Pastor's Letter | May 3

 
Dear St. Joseph Parish Family,
 
The talk of late has turned to how society will reopen, which means that we have turned a corner. Hopefully soon the quarantine will loosen and St. Joseph's will again be able to offer public Masses. I don't know when that will happen, but there is one hopeful sign– the Cardinal has now permitted priests to go to religious houses (nuns, brothers, and sisters) and celebrate Masses there. This relaxation of the Cardinal's restrictions on public liturgies is the first and I hope that it presages more to come. Please pray that this pandemic will come to a speedy and safe end!
 
When and what things will look like I don't know. I'm not sure what public Masses and liturgies will look like when they restart, but we're preparing as much as we can. It will depend on the specific rules that the government and the Cardinal provide.
 
Make sure to keep up your own spiritual strength. As the quarantine lengthens so will the stress of it all. Make sure that your foundation is in Christ and that you draw strength from your friendship with Him. Stay close to Him and prayer, and He will see you through these challenging times. We can't know the future, but do not to let your mind rest in anxiety about what is to come– we will never find rest in such thoughts because no matter how much we may obsess about what is to come those thoughts will never bring clarity or settle our anxiety; instead, they will only increase our restlessness and lead to panic and despair. We must rest rather in Christ and trust in hope that He will see us through all the crosses of life and lead us to true and eternal life and blessedness. That is where our hearts will find rest and peace.
 
Also please keep all our fellow parishioners in your prayers. Many have suffered either from the virus directly or indirectly from the consequences of the pandemic. Some have even died. We are stronger together, and we are still united as a community in prayer, in hope that we will be reunited in person soon enough.
 
May God abundantly bless you,
 
Fr. Boniface