It’s good news that we will be celebrating Mass again after a 9-10 separation because of the virus. I look forward to seeing many of our people beginning this weekend and in the Sundays ahead. A happy Memorial Day weekend to all as we remember our loved ones who have lived and died from this world, entering, we pray, the joys of eternal life with our Lord and Savior. We have a long list of statements regarding coming back to Church, what it will look like, and what are the proper expectations for each of us as we continue to focus on halting the spread of the virus. We all have our share to do in this matter as we return to Church. Here’s the list: * First, with the 40% figure that came from the Governor’s office regarding the amount of people in the Church, that 40% comes to over 200 people at Immaculate Conception, with a capacity over 500 people. It’s rare we ever have over 200 people in the Church for a Sunday Mass, or even close to that number. So that’s not a concern, especially with the fact that not everyone will be returning at this time. If you know of someone whose Church is not open this Sunday, May 24, and they plan on attending here, it would be best to advise them to wait until their own Parish opens to avoid any “numbers crunch.” If 30-40 people from St. George Parish decide to attend here, and 25 from elsewhere, that could be an issue. If it’s only our folks attending, numbers will not be an issue. * Next, everyone attending Mass needs to wear a mask. We cannot allow anyone into the Church without a mask. The only ones who will not wear a mask once inside are the Lector, the Cantor (4:00 & 10:00 Masses), and the Priest while saying the Mass. * All 3 entrances – the 2 side doors and 2 front doors, will be left open at all times. Please do not close those doors at any time. Also, the doors inside the Church will be left open and need to remain open for two purposes: that different hands will not touch them at different times, and for ventilation in the Church. * When you enter the Church, every other pew will be taped off to create automatic social distance. Please do not remove any tape if your normal pew is one of the unlucky ones closed off. I recommend that those who are more agile and younger in years sit toward the middle of a pew, leaving the ends for other, less agile folks. Please do not ask anyone to move in. There should be no problem finding a pew somewhere in the Church. On the flip side of this, if you are alone, please do not corner a pew if you’re the only person sitting in it, in such a way where no one else can enter in it. Us Catholics tend to be territorial. Please be less territorial, as well as extremely considerate. * For all 3 Masses, Deacon Kevin and Fr. Riley will be processing in from the side and not down the center aisle. We do this already for the 7:30 Mass. This will include, for the time being, the other Masses as well. PLEASE ARRIVE IN PLENTY OF TIME BEFORE MASS BEGINS. * When you enter your pew, you will notice all hymnals and prayer cards removed. This is so one set of hands at one Mass will not lead to another set of hands holding the same book/card at another Mass, and so on. Music will be played and sung at the 4 & 10 o’clock Masses, but without the use of hymnals. IT’S BEEN STATED BY HIGHER POWERS THAT THE OPENING AND CLOSING HYMNS WILL BE SUNG BY THE CANTOR (Bridget) ONLY. THE REST OF US LISTEN. All other Mass parts may be sung by the People of God where singing is done, and all non-singing parts of the Mass - all responses - should be recited by all in attendance as is the normal way. Also, all attendees will have to listen to the readings, not being able to follow along with the JourneySongs book that will not be in the pew. Mass attendees may bring your own prayer book to follow along with the readings if you wish, but, it must not be left behind. Nothing is left in the pew at the end of Mass. * Bulletins, for those who want one, can be taken only at the end of Mass. Reason being that nothing can be left in the pews when everyone leaves after Mass, and bulletins are mainly the one item that people leave behind for others to clean up. * Reception of Communion will have a different format for the foreseeable future. Reception will take place from the side aisles rather than the center aisle. This allows for two things: first, a single line can be formed with tape on the floor for safe distance, and second, it’s much easier for everyone to go back to their pews in a staggering format from the center aisle where more space is available, and not coming up the center aisle side by side that tightens the distance. There will be only 2 Communion stations; Deacon Kevin will be at one, and Fr. Riley be at the