St. John Neumann Catholic Community
Staffed by Oblates of St. Francis de Sales
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Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, all public Masses in the Diocese of Arlington are suspended until further notice.
The de Sales Chapel is open 8am-5pm Monday-Friday & 8am-12pm Saturday-Sunday. Please maintain social distancing while visiting the chapel.
The office staff will be working from home until further notice and responding to voice mails and e-mails.
Main Office: 703-860-8510
11900 Lawyers Rd
Reston, VA 20191
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Dear Parishioners and Friends,
As I write this letter on March 24, 2020, we are in the midst of the Coronavirus and dealing with a lot of anxiety and unknown. At the same time, we are in the early stages of spring and just a few short weeks away from Easter. Naturally, spring and Easter just seem to go together. Words that come to me when I think of Spring and Easter are
joy
and
hope
.
As I took a walk around the church property, I saw the magnolia trees blooming and dogwood trees beginning to pop, as well as a number of other flowers and plants blossoming. It just made me feel good and put a smile on my face. Even just for a few moments, my mind was filled with the pleasant thoughts of spring and
new life
, instead of all the anxiety and unknown produced by the constant and changing news of the covid-19 virus.
As we approach Easter, knowing it will be celebrated very differently this year, it is important not to lose sight of the significance of this great feast and its meaning for our lives. If you think about it, we are
called to be Easter people
. In fact as a teenager, I remember being at an Easter mass celebrated by the well known theologian and homilist now deceased, Rev. Walter Burghardt, SJ, who suggested that we understand Easter as a verb.
How will we allow the Resurrection of the Lord to transform our lives and how will we experience new life?
In the circumstances that we find ourselves today, perhaps it is hope that is the Easter virtue and gift that may mean the most to us. There are some concrete reasons why I have hope. The first is that through God’s generosity and unconditional love
we have been given the gift of salvation
that we celebrate every Easter, as well as every time we gather for Eucharist. But then there are other reasons, that have come as a result of these challenging times: some parishioners with teenage children have told me how this time has given them the opportunity to pray together as a family and to share their thoughts; I have heard from parishioners who have gotten together on-line to pray or to do scripture study together; several of our ARISE groups are meeting virtually; many parishioners are just calling and checking up on one another; a number of parishioners have gone shopping and picked up medications for some of our seniors in the parish and community; and I know many in the parish have responded to families with young school aged children who without the assistance of the community might not get the meals that they were getting when in school. These are just a few examples how people have taken these challenging days and helped transform them into opportunities of experiencing God’s presence among us. These are examples of
the light shining through the darkness
.
As many people experience worry, fear, or illness - all of which is very real and understandable - I pray that the hope and joy that comes from Easter faith will enable us to recognize
God’s presence in our midst
.
Live Jesus,
Fr. Joe
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Catholic Mass Explained
Private Masses?
Fr Don Heet, OSFS
Over the past several months we have been looking at the various parts of the Mass. This month we will take a break from that pattern and reflect on the phenomenon called private Masses. When Bishop Burbidge suspended the obligation of participating in Sunday Mass and cancelled all public Masses, he encouraged the priests of the diocese to continue to celebrate private masses each day. What do we mean by the term and what is its theological foundation?
In a number of ways, the term “private” mass is a misnomer. It refers to Masses celebrated without a congregation being present. However, the preferred way of celebrating such a Mass is with at least one other person, besides the priest, being there. It is obvious from the very structure of the Mass that one or more people besides the priest is envisioned; after all, when the priest says “The Lord be with you,” the words presume a “you” who is present. In parishes where there are more than one priest assigned, very often Masses are concelebrated by the priests who are present – in that situation, there is a presider and the concelebrants are also the congregation. As members of a religious community, the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales stationed at St. John Neumann are quite familiar with concelebrating with each other. However there are some situations where only one priest is assigned to a parish and there is no one else present for Mass. The General Instruction on the Roman Missal (affectionately known as the GIRM) envisions such a possibility and states, “Mass should not be celebrated without a minister, or at least one of the faithful, except for a just and reasonable cause. In this case the greetings, the instructions and the blessing at the end of Mass are omitted.” (#254, emphasis added) The need to respect efforts to curtain the current pandemic certainly meets the conditions of a “just and reasonable cause.”
However, even in the case of a priest celebrating by himself, the Mass is more than simply his private devotion. Earlier in the Girm, we read “Even though it is not possible to have the presence and active participation of the faithful, which manifest more clearly the ecclesial nature of the celebration, the celebration of the Eucharist is always endowed with its efficacy and dignity, since it is the act of Christ and of the Church, in which the priest fulfills his own principal function and always acts for the sake of the people’s salvation.” (#18) In other words, since through the Mass the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is once more made present in our world, it is always the saving act of Christ bringing grace upon all the people of God, even those not present. One manifestation of this truth is the practice of celebrating Mass for a particular intention, usually one or more individuals, often someone who is deceased, at the request of a friend or relative. We priests are very careful in our celebration of Mass to remember, by name, the person for whom the Mass is being celebrated.
