to establish a faith-filled community bonded by love. to proclaim...
TRANSCRIPT
Divine Mercy Catholic Church
2231 Club Center Drive, Sacramento, CA 95835
Tel: (916) 256-3134 www.divinemercynatomas.com
Parish Email: [email protected]
Office Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00 am-4:00 pm
MISSION STATEMENT ~ To establish a faith-filled community bonded by love. To
proclaim the good news, foster personal encounters with the living Christ and strengthen the
family by witnessing the gospel values of love, mercy, justice, forgiveness and service to all.
PASTOR Rev. Soane Kaniseli [email protected]
Deacon Rick Morales [email protected]
Deacon James Ogbonna [email protected]
Sacraments Mass
Schedule
Mon - Sat
8:30 AM
10:00 AM
Sundays
9:30 am
www.divinemercynatomas.com
www.facebook.com/DivineMercyNatomas/
My parish App
Church Office Lines, M-F 9:00am-4:00 (916) 256-3134
Your email box.
Anointing
of the Sick
Confessions
Please call the Parish Office.
Resources
In this e-bulletin you will find:
-Whoever enters through me will be saved a
COVID Reflection for the Easter Season pg 2
-Saints and Readings for the Week pg 3
-Adoration At DMCC pg 3
-Prayers of the Faithful pg 3
-Mass Schedule and Intentions pg 4
-Confessions Schedule pg 4
-Angels of Mercy News pg 4
-Treasury Report pg 5
-Mortgage Sunday Offering pg 5
-Crowing Mary in a Covid 19 Lockdown pg 6
-DMYC Sings King of Kings pg 7
-The Church is Always with the People
And With the Sacraments pg 7
VATICAN (CNS): “Contemplating the face of Christ
with the heart of Mary, our mother, will make us
even more united as a spiritual family and will help
us overcome this time of trial,” Pope Francis said in
a letter addressed to all Catholics and released by
the Vatican on April 25. He asked Catholics to
make a special effort in May to pray the rosary,
knowing that they will be united with believers
around the world asking for Mary’s intercession in
stopping the Covid-19 coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2)
Fourth Sunday of Easter
Good Shepherd Sunday
May 3, 2020
“I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be
saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture.”
John 10:9
Page 2 A Word From...
A COVID 19 Bulletin Reflection: “Whoever enters through me will be saved. John 10:9.”
“God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever
believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
(https://caritasinveritate.com/category/covid-19/ )
What we read and hear and see shapes
our thoughts and our beliefs, our feelings
and our actions. Jesus said to us, Peace
I leave with you; my peace I give to
you; not as the world gives do I give
to you. “Do not let your heart be trou-
bled, neither let it be fearful” John
14:27
Today, I imagine Jesus would say to us something like this: Do not be shaken
by what you read, by the news, or by COVID-19, nor by its devastating effects.
Do not let fear take root in your hearts. Hold to the truth. I am the truth. Have
courage. Comfort one another. Support each other, for this shall pass. Re-main in my peace; “because I live, you shall also live” John 14:19
Whence comes our courage, our hope? During this Easter season we continu-
ously recall our Lord’s Resurrection – an event as real and as important as His
Passion and Death upon the Cross. The Resurrection is no mere afterword
but a confirmation of Christ’s identity as the Only Begotten Son – and a confir-
mation of the truth of His promises to us, that He is with us and that His words
will come to pass. It is this holy and superabundant evidence which draws us
to place of hope and trust in Him. ”If you abide in my word…you will know
the truth, the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32
At the Resurrection human life was changed forever. From the crucifixion of an
innocent man, from the fear of His disciples, from the very death of God made
man – from injustice, tragedy, confusion, and darkness – came forth light: the
promise of eternal life newly revealed! “For if we have been united with him
in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was.” Romans 6:5
This year many Christians celebrate Easter in lock-down and isolation. Many
mourn the loss of loved ones. Many live in fear and pray still that the plague
might pass them over. Many do not know how they will find work or sustain
their families through the coming months. Sickness and death haunt us all.
