Dear Parishioners,
Lent has taken a very interesting turn this year. We have experienced the need to sacrifice in ways that we did not choose for ourselves. Fasting from social interaction, Praying for healing from a pandemic, and Almsgiving to help those in financial difficulty because of sudden loss of employment. Let us hopefully antic- ipate the many blessings that God still has in store for us through this trial!
Things rapidly continue to change and develop regarding the corona virus and the government and church directives we are receiving about it. So let me give you some updated Parish information as of Tuesday, March 24th:
1) OLV Church remains open from 8 am to 8 pm each day for private prayer – consider coming in and making the Stations of the Cross to keep a Lenten spirit
2) Funerals are being temporarily suspended. In the event of a death, a Memorial Mass for the deceased person will be arranged when the restriction on liturgical services is lifted
3) Baptisms and Weddings must be delayed until after the restriction on liturgical services 4) Confessions are by appointment only – call the rectory
5) No decisions have been made regarding First Holy Communion. It will depend on when
Masses begin again
6) The Rectory Office is closed until further notice
7) The Outreach Office is closed, except for the food pantry which is making deliveries to people
in need.
I repeat my previous suggestions for alternative means of staying connected spiritually:
1) Mass from Our Lady of Victory will be available each day on Youtube accessible through our parish website (olvfpny.org), Instagram and Facebook accounts
2) Mass from St. Agnes Cathedral can be viewed on the Catholic Faith Network (Optimum Channel 29/137;Verizon FIOS channel 296; Spectrum channel 162/471) Monday through Friday at 8:30 and 12:30 pm; and Sundays at 11 am and 7 pm
3) The Blessed Sacrament will be exposed on the altar at OLV for private Adoration from 8 am to 1 pm each day
4) Your homes are “domestic churches.” Perhaps these days are opportunities to increase your family prayer time at home – for example, by watching Mass together or praying the Rosary, Grace before meals, nighttime prayers, viewing formed.org videos.
These are items previously announced, but worth repeating:
1) Confirmation ceremonies with Bishop Andrzej will be re-scheduled for a later date 2) Communion to the Homebound is suspended
3) Please continue to contact the rectory for the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick 4) All parish meetings and events are cancelled
5) OLV School and Faith Formation Program are closed until further notice
6) Please continue to remember the parish with pantry donations and charitable donations.
An on-line giving option is available for parishioners. Please see the page elsewhere in today’s bulletin to register for on-line giving.
An Act of Spiritual Communion (to be said at Communion time when watching Mass)
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.
I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally,
Come at least spiritually into my heart.
I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.
Praised be the name of Jesus Christ now and forever!
Fr. Tom