|
Dear Families,
 |
|
|
Video Message from Cardinal Blase Cupich
|
It is Tuesday afternoon, and the time that I usually reach out to you with the news of the week.
Today, I would like to give you some more ideas of ways to gather in prayer as a family.
In addition,
Cardinal Cupich has recorded a message you see here for parishioners and also school-aged children. He mentions the off-site and online lessons that your children now are experiencing. As a catechetical staff, we are putting our ideas together during this week. Next week, we'll begin to send you lessons, so that your student can finish up the year and not lose momentum. These will not be complex, but we hope, a sound conclusion to the year.
- Pope Francis is inviting Christians the world over to join in a prayer for healing and for peace by saying the Our Father together with him. He will be praying at noon in Rome, which is 6:00 AM for us here in Chicago.
- Fr. Presta will praying the Angelus and the Rosary at noon (in Chicago) and he invites you to join him in the live stream, either on the St. Emily Facebook page, or on the YouTube channel.
 Last week and next week, we were planning to offer the sacrament of penance to all our students in grades three through seven. Now, because of shelter-in-place, it is not possible to schedule confessions at all in our parishes.
This is true in many parts of the world. Pope Francis in a homily last week said, "Do what the Catechism says. It's very clear: if you don't find a priest to hear your Confession, talk with God, He is your Father, and tell Him the truth: 'Lord, I've done this, and that, and that . . . I'm sorry,' and ask Him for forgiveness with all your heart, with the Act of Contrition and promise Him: 'Afterwards I will go to Confession, but forgive me now.'"
May this time of patient waiting help us all to appreciate the sacraments so much more when we are able to receive them!
Our parish lives will continue from afar for the time being. You can watch the masses at both St. Emily and St. Thomas Becket online.
Magnifikid, a subscription publication, has made their materials available online for free during this time. Check it out. It is a wonderful way to involve your child in the Sunday mass readings and prayers.
The daily Scripture readings at mass can be
found here.
This
nighttime prayer
might be a good resource to settle your child into bed with assurance and to allay anxiety.
VidAngel
is offering their service for free in the next two weeks. They have an excellent mini-series,
Chosen,
with each episode about the people who met and interacted with Jesus. It is very well produced.
Please also keep in mind that both parishes (any parish) pay salaries and bills with the funds you donate. (And fundraisers have been cancelled for the immediate future.) Please keep up your parish donations, if you are able, even if we cannot gather for mass. You can donate electronically to St. Emily here and to St. Thomas Becket here.
|