Yet, amidst the very darkest of these days, the truth is proclaimed: Jesus
Christ lives – the light of the world. “In him was life, and the life was the
light of men”. John 1:4
At the Resurrection our hope is born. In
life and in death, we anticipate life eter-
nal. Through hope, may all of us in the
coming days and weeks find peace and
joy in our Risen Lord. Let us unite our
suffering to His suffering and draw close
to Him this Easter in His glory. Just as
He suffered death and was raised from
the death, He encounters us today in
our time of crisis and restores life and
light and peace to us. “I am the light of
the world; he who follows Me will not
walk in the darkness, but will have
the light of life.” John 8:12
Our hope is in Him. From the darkness of this plague, He will draw forth
among us new cures, new customs, and closer bonds among families, friends,
and nations. Let us pray that we receive and cultivate what He offers, that He
might draw forth a new culture of love, an economy obedient to His Law, His
Kingdom revealed among us. Our hope in Him shall not disappoint. “All
things work for good for those who love God.” Romans 8:28
In Him
we shall be raised:
Alleluia! Alleluia!
We are all in this “global storm” together. All
of us are suffering; some more than others.
Were this to continue, what we have seen
up to now would not compare to what could
come: massive spread of illness, deaths
uncountable, the extensive collapse of the
global economy – the “boat” would be sure-
ly capsized. But this need not happen; this
will not happen. Yet, we must awaken and
remember the promises of the Lord.
On the boat, Jesus was awakened from sleep and said, “Why are you afraid,
do you still have no faith?” Mt 4:40 “Behold, I will be with you always till
the end of time.” Mt 28:20 “When I am lifted up I will draw all men to my-
self.” John 12:32
Our Savior, the Almighty – El Shaddai – is with us and for us. This time it is our
turn to wake up from slumber. It is a time to choose. It is a time to put things
right in our lives, to choose what matters most, to look up and look out for the
salvation that comes from Him, Jesus on the Cross. It is a time – an opportuni-
ty – to choose to take refuge in His mercy, to choose to put our faith in God
who is able to save us and who will save us. It is an unprecedented time to
choose God. The choice lies in our hands. Jesus said, “Peace! Be still! and
the wind ceased and there was a great calm.” Mark 4:39
A Time to choose
what matters
Hosanna, Hosanna:
Please Save Us!
The Lord Saves!
Blessed is he who comes in the
name the Lord.” Mt 23:39
The crowd shouted Hosanna as Jesus was entering into Jerusalem. “Save us, we pray, O Lord! O Lord, we pray, give us success! Blessed is he
who comes in the name of the Lord!” Psalm 118:26
Today we are joining the exultant throng and lifting up the shouts of Hosanna!
Save Us, Lord! As new Israel, children of God, we welcome Jesus and shout
Hosanna!
Hosanna on our lives,
Hosanna on our families, works, and projects,
Hosanna on the medical professionals and on those who are laying down
their lives to end the Covid-19 out break,
Hosanna on those who are sick and suffering,
Hosanna on our nation and government,
Hosanna on the global economy,
Hosanna on all the nations and peoples,
Hosanna on the global crisis of the fear
For the Lord is our Deliverer. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and
today and forever.” Hebrew 13:8
If God exits and if he is good, why would he allow the global pandemic that
has been wrecking havoc in the world?
What good could possibly come out of this?
Why bad things happen to good people?