Certainly it is very frustrating – and painful – to be denied the opportunity to gather as the people of God, to hear God’s word and share in the Eucharist. We can, and should, make a spiritual communion when we can’t receive sacramentally, but we know it is not the same. Hopefully this period of hungering will help us be more attentive and grateful when in the near future, we will be able once again to celebrate the Lord’s supper and be fed with his body and blood.
A Spiritual Communion
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.
I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart.
I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You.
Never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen.
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Coronavirus Anxiety
Susan Infeld, RN
Tolerating uncertainty is hard. By nature, we are comforted by predictability and stability. In the midst of the current pandemic (which seems to daily increase unease), we need practical strategies to help self-manage anxiety. Routines and schedules can be calming with their rhythm and provide psychological relief from anxiety. So here are a few strategies for you to consider:
1. Implement a daily schedule which includes specified times for personal hygiene and getting dressed (no PJ's during the day), meals, and for one or two "human distancing" walks during the day.
2. In the morning, get up at the same scheduled time and before your feet hit the ground, thank God for this day! Enjoy 15 minutes of prayer or meditation with your cup of coffee.
3. Attend "Mass on Line" daily. It is so comforting. There are several places that offer it including Bishop Robert Barron's "Word on Fire" media ministry,
(
https://www.wordonfire.org/daily-mass/
), and on Facebook with our friend Michael Newman OSFS, at Holy Family Parish in Adrian MI, where Fr. Tom Murphy spent time there as Pastor. The universal church is here for and with us!
4. Increase your social contact via phone or internet with those you care about. I hate using the phone but am committed to making 5 calls a day.
5. Limit on line/TV news. This is very important. In addition, establish a defined "worry time" for yourself. ("Worry time" should be limited to 15 minutes, once or twice a day but not at the end of the day). This is a time for you to process information and concerns. Journal your uneasiness, and then "turn them over" to God. In your journal, also list things that you are grateful for. We want to balance apprehensions with joy.
"Do not fear what may happen tomorrow; the same everlasting Father who cares for you today will take care of you then and every day. He will either shield you from suffering, or will give you unfailing strength to bear it. Be at peace, then, and put aside all anxious thoughts and imagination". St. Francis de Sales
6. And finally, establish a pre-bedtime routine that is calming such as saying the rosary, reading, sewing, knitting, working a jig saw puzzle with quiet music in the background, etc.
In our nightly prayers, remember that God is our hope and strength, and that "
The peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus". Phil 4:7
Take care and God bless you all!
If you are experiencing significant anxiety and feel you need to speak with a mental health professional, please reach out to the Parish Nurse at sinfeld@saintjn.org for a referral.
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Susan Infeld, RN
Parish Nurse
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Susan has been a member of the staff at SJN as the parish nurse for 8 years, and a registered parishioner for 4.
We are so grateful for all Susan has done to keep our parish community healthy during the covid-19 pandemic!
Why she loves being Catholic...
"T
he fact that I can go to any country in the world, walk into a Catholic Church for Mass and feel totally at home. Love that!"
Something that always makes her smile...
"Observing simple kindness among strangers. It truly brings light into the world!"
Something you might not have known...
"Out of 90,000 Washington Redskins fans, I won an all expenses paid trip to Hawaii with a ticket purchased on Craigslist."
How to contact Susan:
sinfeld@saintjn.org or 703-390-2349
*While Susan is available for questions or concerns, especially regarding the Covid-19 pandemic, she does not take the place of your health care provider.
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Virtual Events & Resources
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Saturday, April 4:
SJN's monthly Prayer Vigil for Peace, Life and Justice at 4:00 pm. Call in 425-585-7798
Tuesday, April 7:
live stream Taize service at 7:30pm.
Triduum Masses at SJN live-streamed:
Holy Thursday: 7:30pm
Good Friday: 3:00pm
Easter Vigil: 8:00pm
*as this is new technology for SJN, should unforeseen issues make live-streaming impossible, we recommend that you view the diocesan liturgies on those days; directions for streaming from the diocesan website can be found
here
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We have joined a streaming service through
Paraclete Press
that offers us opportunities to learn, pray and share. We would like to set up a group that will watch a presentation and share their comments and ideas.
If you are interested please email Mickie Abatemarco at mabatemarco@saintjn.org
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Scripture verse of the month:
“Do not be afraid! I know that you are seeking Jesus the crucified.
He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said."
(Matthew 28:5-6)
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