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Dear CCHS Families,
'Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."(Phil. 4:6) St. Paul shares this admonition to reassure us in these stressful times. Probably none of us thought on Ash Wednesday that we would be having such a Lent! We made our plans for prayer, penance and almsgiving believing that we would direct our personal Lenten journey. However, I think it safe to say that we are all being led on a unique Lenten journey that none of us expected and we're on it together. Some of us are worried, stressed, confused and even, as St. Paul names, anxious. But he goes on to remind us that in every situation we are to turn to our loving God with thanksgiving. This advice seems strange to me at this time. With thanksgiving? How, exactly, are we to get through our current situation with a thankful disposition? The answer is that we will do so exactly how we encountered it; together.
There is much that we cannot do to change this situation but there is much that we can do and must do. One of the things we can do is be spiritually present for one another. None of us needs to face our anxiety alone. We have been advised to practice "social distance" in order to avoid contamination of the virus but not spiritual and pastoral distance. In fact, spiritual closeness through "prayer and petition" presented to God is necessary. So how, concretely, can we put this call into practice during the temporary closure of our school:
- While children are at home, have them make cards for nursing home residents who are not permitted visitors so that they know they aren't forgotten.
- Remember and pray for first responders, medical personnel and others whose profession places them directly in harm's way in order to serve the common good. Perhaps send them notes of "Thanks" as well.
- Search the web for various websites that offer prayers and other devotions for times of wide spread illness and distress. The Church has dealt with such situations for centuries and has many resources.
- Have a family-wide social media power down for a designated period of time each evening or during the day to say a quick prayer, read a bible passage or simply talk to one another. This time may be a temptation to increase social media usage because children and families are home instead of in school or at work but offer up this temptation as a form of Lenten penance.
- CCHS's website offers anyone the opportunity to request prayer, please feel free to do so and these will be included in Mass and daily prayer.
- Finally, as another part of our school pastoral plan to our families, we realize that some may be affected by this situation in unexpected ways. Therefore, if your family is in need of canned food supplies, we offer our supply that has been collected. If your family is in need of canned food, simply contact me privately at 856-663-2247 ext. 125 and leave a message as I will check that line daily or text me on my cell at 609-377-7098 and I will be sure assist in any way I'm able in a confidential manner. (Sorry, we don't have any toilet paper.)
If you have any questions regarding any aspect of our school plan, please feel free to use these contact numbers as well. If I can't answer your question, I will be certain to work with you to get an answer. Please know that EVERYONE at CCHS is here for you and your child through this difficult and confusing time and on your behalf, I thank them. But remember the words of St. Paul included in this letter and those of St. Padre Pio: "Pray, hope and don't worry."
Finally, in a special way, I'd like to publicly thank our principal and vice principals for all of their extra work to help activate our virtual learning plan and for their diligence in communicating with the Diocesan Schools Office. There are others as well who are currently assisting with this effort and we'll all come to know of their efforts as time goes on. All of us at CCHS are facing this unprecedented situation together so I thank everyone for their efforts, patience and dedication.
With the virtues of honor, faith and loyalty to our mission that will guide us, we will continue with the same fortitude of the Irish that has sustained us for 133 years!
Prayerfully,
Fr. Joseph P. Capella
Rector
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