FROM THE PASTOR’S DESK
Dear St. Mary’s Parishioners,
With this weekend’s contribution, I have a few “housekeeping” items to bring to your attention. The first item regards the inside of the back (south) vestibule wall. As you know, the south vestibule inside wall is dominated by two large panels which honor the many benefactors who gave generously from their financial treasure so that St. Mary’s Church could be renovated. The renovation project was completed in 2009 and the construction loan was paid off in 2019. At our last Parish Council meeting, the PC members and I discussed different ways to communicate with parishioners about parish liturgical services and other events. As you know, we communicate with you through a number of different ways: through the parish bulletin, the parish website, MyParish app, email, U.S. Postal Service, social media, telephone, the bulletin board in the church vestibule, our sign on the corner of Hemlock and Stinson streets, other signs and posters and in-person, to name several ways. Another communication tool that the PC has discussed would be to mount one or two TV screens on the inside of the south wall of the vestibule. Parishioners would be able to view on the television screens messages regarding parish events and initiatives which automatically scroll in a slide-show format. The information could be easily and regularly updated. The PC members suggested that to make room for the TV screens the renovation memorial panels could be moved to the entrance way of the parish hall. If you have any thoughts about this, please share them with members of the parish council or with me. Presently, these individuals serve on the Parish Council: Wyman Adcock (Chair), Don Krch, Elisabeth Belo, Joseph Kosarek, Jennifer Corbelli, Francesco Bellocci, Anna McAllister and Jim Gribi. Deacon Rob Vandergraaf serves as an ex-officio member of the PC and Fr. Joseph and I attend the PC meetings, of course.
A second item that we discussed at the PC meeting was how we can provide an inviting and safe environment for hospitality after Sunday Masses. It would be nice to serve coffee and donuts after Mass in the courtyard area around the fountain. But it would also be good to find a way to provide a safer meeting area for the younger ones among us. We have a good number of children at our Sunday morning Masses and I notice when I visit with parents after Mass around the fountain, parents are constantly making sure that their little ones do not run out into the nearby streets. Perhaps, there is a way we can provide an area bound by an attractive temporary (perhaps 4 feet high) fence on the grass in front of the church where the children can play safely. Again, if you have any ideas about this, please let us know.
A third item is that I received a letter this week from the State Regent of the “Daughters of Isabella”. The Daughters of Isabella is a Catholic Women’s International Organization much like the Knights of Columbus for men. The Daughters come together to form friendships and to raise money which is donated to the local parish and to other charities. The Daughters meet once a month and the meeting’s agenda is divided into thirds: one-third spiritual, one-third business and one-third social. If any St. Mary’s women parishioners are interested in being a part of starting a Daughter of Isabella circle, please let me know. I will then contact the State Regent to set up a meeting.
Finally, no doubt, you noticed that the statues and crucifix are covered with cloth this weekend. The option of “veiling” is found in the instructions in the Roman Missal for the Fifth Sunday of Lent. The instruction notes: “In the Dioceses of the United States, the practice of covering crosses and images throughout the church from [the fifth] Sunday [of Lent] may be observed. Crosses remain covered until the end of the Celebration of the Lord’s Passion on Good Friday, but images remain covered until the beginning of the Easter Vigil.” As explained in previous years, the crucifix and images are covered to remind us that we are in a special time of the liturgical year. When we see the veils, we cannot help but realize that something is very different. A second reason for the veiling is that it helps us to concentrate on the words being proclaimed, prayed and preached at Mass. For example, when we reflect on the Passion accounts on Palm Sunday and Good Friday, we can enter into the scene and really picture it in our minds. A third reason is that the veiling whets our spiritual appetite for Easter Sunday and for eternity. We miss seeing the images and so we anticipate when we will be able to see them again. When the veils are removed before the Easter Vigil, we are reminded of our life in this world. Our life in this world is a preparation for our true homeland, which is heaven. In this life, we cannot know what heaven is like. It is hidden and mysterious to us. It is veiled. Through our passing from this life to the next, the veil will be lifted and we will see the beauty of our earthly lives.
May you have a blessed week!
In Christ Jesus,
Father Berg
