Deacon Ward's Daily Message 4/27/2020
~Mater Dei Parish~
St. Mary Star of the Sea / St. Edward the Confessor
St. James the Greater
St. James the Greater
St. Benedict Labre
Deacon Ward’s Almost Daily Message
Monday, April 27, 2020
To everyone...a happy new week!
I hope many of you were able to tune in to one of our Sunday Masses.
We're still working on the technical aspects of producing a good live-streaming experience.
Pray that we soon go from live-streaming...to live and in person!
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We'll begin as we usually do with a prayer for priests and deacons.
I hope many of you were able to tune in to one of our Sunday Masses.
We're still working on the technical aspects of producing a good live-streaming experience.
Pray that we soon go from live-streaming...to live and in person!
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We'll begin as we usually do with a prayer for priests and deacons.
Today we pray for our priestly and religious vocations and for all our deceased deacons and wives.
“Eternal Father, we lift up to you these and all the priests and deacons of the world.
Sanctify them, heal and guide them.
Mold them into the likeness and holiness
of your Son, Jesus, the Eternal High Priest.
May their lives be pleasing to you.
In Jesus’ name, we pray.” Amen.
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No new announcements Today.
on Wednesday April 29th 9:00AM - 6:00 PM
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I've been thinking about how our inability to attend Holy Mass, the sacraments, and other in-Church devotions, is so contrary to the way our Catholic faith is practiced, or meant to be practiced. Not only is it contrary...it deeply saddens me.
Our faith teaches that we are each a part of the Body of Christ, that comes together as one.
Pope Francis said in a recent homily that online Masses and spiritual communion do not represent the Church. He concedes that we are in a difficult situation that God has allowed, yet the ideal of the Church is "always with the people and with the sacraments."
The Pope is very concerned about us not being able to come together as a community to celebrate Holy Mass because of governmental measures and conditions.
Yes, we've been offered all sorts of online opportunities to "stay in touch," but, as the Pope stated, "this is not the Church."
Will this cause some to start living their faith, "just for myself," and become detached from the participating parish faithful, "the people of God?"
We know from the Gospels that the disciples "lived their relationship with the Lord as a community"...they gathered "at the table." When watching Holy Mass live-streamed..."people are in communion, but they are not together."
We need to be careful that the Church, its sacraments and the people don't become something "that is only experienced or distributed online."
The Pope continues, "the faithfuls'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."
Let us all pray fervently for the moment we can resume our truly intimate relationship with our Lord as a rock solid community.
Pope Francis ends by saying/praying:
"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."
My Lord and my God, all my trust is in You.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Until next time...
In His peace.
Deacon Ward
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