These are the questions which many struggle with or some may even lose
their faith on. Jesus could have come earlier for his beloved friend, Lazarus,
when he had been sent for. But he arrived a couple of days too late. (see pg3)
Page 3 “Pray without ceasing-”...I Thessalonians 5:17
SAINTS AND READINGS OF THE WEEK
Sunday, May 3 St. James the Lesser
ACTS 2:14A, 36-41; PS 23: 1-3A, 3B4, 5, 6; 1 PT 2:20B-25; JN 10:14; JN 10:1-10 Monday, May 4 St. Florian
ACTS 11:1-18; PS 42:2-3; 43:3, 4; JN 10:14; JN 10:11-18
Tuesday, May 5 St. Hilary of Arles
ACTS 11:19-26; PS 87:1B-3, 4-5, 6-7; JN 10:27; JN 10:22-30 Wednesday, May 6 St. Dominic Savio
ACTS 12:24—13:5A; PS 67:2-3, 5, 6 AND 8; JN 8:12; JN 12:44-50
Thursday, May 7 St. Rose Venerini
ACTS 13:13-25; PS 89:2-3, 21-22, 25 AND 27; RV 1:5AB; JN 13:16-20 Friday, May 8 St. Peter of Tarantaise
ACTS 13:26-33; PS 2:6-7, 8-9, 10-11AB; JN 14:6; JN 14:1-6
Saturday, May 9 St. Pachomius
ACTS 13:44-52; PS 98:1, 2-3AB, 3CD-4; JN 8:31B-32; JN 14:7-14
Continued from pg 2
What met him in the familiar home of his
dear friend were grief and sorrow. But in
front of the tomb of Lazarus, Jesus de-
clared to Martha, the sister of Lazarus,
“Did I not tell you that if you believe you
will see the glory of God?” John 11:40
Jesus called out Lazarus, and much to the
astonishment of all, Lazarus came out of the tomb. “His arms are not too
short to save.” Is 59:1
Jesus is speaking to us today: if you believe, you will see the glory of God .
If you believe
you will see the
glory of God.
This year, March 25 – the great
Feast of the Annunciation – falls
on the first day of the month of
Nisan (Aviv), the month of joy and
hope, the month of Passover, of
the miraculous redemption of the
Hebrew People from slavery in
Egypt. Today is the first day of the
year on the Hebrew Calendar.
God told Moses and Aaron to instruct every household to put the blood of
the lamb on the doorposts and lintel of the house in which they take shelter
and to eat the Passover meal, so that God would pass them over them and
spare them from the final plague, the death of the first-born.
“For I will pass through the land that night and I will strike all the first-
born …the blood shall be the sign…and when I see the blood of the
lamb, I will pass over you and no plague will befall you to destroy you”
Exodus 12:12
In this month, we Christians celebrate the Last Supper, the Death, and the
Resurrection of Jesus Christ. During this period, we remember that through
the blood shed on the Cross we have received Salvation from Sin and
Death. We have received New Life in God.
“But He was wounded for our sins, He was crushed for our iniquities,
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his
stripes we are healed” Isaiah 53:5
Both Jewish and Christian Scriptures, Jewish and Christian calendars affirm
that our Salvation is in God our Almighty Father. As we turn to Him, submit
our lives to Him, we receive healing and peace, grace and freedom – free-
dom from fear and from the plague. According to His will, the plague of
COVID-19 will pass us over and abate. In the words of the hymn by John H.
Yates (1891) :
Faith is the victory
Faith is the victory
Oh, glorious victory
that overcomes the world…
“Faith is confidence in what
we hope for, the assurance
of things we cannot see.”
Hebrew 11:1
Prayers of the Faithful
Fourth Sunday of Easter, May 3, 2020
On this Good Shepherd Sunday we present our petitions to our heavenly
Father.
For the Vicar of Christ, Pope Francis, that he will be given the grace he
needs to guide the Church in these days of uncertainty.
For the priests serving in this Diocese, that they will be the shepherds
that the Good Shepherd calls them to be.
For all those called to the priesthood or consecrated life in this Diocese,
that they will recognize the voice of the Good Shepherd and follow His
lead.
For all of the faithful, that we will patiently carry our crosses as Jesus
carried His for us.
For all those in authority in our Local, State and Federal Government, that
they will be guided by the Holy Spirit in their decision making.