other, each of them standing near the exit door. We ask that no one leaves after Communion; there’s no need to do so. * Reception of Communion: Most people already receive Communion in the hand, with a few who receive on the tongue. It’s strongly recommended that everyone receives in the hand. For those who prefer receiving the Eucharist on the tongue, no one is refused the reception of the Lord. * At the end of Mass, it’s imperative that everyone exits in an orderly fashion, going pew by pew beginning at the front. No stampedes are necessary or allowed. Exiting Church is not the bull chase in Spain. Again, all 3 doors will be open for a smooth flow of both entering and exiting. At the end of Mass, please be kind, gentle, very patient, and keep your distance from others who are exiting. * Hand sanitizers and wipes are at each entrance to the Church for anyone who needs use of them when entering or exiting. After each Mass the pews will be wiped down and cleaned, as well as all door handles in the Church and any area where hands may touch, such as glass on the doors. * For seating, only members of the same immediate households can sit closely together. Everyone else needs to be at least 6 feet apart. * Before and after Mass, there’s the discouragement from certain circles of authority of folks gathering in small groups. Our advice, for what’s it’s worth, is there is no issue with this as long as everyone keeps their distance and people can walk by without having to avoid someone standing in their path. * VERY IMPORTANT: Anyone who is sick, coughing, or not feeling well, do not come to Mass. You need to stay home. This is for the good of everyone. Watch Mass on TV. There are a few different choices. Collection Baskets: There will be no collection at Offertory for the foreseeable future. Brown collection boxes will be left at each entrance to the Church. For safe measure, we will place them just inside the Church on a small stand or table, and it will be identified. On the way in or out, for those with envelopes, checks, or cash, simply place your offering it in the box, and it will be collected immediately after Mass concludes. It’s highly preferred by the Diocese that parishioners continue to send in your offering through the mail or continue using the online service. But for those who bring your offering to Mass, those boxes will be in the Church for that purpose. Elderly: I ask all the elderly in our Parish to use the better part of your discretion as to whether you will come to Church or not at this time. The Sunday obligation for the elderly has been extended by our Bishop to December 31 of this year. Talk it over with your loved ones, get their advice. This virus attacks the elderly above all others. Or for those with serious underlying medical conditions that will potentially compromise your health even more by attending Mass, you need to consider staying away for the present time, until the situation calms down in all areas. * For the non-elderly, if you are healthy, and you attend to the protocols in place, there’s every reason coming to Church will be a safe and holy experience. It’s going to look a bit different before & after Mass, and once or twice during it. But the Mass is the Mass. It remains the same. And we’re confident you will be glad you attended in good faith. * We understand that not all our people will be rushing the Church doors this Sunday. There are different reasons for this: elderly, underlying conditions, fear of a more crowded place, or fear in general, etc. You need to make the decision that is best for you. This was mentioned this in a past video, saying that all Catholics returning to Church due to the Coronavirus, our returning will take place at different times, for various reasons. This still holds. You have to go at your pace. We cannot unfear your fear; we cannot make you 30 years younger; we cannot do way with your underlying medical conditions. Go at your comfortable, wise pace. However, don’t stay away for good. Please don’t do that to yourself. Do not allow this virus to crumble and destroy the practice of your faith. And if you need to talk about that topic, please call Fr. Riley to chat about this. * Lastly, if there is anyone who wishes to help clean the pews after a given Mass, please let Fr. Riley know at the beginning when you come in. If you have any comments, questions, or concerns regarding any part of what is written here, you can send an email to Fr. Riley at the Church’s email address: icworc@live.com, or call the Rectory at any time. If we’re not here to answer the phone, leave a message and your number and we will return your call. Thank you, and we look forward to seeing our people in the weeks ahead.
