Living in a New Normal

One of my favorite pastimes is golf. If you are not a golfer, please bear with me for a moment. Please continue to read. There is something so refreshing about being on a golf course chasing the little white ball with friends. In many ways, I find golf to be a microcosm of life inasmuch as it involves a shared journey filled with challenge and beauty. Sometimes we win and sometimes we lose. There are blind holes and fairways with dog legs. Sometimes we find ourselves nestled in the rough or in the sand trying to find our way out. Other times our golf game turns into a search mission for lost balls. When we hit a bad shot, there needs to be a short memory, and or, some sense of forgiveness. It always amazes me how a little white ball can become such a source of anger but also joy. 

While they say it never rains on a golf course, the weather is something always beyond our control. It is important to be prepared with the right gear. Sometimes our golf abilities are beyond our control as well. In the course of the competition, there are many missed opportunities. And yet, there are those moments of seeming perfection like an ace, eagle, birdy or par that bring us back for more golf even though our score demonstrates that we need lots of lessons. But we always have to be mindful of the score as we play by the rules and count all of the strokes. Finally, when the game is over, we need to be accountable by turning in our scorecard and taking care of our clubs. It can be so fun but so frustrating too. Isn’t that the story of life?

Anyone golfing right now in the middle of October with the fairways covered with leaves needs the patience of Job to find their ball. Those leaves are gorgeous but when it comes to golf, they can become hiding places for our golf ball engendering all kinds of frustration as we seek to find our ball. They become a seasonal hazard on the course. Looking for the lost ball not only can affect our score but also the pace of play. 

Perhaps you are wondering what this has to do with faith or the parish. Well, in many ways, the ongoing pandemic which is far beyond our control is like a hazard on a golf course that commands respect. It is like a big leaf that has temporarily covered our normal way of life creating a huge inconvenience and the loss of many lives. The loss of life coupled with the loss of normalcy, even as hard as we have tried to make things normal, has triggered all kinds of emotions. What is more, it has affected our pace of play which can have a domino effect on everyone else on the course. In other words, our anger and frustration about this lost time can have a rippling effect on others. It does not help that there is a lack of consensus on what the club selection should be for the next shot. Should we take risks or play it safe? There are so many differing opinions and a plethora of emotions. 

Having played golf for some years I have learned the value of caution and the importance of caution. Sometimes it is best to lay up to the hole and play the safer shot. I realize that there are some who want to ignore the hazards and shoot for the green even though the percentages suggest that we are looking at losing a ball, taking a stroke, or worse yet, taking ourselves out of the game. Sometimes, the golfer needs to play it safe and lay up to the hole and just proceed to the next hole. 

As we find ourselves deeper into this pandemic, I recognize that there is a fatigue and a growing frustration. Many of us are tired of this “new normal.” We are over it and just want to shoot for the green. Nevertheless, the hazard of the pandemic poses increasing risks as the numbers indicate. The best thing we can do at this time is to be patient and play within our means according to the rules. This remains a temporary situation that one day, sooner rather than later, will be over. Until then, let us continue to pray for one another and the end of the pandemic. 

In this month of October dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary, I invite us all to seek the intercession of Our Lady. There are many Marian titles that can appeal to us in our need like Our Lady of Victory, Our Lady Undoer of Knots and Our Lady of Hope, just to name a few. Mary, patroness of the Americas, pray for us!

As you know the Covid 19 Task Force was looking at the possibility of putting a plan together to open each church for a Sunday Mass. After further review, it was determined for a number of reasons to keep things status quo and review at a later time. The Sunday Mass schedule of outdoor Masses will remain the same for the time being.

On Monday, November 2, 2020 the Mass Intention Book will open. Thanks to our office staff, you can now seek Mass intentions online by going directly to our website. Those who are not connected electronically can feel free to drop off their requests in the vestibule of the parish office. 

November 2nd is the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed otherwise known as All Souls Day. This is traditionally a day for us to pray for all of our beloved dead. Due to the restrictions imposed on church capacity and the fact that we do not want to turn anyone away from the Eucharist we will have two outdoor Masses that day to accommodate the needs of the faithful. There will be an 8:00am Mass in the parking lot at Saint Alexis and a 6:30pm Mass in the parking lot of Saint Alphonsus.

There is also around this time in most parishes an Annual Mass of Remembrance for those who were buried from the two previous parishes in the previous year and those from the new parish beginning July 1, 2020. Due to the pandemic we are celebrating the Mass of Remembrance on two evenings privately with the families of the deceased inside Saint Alexis Church. They have received their invitations and are responding accordingly. 

It is also the custom beginning in November to write the names of our deceased loved ones in the Book of Remembrance. Because of the pandemic, we are unable to do this act of remembrance in the customary way. Nevertheless, please know that you can go to our website and inscribe the name of your deceased loved one. Throughout the month of November, we will pray for our beloved dead. 

While the Church is more than bricks and mortar, we want to acknowledge that Saint Alexis Church will be three years old tomorrow, October 22, 2020. Saint Alphonsus Church celebrated its birthday in July. How blessed we are to have one of the oldest and newest churches in the diocese.

Finally, Saturday will mark the final celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation for our young people. Congratulations to all of them and their families! I want to offer special thanks to our staff who assisted in the formation and celebration of this Sacrament, namely, Fr. Will, David Piccirilli, Paula Green, Darcy Osby and Ian Michael Brown. 

Have a wonderful Wednesday!