You just received a Flock Note about Confession. I programmed
these notes a month ago. Sadly, we cannot have Reconciliation Monday this year.
But we are still hearing Confessions outdoors on Saturdays from 8:30 – 9:00
a.m. and from 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. If it is raining, Father Connolly and I will be
in the far corners of the church. Please remember to keep the 6-foot distance,
and if you are coughing or sneezing, best to stay home, make a good Act of
Contrition and come to Confession later when you are feeling better.
I am most grateful to our SVDP volunteers who are
distributing gift cards today to 186 families in need. We thank the many Tri-Parish
parishioners who have donated over 80% of the amount needed. God bless you. The
food pantry is experiencing a rise in requests. In the next few days, we hope
to have a direct donation button on our We Share site. Or, as always, mail your
donation to SVDP c/o St. Columba or drop it in the Poor Box in church.
Stephen Broussard, one of our Deacon Candidates, shared this
with me: Devine Mercy Shrine Video (Yes we know it is spelled wrong but the link works!) This message from
the Divine Mercy Shrine suggests that we place the Divine Mercy image on our
doors. Father Connolly has placed one on the rectory door and on the church
door.
We will
have a special guest celebrant at our live streamed Mass this Sunday at 11:00
am – the Episcopal Vicar for the Upper Counties – Bishop Gerardo Colacicco.
Watch it here: www.facebook.com/stcolumbahj
Thanks for your prayer requests – Father Connolly and I and
our Resurrection Sisters read them each day and pray for your Intentions. Send
them to prayer@stcolumbaonline.org.
Our first priest in the metro area has died: from the Brooklyn Diocese – Father
Jorge Ortiz Garay. He is the pastor of a classmate of Father Connolly. Pray for
his soul and for Father Joe Dutan.
If you are feeling unsure or unsafe about COVID-19 please
know that Arch Care is available to answer any questions that you may have.
Call their dedicated COVID-19 hotline: 877-239-1998. This resource is available
to you 24/7 or you can reach out via email at info@archcare.org.
Finally, our parish needs your continued support. Our
collections are down by 1/2. I
understand that the financial circumstances of many of our families are
uncertain, but please know of my deep gratitude for whatever you can contribute
to support our Church during this challenging time. You can mail your
contribution, drop it in the Poor Box in church or, if you would like to sign
up for Electronic parish giving, you can do so at https://stcolumbahj.weshareonline.org/
, and if you would like to make a gift to the Cardinal’s Appeal to support the
broader needs of our archdiocese, you can do so at https://cardinalsappeal.org/donate.
