News - April 2020 RSS Feed

"I am going fishing." This line of Peter's in last Friday’s Gospel reading struck me (John 21:3). Their leader had been crucified, He had already appeared to them and broken open the word, and what did Peter do? He returned to what was familiar and known. 

As COVID-19 continues to afflict our country, many of us are seeking ways to be helpful in our parish, our community, and our nation. When I think of all the needs of this new world —joblessness, hunger, loneliness — and all those that have been affected, it can be overwhelming. It’s times like these when I find that the Corporal Works of Mercy can provide direction.

I saw a parishioner in the grocery this past week, and as we talked I could see that she really missed coming to church and that some of her days have been quite hard on her. She was able to hold back her tears but only barely. When I explained that she could come to pray any day (from 8am-10pm) she seemed relieved and I think she was resolving to make a stop sometime soon. Even just that little bit meant a lot to her, and I hope that knowing that God is still here becomes a comfort for her.

In light of new information and recommendations from health officials concerning the danger of the COVID-19 pandemic and the urgency to stem the spread of the virus, the five Catholic bishops of Indiana have suspended effective March 18 and until further notice all public Sunday and weekday Masses throughout the Province of Indianapolis, which is comprised of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis and the Dioceses of Gary, Evansville, Fort Wayne-South Bend, and Lafayette.

Given our circumstances this Holy Week, I was thoroughly pleased with what we were able to offer the parish through video capabilities. We seized the opportunity to do what we could to share the prayer of the Church with everyone through our YouTube channel. Also, I really loved the evenings of prayer during our “virtual mission” that allowed us to unite around our Eucharistic Lord and commune with Him in a powerful way. I received many emails, letters, or other messages of gratitude for the chance to pray at “our parish.” That made all the hard work truly worth it.

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Join Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades starting on Friday, April 10 at 3 pm to pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. Bishop encourages all faithful of our diocese to begin this prayer as a novena for an end to the coronavirus pandemic. To pray with Bishop, use his chaplet video (available on @diocesefwsb on Facebook and YouTube), at 3 p.m. each day beginning on Good Friday and concluding on Divine Mercy Sunday.

The word unprecedented has lately become unpleasant to me. It now means to me: no going to see my family, no schools, no sports leagues (the high school is what matters to me), no time out with others. And worst of all, then, it means almost no one of the things that make up my priestly ministry - no people in church for Masses and other parish events. I am grateful to hear Confessions! I have missed you all dearly.

In today’s Easter Sunday Gospel, Mary of Magdala, then John and Peter, came to the tomb in which Jesus was buried and saw the stone removed and his body gone. Just as Jesus could not be contained in a tomb, neither can we be kept in our tombs – for example; sickness, fear, emptiness – if we keep our eyes on Jesus and follow him.

At 9 am on Easter Sunday, church bells across the diocese will ring. At this time, Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades askes the faithful of the diocese to join in the Regina Coeli ("Queen of Heaven") prayer of praise to Mary and petition to God. The words to the Regina Coeli are:

The Church building will remain open for personal prayer daily from 8am to 10pm. Fr. Terry welcomes you to call the office between 11 am and 3 pm to schedule a time for Confession.

Brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus, This week is the final week of preparation for the great gift of our Gospel. Indeed, our faith is founded on the truth of the Lord’s bodily resurrection, for "if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified of God that he raised Christ… If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all men most to be pitied.”

The Resurrection of Jesus is the most important event in history. But it is not simply an event. It is a reality. A reality that - if we believe truly - will touch and transform every darkness of our lives into light. Even the darkness of the grave will be transformed into life everlasting. Even here. Even now.