For all those who are weighed down by the various difficulties caused by
this time of pandemic, that they will confidently look to Jesus, the Good
Shepherd, who gave His life for the sheep.
During this time of pandemic, we ask for healing for the sick, strength for
their families and courage and protection for those who care for them.
That God will bestow His never-ending mercy on all those who have died
and console those left behind.
Adoration at Divine Mercy
Catholic Church
Unless Father announces otherwise, Divine Mercy
Catholic Church will be live streaming Holy Hour/
Adoration on Fridays at 3:00 pm. Just tune into the
Divine Mercy You Tube Channel. If you copy and paste
this link into your browser it will take you right there:
h t t p s : / / w w w . y o u t u b e . c o m / c h a n n e l /
UC6U5T3eVct8F6m2ni48ctJQ Due to Covid and social
distancing we cannot adore in the church. But we can adore from home. For
more information and ideas on Adoration from home go to: https://vultuschristi.org/
index.php/2014/01/adoration-at-home/
Coming to the disciples, He found them sleeping and,
in Matthew 26:40, asked Peter:
"So, could you not watch with Me one hour?"
May 3, 2020
Page 4 Approach God….Luke 11:1-28
Sunday, May 3 Live Streaming You Tube 9:30 am Bess Dagcasin + Fr. Soane Rosalia & Gerardo Rosario + Sylvia Booker + Debbie Pineda (Healing) Makasini Otuhiva Monday, May 4 Live Streaming You Tube (Both Masses) 8:30 am Fr Michael 10:00 am Zosimo Magana + Fr Soane Makasini Otuhiva Tuesday, May 5 8:30 am Fr Michael 10:00 am Live Streaming You Tube Fr Soane Makasini Otuhiva Wed, May 6 8:30 am Fr Michael 10:00 am Live Streaming You Tube Fr Soane Pat & Ben Guevarra + Makasini Otuhiva Thursday, May 7 8:30 am Angel Escarcha + Fr Michael 10:00 am Live Streaming You Tube Fr Soane Dominador & Arceli Melendez (Wedding Anniversary) Makasini Otuhiva Friday, May 8 8:30 am Fr Michael 10:00 am Live Streaming You Tube Fr Soane Makasini Otuhiva 3:00 pm Holy Hour/Live Streaming You Tube Fr Soane Saturday, May 9 8:30 am Fr Michael 10:00 am Live Streaming You Tube Fr Soane Makasini Otuhiva Sunday, May 10 Live Streaming You Tube 9:30 am Bess Dagcasin + Fr. Soane Consolacion Gamboa Naniong + Rufina Sagario (Mother’s Day) Makasini Otuhiva
+Live Streaming Until We Can Meet Again+
We are live streaming the Masses and Friday Holy Hour on You Tube. You can
paste this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycy17WX8Y88 into your
browser or go to www.divinemercynatomas.com scroll down to the bottom right
hand side of the screen to "External Links" click on Divine Mercy You Tube.
Today’s readings on this fourth Sunday of Easter
offer us a glimpse into the heart of our loving
Savior. He is the Good Shepherd and we can
confidently place our trust in Him as we live the
stewardship way of life.
This endearing image of Jesus as shepherd, and
His personal love for each one of us, is described in our Gospel passage from
John, through the words of Jesus Himself. Here we read Jesus’ description of
Himself as the “Good Shepherd.” He says of Himself, “The sheep hear his
voice, as the shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When
he has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them and the sheep follow
him, because they recognize his voice.”
This aspect of our Lord’s tender and personal love for each one of us is a com-
pelling reason to embrace the stewardship way of life — in the offering of our
time, talent and treasure to Him, we can express our gratitude to Him for the
incomprehensible love He has for us.
Embracing this way of life certainly requires trust on our part. But Christ has
proven Himself worthy of our trust. He “bore our sins in His body.” He calls
Himself our shepherd and He offers Himself as the guardian of our souls. He
has withheld nothing of Himself and His goodness from us. He would never ask
anything of us that would bring us harm. He tells us “I came so that [you] might
have life and have it more abundantly.”
