Dear Parishioners:
The Confession (1838) by Giuseppe Molteni
"The confession of evil works is the first beginning of good works," said St. Augustine. Some parishioners have asked about Confessions at OLM. As you know, we have had to suspend Confessions on Saturday afternoons to clean and sanitize the Church for 5:00 pm Mass. This change is to continue until the COVID-19 Crisis is over. However, we continue to offer Confessions on Monday evenings at 6: 00 pm. We usually have two priests available on Mondays as well. If Monday nights are not a convenient day and time for you to get to Confession, please know you can always make an appointment with the parish priests. Just contact Fr. Barrow, Fr. Connors, or myself to arrange for Confession.
Also, a few parishioners have asked if outside Confessors might be available on Monday Evening Confessions. I hope in the coming weeks to have the Dominican Friars from Providence College join us at least once a month for Confessions on Monday evenings. This Monday at 6:00 pm, Dominican Father James Mary Sullivan, OP, the Pastor of St. Pius V Church in Providence, is joining us for Confessions.
What a blessing we've had at OLM as Confessions continued throughout the COVID-19 Crisis. Even during the lockdown, we had many people coming to seek God's forgiveness and mercy. Confessions remain every Monday evening, no matter the weather. So if you haven't made a good Confession in a while, now is the time.
Mass in a Connemara Cabin (1875) by Aloysius O’Kelly depicts a priest celebrating the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in a private home during penal times when the Catholic Faith was ruthlessly suppressed and unjustly oppressed in Ireland.
We also enjoy the blessing of celebrating Mass together as a parish family. The number of parishioners attending Sunday Masses continues to rise each week. We intend to keep the present Mass Schedule of three weekend Masses for the remainder of the summer. Come September, if the number of parishioners attending Sunday Masses increases, we might add another Sunday Mass to the schedule. However, before we do change the schedule, there are several factors to consider. The cleaning and sanitizing of the Church, the need for the Mass, and the number of parishioners who attend are essential considerations.
We will announce any changes to the Mass Schedule in advance. However, for the foreseeable future, we continue to offer the 5:00 pm Mass of Anticipation on Saturdays, and the 7:30 am, and 10:30 am on Sundays. This current schedule is working and allows for ample time for our maintenance team to clean and sanitize. I genuinely appreciate your support, understanding, and patience as we continue to worship and practice our faith during this unprecedented time.
Many other places in the country are no so blessed. In some states, Church services face severe restrictions, and other states have stopped public worship services altogether. This past week the U.S. Supreme Court voted 5-4 to reject a Nevada church's plea to suspend state public-health orders limiting attendance at worship services.
The Governor of Nevada issued an order that allowed casinos and other secular businesses greater leeway than houses of worship, which were capped at 50 people for indoor services. His order allowed casinos to admit up to 50% of their capacity. A Nevada Protestant Church sued over the order claiming it was a violation of religious liberty and the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. It claimed that the order treated church services differently than other large gatherings such as casinos, gyms, and restaurants.
Freedom to Worship (1943) by Norman Rockwell
The majority decision denied the Church's argument without comment. However, Justice Gorsuch's one paragraph dissent is rather clear. He states: "In Nevada, it seems, it is better to be in entertainment than religion. Maybe that is nothing new. But the First Amendment prohibits such obvious discrimination against the exercise of religion. The world we inhabit today, with a pandemic upon us, poses unusual challenges. But there is no world in which the Constitution permits Nevada to favor Caesars Palace over Calvary Chapel."
Let's never take Sunday Mass for granted. Instead, let's renew our fidelity and love of the Eucharistic Lord. Stay safe. Be Well. Do Good! God Bless. Go Sox!!???