email protected]
Joann MillerDirector of Religious [email protected]
Staff
Father Orlando CheverríaParochial [email protected]
Timothy NielsenPastoral [email protected]
Chris OrtizDirector of Youth [email protected]
Pat PerkinsDirector of [email protected]
David [email protected]
Lisa Watkins Director of [email protected]
Deacon John [email protected]
Deacon Joe [email protected]
Deacon George [email protected]
Deacon Tom [email protected]
Deacon Nestor [email protected]
Deacon Clark [email protected]
Deacon Diego [email protected]
Deacon Alex [email protected]