Dear Friends,
“As people of faith, we must always be aware of the importance of acting in a socially responsible way, to give good example to others, and to act with charity toward all. Everything possible should be done to provide the church’s sacramental life in a timely and reasonable way. The current situation remains dangerous and fragile, and civil law varies within our two counties. While much has been achieved, there remains the potential that the gains could be lost by a second more virulent wave. Our first consideration is the spiritual and physical health of the faithful and those whom they encounter, especially the most vulnerable—the elderly and those with chronic illness. We must rely on medical professionals and governmental standards to inform our decisions.” (Oakland Diocese).
We are fortunate here at CTK and St. Stephen with our beautifully landscaped grounds, which allows us to hold weekend masses in a safe manner. The number of parishioners and visitors attending these masses have been steadily increasing. For those at CTK,
Parking lot masses are also broadcasting to your car radio on FM 106.7. Transmission is short range and subject to some interference. Please bear with us while we ‘fine tune’ this exciting new feature. The dispensation from the obligation to attend Sunday and Holy Day Masses continues until further notice. Although the faithful are dispensed from their obligation to attend Mass, they are encouraged to spend time in prayer on Sunday (such as following a livestream Mass or participating in a spiritual or corporal act of mercy), as well as drive-thru communion.
Our parish office is open every day, Monday through Friday from 9.00am to 1.00pm. If you need assistance or need to speak to a staff member, please come in or call during these hours. After 1.00pm, we will be checking messages from time to time. Masks are mandatory for those working or visiting the office at any time. Restrooms are currently unavailable for visitors except in an emergency as sanitizing restrooms continues to be a major challenge after each use. Thank you for your understanding and patience.
Starting this Wednesday, we will open our Ministry Center chapel for prayer from 10.00am to 1.00pm f
or anyone who would like to spend moments of silent prayer. As you enter the office, kindly connect with the staff at the reception counter (and if someone is not there, just ring the bell) and they will assist you with safety protocols and show you the chapel. As of now, we have 4 chairs set up for prayer 10’ apart. Before and after your prayer, you are asked to sanitize the chair using the wipes provided at the entrance to the chapel. Wearing masks at the office building is mandatory at all times. Again, due to stricter ordinances that govern use of restrooms, we discourage you from using the restrooms unless it is an emergency.
This Sunday is Father’s Day, and I would like to wish all the fathers a “Happy Father’s Day.” Pope Francis stated that a father should be first and foremost present in the lives of his family, a loving presence and not one that is controlling. Fathers who are too controlling stifle the spirit of their children; they don’t let them develop. He continued, “A good father knows how to wait, and he knows how to forgive from the depths of his heart. Certainly, he also knows how to correct with firmness: he is not a weak father, submissive and sentimental. The father who knows how to correct without humiliating is the one who knows how to protect without sparing himself.”
This Sunday, we are celebrating 60 years of priesthood of our beloved Fr. Michael Dibble. Two of his students told me that he was the best teacher they ever had in their lives. I am grateful for his ministry at CTK, even though he is now fully retired and has confined himself to private masses. You can send in cards to CTK and we will hand them over to him. There is a little video that we developed a week ago, in which Fr. Michael talks about his ordination day and his ministry, which I would like to invite you to watch. Use the link found in our weekly newsletter.
The family and friends of Jim McGraw will be attending the Sunday mass at St. Stephen. He was laid to rest at Queen of Heaven cemetery on Friday. I would like to extend my heartfelt condolences to the family.
Finally, I am excited about celebrating “First Communions” starting this Saturday at 9.00am. I am so grateful to Deacon John Ashmore and the catechists who have prepared our children. Thank you, parents, for your patience and understanding, as we are constrained in so many ways. May God bless our children!
Thank you for your continued support for our two parishes who are able to keep their staff paid and continuing to support our ministries, including our St. Vincent De Paul ministries, serving a much larger need during this pandemic.
“The most effective antidote to every form of violence is education about discovering and accepting difference as richness and fertileness…” (
Pope Francis
)
Fr. Paulson