April 12, 2020 Easter Sunday

Easter 2020 or, A 20/20 Easter
         Happy Easter!  This is certainly a different experience of celebrating Easter than we are accustom. But undoubtedly, this IS Easter!  As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, our lives have been changed dramatically.  However, not necessarily without benefit and blessings. 
       With all the closings of businesses and the social distancing that has been asked of us in order to control the spread of disease, our spiritual lives have flourished!  With God, nothing is wasted, not even these times of adversity.  God can always bring good out of a bad situation.  This is what we, as Christians, celebrate in recalling a horrific day over two centuries ago.  Jesus, Son of the living God was arrested, charged, convicted, and put to death on a day that we now call “good” because of what God did for us. How can this be?  It’s because God triumphed over humankind’s sin and even mortality itself.  In these challenging times, the same victories are now ours and all peoples.   
     This time has been a time of spiritual growth for me and I hope for you as well.  I have been praying for the whole Church, that this time with all sorts of limitations may be a time where we all spiritually flourish.  This is a real spiritual oasis! 
    I have heard of all sorts of great things happening in people’s lives.  For example, one person shared with me how they always moaned on Palm (Passion) Sunday and Good Friday over the length of the gospel proclamation of the passion.  This year, however, they actually had remorse over not being able to participate in her parish!  On my weekly visit to a local grocery store, I was bemoaning to a woman who is employed there how much I dislike shopping – especially carrying the bags out to the care, then from the car into the house and putting all the groceries away.  She responded to my comments by simply reminding me of how heavy the cross was for Jesus.  Her words have since remained with me in countless situations (Thanks D). 
    Perhaps like me you have thought more about people that you love and far too often take for granted.  I almost daily make the time to reach out with a phone call or email to parishioners, relatives and friends like never before.  “Distance” certainly makes the heart grow fonder.  I know the same is true for you who are not able to attend daily or Sunday Mass or to just stop by the churches and make a short visit with Jesus.  Like you, I can’t wait until these days prohibiting large public gatherings are behind us.
     Finally, appreciate Jesus, risen from the dead and raised in glory not just dwelling in you, but actually working through you.  Thanks to the many who with the heart of servant and the loving hands of Jesus are reaching out to neighbors and parishioners and those in need.  When we express our faith in Jesus, risen from the dead who lives forever, it is both healing and contagious.  I pray that Easter 2020 will be an Easter in which you have a 20/20 vision of God’s presence, love and working in your life. Alleluia!

What’s Happening in Our Parishes
     In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, like many other “businesses,” staff members of the Wexford Catholic Community had to be furloughed.  This decision is perhaps, one of the most difficult decisions that I have had to make as a pastor and administrator.  I felt this decision necessary for a number of reasons.  First, Saint Alphonsus and Saint Alexis parishes, like all parishes, are prohibited from the public celebration of the Holy Mass.  With this restriction, a significant decline in income has taken place due to parishioners and guests not being able to make their weekly offering in the customary way – the offertory collection  Secondly, with social distancing recommendations and the prohibition of the gathering of groups, there is limited ministry than we have customarily have experienced.  The limited staff that remain are continuing to carry out their usual responsibilities in serving you, while extending themselves in new and creative ways.
     With this decision, staff who have been furloughed now have access to assistance programs offered by government offices on the state and national level.  These provisions should amount to very close to what their wages are after taxes and routine deductions have been made.  In addition, as a parish, we will continue to maintain health care and other benefits these employees are accustomed to receiving until the restrictions imposed on us as a result of this pandemic are behind us and employees returned to work.
      How can you help: First and always, PRAY.  Pray first and foremost for those who have contracted the COVID-19 virus.  We pray for their wellbeing and recovery and the wellbeing of those who are caring for them – medical professionals and a host of others.  We pray for a vaccine to prevent this scourge from reoccurring in the future.  Simply put, pray for a cure.  It is prayer that connects us with God who enables us all to see the light beyond these times of darkness.  Pray too, for those who have been separated from their work and ministry and for those employees who remain who are extending themselves in countless ways. 
     Secondly, if you have not recently been adversely affected in your employment situation, and if you are not already participating in an electronic giving program, please, please, please, do so now.  Use this time of adversity as an opportunity to help our parishes in the long run by signing-up for e-giving.  In doing so, it becomes more convenient for you to faithfully make your weekly or monthly return to the Lord, while being helpful for our parishes to receive a more predictable cash flow which enables us to better forecast the annual operating budget.  In addition, e-giving saves the parish the additional expense of the envelopes and postage.  If you choose not to take this route, we appreciate the mailing of your weekly gift to the Parish Center.  In in this time of social awkwardness and restrictions in our public gatherings, your generosity and practice of stewardship means so much.  Thank you for all that you do in the name of the Lord!
    Again, be assured of Father Will’s and my prayers with you, your family and loved ones.  We pray with and for you daily.  Know that you are loved and missed, while being loved most by our God.  Blessings…
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
.
 
 
In Jesus’ love,
Father Zywan