Hopefully we are in fact seeing the light at the end of the tunnel of our time of having our public Masses suspended. My understanding is that the bishops of Ohio have been meeting this weekend to consider steps for safe participation of us all as the roll-out plan for opening Ohio’s businesses and community activities is taking shape as well. May the Lord bless them with courage, prudence and clarity as they continue to shepherd us through – as we’ve heard again and again – these unprecedented times!
So, I am hoping that very soon we can begin to make plans for a number of events we usually enjoy this time of year, such as First Communion, 8th Grade Graduation, and welcoming new members into the Church. All of these, as you well know, have been on hold as we have been waiting to see the severity of the coronavirus in our midst. May a cautious optimism and trust in God’s desire to bless us with a more complete experience of the graces of His presences in the Sacraments bear abundant fruit for us!
Thank you for your response to requests for assistance for our twinning parish in Caracol, Haiti. One of the challenges for them is something that in the past has been a blessing. They live relatively close to the border of the Dominican Republic. Many workers in their area, along the northeastern coast of Haiti, cross back and forth between those two countries. That border has been closed to the usual flow of goods, of course, and some Haitians returning from other countries with a full range of exposure to the coronavirus pass through there and onto other parts of Haiti. So, they have had plenty of exposure to the virus even while their access to supplies has been limited. Thankfully, as best as they can know, the number of confirmed cases has been minimal, not unlike here in Guernsey County. Anyway, we are sending a second transfer from our Social Action funds to help with the purchase and distribution of food. The funds that were sent on Good Friday also helped them to maintain their parish school, St. Elisabeth School.
Again, if you would like to contribute for additional funds to be sent to that parish, please provide that as a separate item from your weekly contributions, too. However, those checks can be written to Christ Our Light Parish (with a note on the memo line, such as, “Haiti parish offering”). Simply let me know if you have additional questions about this.
May the Lord keep us protected and healthy and, as always, well prepared for the gift of eternal life!