This Easter season, let us resolve to entrust ourselves and our lives gratefully
to Him. +
Mass Schedule and Intentions
Would you like to
have a Mass said?
You still can! Just follow these easy steps!
1. Go to http://divinemercynatomas.com/new/
about-divine-mercy/forms/
2. Click on Mass Intention Request Form
3. Fill the form out and print it out to mail to the church, or you can scan it
and email it to [email protected]
4. You can take care of the donation by clicking on the “Big Blue Button!”
and then going to Mass Intentions. https://giving.parishsoft.com/App/
Giving/dmcc or you can just click here: https://giving.parishsoft.com/
App/Giving/dmcc and it will take you right there. Choose Mass Inten-
tions and then submit.
5. Or you can mail the $10 donation to the Church Office at 2231 Club
Center Drive, Sacramento CA 95835.
6. Because we’re remote, we can’t take specific days, it's really first come
first serve. You still can call the office and see if we can “save” the
spot, and we’ll try.
Confessions at Divine Mercy
Catholic Church
May 1st , 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. (Friday)
May 8th , 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. (Friday)
May 15th , 5:00 p.m.– 7:00 p.m. (Friday)
No appointment necessary
First come, first serve basis
(If the Narthex is full please wait in your
car for next available opening
Father Memo pre-
pared for hearing
confessions, and
using social distanc-
ing recommenda-
tions.
Jesus is pretty direct when it comes to
caring for others. Feed the hungry, he
explicitly tells the disciples, for “just as
you did not do it to one of the least of
these, you did not do it to me.” (Matthew 25:45). Over and over again,
Jesus tells us through his words and actions to care about people’s
physical needs.
Your donations helped feed 35 hun-
gry families in April ! May God bless
you for your generosity! We are accepting food donations through “drive
thru”; just drive into the parking lot and drop off your donations. We will
take it from there. Donations are on going, Monday’s from 9:00-10:00
am.
We are continuing the Food Drop offs. The pantry is in need of every-
thing except canned vegetables. Thank you so much for your support of
the Angels of Mercy and feeding the hungry.
Our food distribution will be a drive through on May 2 from 9:30 to 11am.
We especially invite those who may have never required extra food in
the past. Let us help you.
Please help our Angels of Mercy continue our outreach program.
ANGELS OF MERCY
Page 5 Giving Time, Talent, Treasure
PLEASE COPY AND PASTE THIS TO GO DIRECTLY TO
“GIVING” https://giving.parishsoft.com/App/Giving/dmcc
OR YOU CAN ACCESS OUR WEBSITE AT
http://divinemercynatomas.com/new/
AND CLICK ON THE BIG BLUE BUTTON!
It’s an unprecedented time for everyone. Even
though we cannot attend mass in person, we’re
humbly asking you to continue your financial
support for our Church; if you are able to, by
sending your check donations by mail or via
Online Giving from the convenience of your
homes. Your support is greatly appreciated!
http://divinemercynatomas.com/new/stewardship/online-giving/
SHARING OUR TREASURE
Fiscal Year July 2019- June 2020
THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROUS SUPPORT OF OUR PARISH
Don’t have a Connect Now Giving account? Follow these easy steps….
1. Go to the Church website: http://divinemercynatomas.com/new/
2. Click on the big blue button
3. Click on “sign in” (you aren’t registered yet, but this is one step to get
you on.
4. Under the blue sign in button you will see “New? Register for an ac-
count”
5. Click there and then fill out the form and submit.
Email [email protected] if you have any questions!
Mortgage Reduction weekend is
coming,
THIS WEEKEND MAY 3RD!
Please consider what you can give to
help reduce the Church’s mortgage.
We realize that this isn’t an easy decision to be made during this pandemic,
especially when you are considering making your own house payments.
But we still need to cover the mortgage for our Lord’s Church. May God
bless you abundantly for all that you can give.
