Before I jump to my main topic, just a quick update: I expect further guidance from the Cardinal by Wednesday, but as of now:
- the Church is still open for private prayer from 9-3 each day. (A reminder to stay at least 6 feet apart in every direction - so probably 3 pews apart in front and back of you!).
- We are still live-streaming Mass on our Facebook Page each day at 9 am; Sunday Mass live-steam Saturday: 3 pm (English); 4 pm (Spanish). All also viewable afterwards
- We will have Eucharistic Adoration only in the daytime: noon - 1 pm Tuesday - Friday; noon - 2 pm Saturday & Sunday
- Confessions during Friday & Saturday Adoration times.
Mainly, I am writing today to invite you to support an Archdiocese-wide initiative that Cardinal Tobin has launched to support our own parish community and to reach out to those in need in response to the effects of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on everyday life.
The Archdiocese is working with the team at GoFundMe (a well-known online giving organization), to provide a single online platform for the faithful to support outreach to those most in need as well as cover the critical needs of their own and other parish communities during the Coronavirus pandemic. This is a coordinated and unified effort.
The first place people often go in time of need is the local parish. Under the current conditions brought on by the Coronavirus pandemic, parishes are limited in the services they can offer to the faithful.
In support of this initiative, Cardinal Tobin has temporarily waived the usual archdiocesan assessment (the funds we send to support the central administration and the charitable works of the Archdiocese).
Of course if you are able to continue giving in your usual way, that is great!:
- to give through your regular parish envelopes or cash, please feel free to use the collection chutes in the Church (if you stop by for a visit); or to send by mail; or to put in the mail slot of the Parish Center (in the event the Church were to be closed during the Coronavirus pandemic)
- Please also feel free to continue using or consider beginning to use our existing online electronic giving program. Click here for Electronic Giving
- Another option for contributing is the Archdiocesan Annual Appeal: Sharing the Light of Christ. (Launch was postponed because of my February 1 arrival; I had intended to do it last weekend but will now be later). Click here to contribute.
The parish GoFundMe initiative is a supplement to these other forms of giving. However, if your preferred way of giving is difficult because of Coronavirus restrictions, our parish GoFundMe page is a great alternative; funds will come back to the parish 100% within a few days. In fact, our collection has been low by approximately $8,000 each of these recent weeks, so this could be a terrific help!
To make a tax-deductible contribution to St Andrew’s parish, through our parish GoFundMe page,
click here
.
The flow of funds will be simple and transparent to see for our parish community and others who choose to contribute:
- All money raised through individual parish GoFundMe pages will flow into a central archdiocesan fund, and the Parish Business Services team will aim to release all funds to parishes in the amount raised for the parish within the week
- Pastors, parishioners, and the public can track how much each parish has raised in total on their individual parish GoFundMe pages
- All money raised through the Parishes in Need fund will be distributed to conduct outreach to those in need and to those parish communities unable to meet their critical needs alone
- Contributions are tax-deductible, and contributors will receive tax receipts automatically
Just a reminder that we are livestreaming Mass Monday through Saturday at 9 am, and the Sunday Mass is livestreamed on Saturday at 3 pm (English); 4pm (Spanish) –
click here for our Facebook page
.
Thank you for generosity to our parish and to those parish communities unable to meet their critical needs alone.
For a message from Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R., the
Parishes in Need
fund, and more on how this initiative will support the critical needs of our parish communities, please visit:
https://www.rcan.org/parishsupport
. For more information on the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the Archdiocese of Newark’s response, please visit:
https://www.rcan.org/COVID19
.
May God bless you all!
Father Joe
