June News
Deacon’s Newsletter
Thank goodness we’re back!
By the time you receive this we will have had a couple of weekends of public Masses. What a great blessing it is to have all you (at least some of you) back in the chairs. As you may realize, it is very awkward to preach to an empty Church - which is what we have had to do with our recorded Masses. We are doing all we can to promote proper social distancing and to keep our parishioners safe. We are wiping down the chairs and cleaning the bathrooms between Masses. We are using hand sanitizer before Mass and before Communion and we are wearing face shields as we distribute the Eucharist. As we go forward, if you see something that we might do differently or improve upon please let us know.
As I ponder these past few weeks I am struck by the many blessings I have discovered in my life. Mind you, I say “discovered” because they were always there - I was just to busy and blind to see them. Here’s a partial list:
¨ We generally work a lot of evenings here at St Michael’s. With Religious Education and RCIA classes suspended I have had many evenings free lately - and I like it. When I was in retail I spent a lot of nights working until 10:00 p.m. so I was accustomed to it when I started here. I hope at the end of this I will continue reserving some evenings free to spend more time with my wife and in true, life-giving leisure.
¨ The same goes for early mornings. I go to a lot of meetings in the morning - some starting at 6:00 and others a bit later. Since those are all cancelled for now I spend more time praying in the mornings - more with my wife and more on my own. What a blessing that has been for me! By the time I arrive at work I am filled with God’s presence and then spend my time trying my best to do God’s will. I have resolved not to fill all of my mornings up with meetings when this COVID time is done.
¨ I have more time for reading - especially reading Scripture. I have always read and studied God’s Word but I have been reading the Gospels very slowly and trying to glean the meaning and message intended in the text. I am also reading some novels so I can have some “fun” reading, too.
¨ I mentioned earlier that I had more time for leisure. I love doing crossword puzzles and other word games so I have completed many of those. I exercise six days per week and I ride my bicycle a lot. I am so blessed to be outside much more and experience God’s blessing in creation. What a good and loving God we have!
I challenge you to make your own list. Even in the midst of this most unusual time I’m sure there have been blessings for you, too. As Jesus says in John’s Gospel “I will not leave you orphans”. God is present in Word, in Spirit, in creation, in prayer and leisure. God is closer to us than the air we breathe, we just need to take the time to realize it.
Here are a couple of quick notes for you:
· There is a “parish census update form” attached with this newsletter - please fill it out and mail it back or drop it off at the Church. This will help us keep updated information on you and your family.
· We will be doing a Summer Adult Confirmation Program beginning Wednesday, June 3. We will meet at 7:00 pm in the Multi-Purpose Room (entrance F). If you, or anyone you know of, are looking to join the Church please send them our way.