To quickly send in a donation, please copy this address into your browser.
Then follow the steps. https://giving.parishsoft.com/App/Giving/
dmcc
God Bless you.
For Week Ending April 19, 2020
OFFERTORY REQUIREMENTS (July 2019 - June 2020)
Average 4 week Month Requirement $ 60,000
Weekly Average Requirements $ 15,000
Week of: 5-Apr wk 1 $ 10,942
Week of: 12-Apr wk 2 $ 9,199
Week of: 19-Apr wk 3 $ 9,142
Week of: 26-Apr wk 4
Total Collections This Month $ 29,283
Note: The Above Amounts Do Not Include Fundraising Donations.
CHURCH MORTGAGE
Mortgage Loan Balance 4/17/20 $ 2,015,549
This Week:
Live Streaming Attendance For 4/19/20 = 173
100 Families Gave $5,135 (Checks Mailed & Connect Now Giving)
Mortgage Reduction Donations Were $3,327
Easter Donations Were $520
Cup of Sacrifice Donations Were $160
Monies collected for fundraising events have not been adjusted for costs. Net income will be reflected when the fundraising event
ends.
Plan ahead, sign up for Connect Now Giving
God Bless You for Your Continuing Generosity
Have your gift recorded by using envelopes. We will provide you with a record of your tax-deductible donations every year. Don’t have enve-
lopes? Call Parish office to request – it’s easy!
Page 6 Divine Mercy Catholic Church Ministries
It is an incredible gift that the
Easter season includes the Mari-
an month of May. As we contin-
ue to celebrate the Resurrection
of Jesus it is only fitting to cele-
brate his mother and our mother
too. Take this passage
from Mense Maio, an encyclical
of Pope Paul VI from 1945:
We are delighted and consoled by this pious custom associated with the month of
May, which pays honor to the Blessed Virgin and brings such rich benefits to the
Christian people. Since Mary is rightly to be regarded as the way by which we are
led to Christ, the person who encounters Mary cannot help but encounter Christ
likewise. For what other reason do we continually turn to Mary except to seek the
Christ in her arms, to seek our Savior in her, through her, and with her? To Him men
are to turn amid the anxieties and perils of this world, urged on by duty and driven by
the compelling needs of their heart, to find a haven of salvation, a transcendent
fountain of life.
Typically, this month begins with a May crowning celebrated within the Sunday Mass
on or very close to Mother’s Day. But how do we crown Our Lady in the middle of a
pandemic crisis with no public Masses? Here are some practical ways to enter into
that celebration at home.
Crowning Mary at Home
If you have a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary, you can crown her within your own
family. Two years ago, I purchased a small wire garland from a local craft store, and
we use it for our family May crowning each year. The statue that we use is about two
feet tall, and while we could process around the house with her (a doable idea if the
kids are big enough), we usually bring her our prayers (written down the night be-
fore), along with a few flowers from the yard. Then, we sing a couple of Marian
hymns and one of the children place the garland on the head of Our Lady. If we
have a first communicant (which we do this year), that child gets the honor of the
crowning and we try to give each of them a “job” so no one feels left out.
If you don’t have a statue of Mary or the craftiness or means to make a crown for
her, you can print out photos of our lady and have children draw their own crowns
around her head. It’s a wonderfully creative way to invite them into the Marian
month. You can also hang their finished photos all together or near their bed for the
month. This is a good reminder that asking for Our Lady’s intercession is a good
way to begin and end the day.
Though the crowning of Mary is a physical act, it can be carried out in the heart
throughout the month. You can go on virtual Marian shrine tours. A quick Google
search reveals videos for virtual tours of the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in La
Crosse, Wisconsin, the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Concep-
tion in Washington, DC, and the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Med-
al in Missouri, to name only a few. You can even make a virtual tour of
the Redemptoris Mater Chapel in the Apostolic Palace.
