FROM FATHER STEVEN - MARCH 28, 2021

Dear Brothers & Sisters,
 
Covering Crosses and Statues
You might have seen this week that all the sacred images and statues are covered since last Monday. The Church recommends to cover them after the 5th Sunday of Lent to help heighten our sense to build a longing for Easter Sunday. When we walk into the church and see things are different, we know something is about to happen. These last days of lent are meant to be a time of preparation for the Sacred Triduum and these veils are a powerful reminder to get ready.
 
Prayer, Almsgiving and Fasting
Since we are still in Lent, we are called to pray, fast, and give alms. We have prayed during adoration, the Triduum of St. Joseph, and at Mass, and will be doing a Novena for Divine Mercy everyday at 7pm, starting on Holy Saturday. For Almsgiving, I invite you to be generous in the offertory during Holy Week. All the collections of Holy Thursday will be towards IC Saint Vincent de Paul, on Good Friday we will help the Shrines in the Holy Land, and on Easter we be helping the Clergy Benefit Trust.  As Good Friday is a day of Fasting and Abstinence, we will be collecting food this week to help Marlboro’s Community Cupboard in the Walker building. They serve many people from our communities and, especially during these difficult times, they need our help. Currently they are in need of diapers and baby wipes, dish detergent, hot cereals (sweetened cereal), cooking oil, sugar, mixes for cake, muffin, pancake, Jell-O, pudding, Spaghetti O’s, raviolis, spaghetti and meatballs, hash, chili, corn, crackers (all varieties), cookies, granola bars, popcorn, ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, and jellies. Look for a box at the entrance of the church where will be collecting all these goods. May God bless your generosity.
 
Church Seating
Some people have inquired about the seating in the church. We currently can safely accommodate over 100 people in the church at a time without the choir loft. We don’t have an exact number, because it depends on how many people come from the same family. During the Triduum we have increased the number of masses we will be ready to have overflow masses if necessary. We ask you to follow the instruction from the ushers for these coming days. The current regulations from CDC allow children to be 3ft from each other in the classrooms. The archdiocese has instructed us to two arm’s length for the distance. This will allow us to increase the capacity in the church in a safe manner.
 
 
   God bless,
   Fr. Steven
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