With our Bishop's approval, we will resume the regular Sunday Mass schedule this coming week, May 23 & 24, with Masses on Saturday at 4:00, and Sunday at 7:30 & 10:00. Please check for important updates throughout this week regarding procedures that will need to be in place as well as a video I hope to have out there by Wednesday or Thursday of this week. I will address some of the expected adjustments that will be necessary to implement. Peace, Fr. Riley
In the words of St. Peter, “Come to him, a living stone.” Now seriously, have you ever seen a living stone? A stone that breathes the breath of life? A rock that goes to the movies? A stone that can’t wait for baseball to begin this year? Have you ever seen a rock move from one place to another on its own initiative? Have you ever seen a stone practice social distancing from other stones because the other stone had too many weeds and moss growing on them? Have you ever seen a stone avoid hugs and handshakes? Yet, there’s St. Peter in today’s 2nd reading on the 5th Sunday of the 2020 Easter season saying, “Beloved; Come to him, a living stone.” I didn’t know living stones could be hims and hers. But according to St. Peter in his letter, they can be. Of course, the lead Apostle refers to one particular Person, the him being Jesus. He’s the living stone. The immovable rock. The foundation of our faith. The building that does not crumble under the weight of the world’s sin, or virus. He’s the lone structure who stands tall in the midst of adversity. Peter takes the image of a stone, a rock, an inanimate piece of earth, and brings it alive. He places breath into an object that doesn’t breathe. Although interestingly, Hindus believe that every part of creation, stones included, is a living entity, by virtue of the fact it’s part of creation. Peter has a little Hindu in him. He takes the most grounded, immovable object, a big rock like a mountain, adds the breath of life to that mountain, and says, “Here is your God. Here is your Savior. Here is your Redeemer and Victor.” In all the living Earth, both animate and inanimate, Peter could not have used a more effective visual for the One who called us out of darkness into his wonderful light. What’s even more amazing about the living stone is that it speaks. The only language we ever hear from rocks is the language of water crashing against it at the ocean, or, runaway rocks rolling down a mountainside speaking the language, “You better get out of my way or I’m going to flatten you.” That’s typical stone language. The inanimate object making noise. The living stone speaks a less aggressive, more comforting type of language. The waves of death that used to crash against this stone have been done away with, bringing forth the peace of eternal life. The language of the living stone that Peter says, “Come to him,” is the language of reassurance we presently need to hear and trust. It’s the language where the Living Stone himself speaks, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God – my Father, have faith also in me, his Son.” What sort of faith is this Living Stone calling for? Certainly, there are many types of faith we can live, even though some of them are dead. We can have faith in other people, which can be a good thing when their hearts are not troubled and they possess total trust in God. Just a recommendation on my part connected to having faith in people; don’t place any faith in anyone who has no faith in God their Creator, or, is not a God-fearing person. Pray for them but put no faith in them that they will somehow make your life better. Because they won’t. Beware of the wolf in sheep’s clothing. The faith the Living Stone is calling for is an undying faith in the holy truth that he has conquered the world, to use religious language. We’re at a time when appearances are that the world is being conquered by a Pandemic that appears every hundred years or so. We’re rightfully concerned about the final tallies here; how many will be affected and how many will Jesus welcome home. Especially the elderly who are most affected by this virus. It isn’t NYC or New York state most effected. It’s the elderly in their homes and nursing homes. The most beautiful people in the world who all have an incredible life story to tell when they arrive in the presence of the Living Stone. Where they say, “Lord, don’t send me back there. I love this home much better.” That’s the faith he calls us to. One that carries into eternal life. “Do not let your hearts be troubled … I am going to prepare a place for you … In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places.” It’s not like heaven is Treasure Valley in Leicester; 3 small cabins in the forest. Where you have to fight for a spot. Heaven not musical chairs where, when the music of this world stops, you have to dive for a chair or get tossed out of the game. “In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places.” This tells us that Jesus anticipates an infinite amount of good faith, faith in him, from countless amounts of people over history, if many dwelling places have been prepared. No musical chairs in the Upper Chamber. That’s a stupid game anyway. I never liked it. From the 2nd reading to today’s Gospel we have very timely readings for us. From Peter to Jesus. The Apostle in his words leading to the Master, the Living Stone. The immoveable 2nd Person on the Trinity who breathes life. Like a flower needs to breathe air and soak in the sunlight. Jesus breathes life itself. He was there when God breathed life into Adam. The same Adam who fell, with a little help from his wife. The second Adam, Christ, breathes into us who have faith the life that never falls or dies. That’s the Living Stone about whom Peter writes, “Come to him.” Come to him, keep coming to him, and don’t stop coming to him. Most especially now.