It’s also a beautiful opportunity to learn more Marian hymns and chants. Make it part
of your family memory work to recite the Hail Mary in English, Latin, and any other
language you’d like to add to that. You can also use the month to discover the differ-
ent compositions of the Ave Maria, to pray more rosaries, and to pray the Ange-
lus as a family. As with all things, the physical crowning of Mary should incite or
deepen one’s interior disposition towards her, particularly throughout the month of
May.
Turning to Mary in COVID-19
In our present circumstances, the Mense Maio paragraph following the one above is
even more poignant today:
Because the month of May is a powerful incentive to more frequent and fervent
prayers, and because our petitions more readily find access to her compassionate
heart during it, it has been a favorite custom of Our predecessors to choose this
month, dedicated to Mary, for urging the Christian people to offer up pub-
lic prayers whenever the needs of the Church demanded it or some grave
crisis threatened the human race. This year, Venerable Brothers, We in
turn feel compelled to call for such prayers from the whole Catholic world.
Looking at the present needs of the Church and the status of world
peace, We have sound reasons to believe that the present hour is espe-
cially grave and that a plea for concerted prayer on the part of all Chris-
tians is a matter of top priority.
For adults and others that are away from their younger family members,
crowning your Marian statues may seem adolescent, but it is still a beauti-
ful practice for any home and any vocation. If you want to practice anoth-
er devotion without flower crowns, you can read scholarly works on the
Blessed Virgin Mary like Daughter Zion from Joseph
Ratzinger, Handmaid of the Lord from Adrienne Von Speyr, or Walking
with Mary by Edward Sri. If you don’t want to wait on a book delivery and
ebooks aren’t your gig, you can meditate on the beautiful papal works on
Our Lady like John Paul II’s Redemptoris Mater and Pius XII’s Ad Caeli
Reginam.
Perhaps in the most practical and simple way, we could all make the first
prayers of Our Lady personal prayers of our own. In the midst of all that is
yet unknown about COVID-19, we can echo the trust of Our Lady: “Fiat
mihi secundum verbum tuum.”
And, we must heed the fatherly guidance of our current pontiff, Pope
Francis, who gently encourages us with his Letter to the Faithful for the
Month of May, urging us to “rediscover the beauty of praying the Rosary
at home . . . either as a group or individually; you can decide according to
your own situations, making the most of both opportunities.”
In the letter, he provides two new prayers for us to pray at the conclusion
of the Rosary, but they are beautiful petitions at any time of day. Let us
join him as he prays along with us “in spiritual union” during the upcoming
month of Our Lady:
O Mary, You shine continuously on our journey as a sign of salvation and
hope. We entrust ourselves to you, Health of the Sick, who, at the foot of
the cross, were united with Jesus’ suffering, and persevered in your faith.
“Protectress of the Roman people”, you know our needs, and we know
that you will provide, so that, as at Cana in Galilee, joy and celebration
may return after this time of trial.
Help us, Mother of Divine Love, to conform ourselves to the will of the
Father and to do what Jesus tells us. For he took upon himself our suffer-
ing, and burdened himself with our sorrows to bring us, through the cross,
to the joy of the Resurrection. Amen.
We fly to your protection, O Holy Mother of God; Do not despise our peti-
tions in our necessities, but deliver us always from every danger,
O Glorious and Blessed Virgin.
CROWNING MARY IN A
COVID-19 LOCKDOWN
https://www.wordonfire.org/
resources/blog/crowning-mary-in-
a-covid-19-lockdown/27293/
Page 7 WE ARE A RESURRECTION PEOPLE-AND ALLELUIA IS OUR SONG!
ROME - Pope Francis said he was praying for expectant mothers who may be
anxious or worried about giving birth during the COVID-19 pandemic.
And he said the forced isolation devised to stop the pandemic was presenting
the danger of people living the faith only for themselves - detached from the
sacraments, the church and the people of God.
Online Masses and spiritual communion do not represent the church, he said
in his homily at his morning Mass in the chapel of his residence April 17.
“This is the church in a difficult situation that the Lord is allowing, but the ideal
of the church is always with the people and with the sacraments - always,”
Pope Francis said.
The pope began the Mass by praying for “women who are expecting, preg-
nant women who will become mothers and who are anxious; they worry,” he
said.
DMYC Cover
King of Kings
We are sharing this gift
of song with our Faith-
ful as this was the song
that the Youth Choir
was going to sing for
the Easter Sunday
Mass, but then the pandemic happened. Its an honor to enjoy this video
that the DMYC worked so hard on for this beautiful season.
To listen to the full song, copy this address into your web browser:
https://drive.google.com/file/
d/1W2FTSwZsrRwFHH0uBT0hqgLstegiHVrB/view?usp=drivesdk
King of Kings (in part; Verse 4 since Pentecost is coming)
...
And the Church of Christ was born
Then the Spirit lit the flame
Now this gospel truth of old
Shall not kneel shall not faint
By His blood and in His Name
In His freedom I am free
For the love of Jesus Christ
Who has resurrected me
Praise the Father
Praise the Son
Praise the Spirit three in one
God of glory
Majesty
Praise forever to the King of Kings
Who has resurrected me
“Perhaps they are asking themselves, “What kind of world will my child live
in?” he said.
Let us pray for them, that the Lord give them the courage to carry these
children forth with the trust that it will certainly be a different world, but it will
always be a world the Lord loves very much,” he said.
In his homily, the pope reflected on serious concerns about the faithful not
being able to come together as a community to celebrate Mass or to receive
the sacraments because of government restrictions against people gathering
in groups as part of efforts to stem the spread of the coronavirus.
Masses, prayers and faith-based initiatives have been offered online, and the
faithful have been encouraged to make an act of spiritual Communion given
their lack of access to holy Communion, but “this is not the church,” the pope
said.
One’s relationship with Jesus “is intimate, it is personal, but it is in a commu-
nity,” and this closeness to Christ without community, without the Eucharist,
without the people of God assembled together and “without the sacraments
is dangerous,” he said.
It is dangerous, he said, because people could start living their relationship
with God “for just myself, detached from the people of God.”
As the Gospels show, Jesus’ disciples always lived their relationship with the
Lord as a community - they gathered “at the table, a sign of community. It
was always with the sacrament, with bread,” the pope said.
“I am saying this because someone made me reflect on the danger of this
moment we are living, this pandemic that has made all of us communicate,
even in a religious sense, through the media, through means of communica-
tion,” he said.
By broadcasting his morning Mass, for example, people are in communion,
but they are not “together,” he said.
The very small number of people present at his daily morning Mass will re-
ceive the Eucharist, he said, but not the people watching online who will only
have “spiritual Communion.”
“This is not the church,” Pope Francis said. People are living this “familiarity
with the Lord” apart from each other in order to “get out of the tunnel, not to
stay in it.” The pope said it was thanks to an unnamed bishop who “scolded
him” and made him think more deeply about the danger of celebrating Mass
without the presence and participation of the general public.
He said the bishop wrote to him before Easter when it was announced Mass
would be celebrated in an “empty” St. Peter’s Basilica. He said the bishop
questioned the decision and asked, when “St. Peter’s is so big, why not put
30 people at least so people can be seen” in the congregation?
The pope said that at first he didn’t
understand what this bishop was
trying to get at, but then they spoke
and the bishop told him to be careful
to not make the church, the sacra-
ments and the people of God some-
thing that is only experienced or
distributed online. “The church, the
sacraments and the people of God
are concrete,” the pope said. The
faithful’s relationship with God must also stay concrete, as the apostles lived
it, as a community and with the people of God, not lived in a selfish way as
individuals or lived in a “viral” way that is spread only online.
“May the Lord teach us this intimacy with him, this familiarity with him, but in
the church, with the sacraments, with the holy faithful people of God,” he
said. +
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