Welcome to another pastor’s update. So glad you can be with the 4 of us and with more than a few other folks from the family of Saint Bede Williamsburg. We hope you all are thriving and are enjoying this beautiful evening. I sense a corn-hole rematch and a beer is in the works for the 4 of us.  

It’s been a relatively quiet week here in the office and out in the community. A few of the staff have been getting vacation time in this past week. The rest have carried on the work of the church as best we can without them.     

We remind you if you haven’t done so to please register for Mass this weekend. The link for Mass signup is below. The times are as follows:
  
Saturday at 5:30 pm, (we’re added this Mass to our weekly roster,
Sunday morning at 8:30 and 11:00 am in English and 2:30 pm in Spanish. 

The 8:30 am English and the 2:30 pm Spanish Masses will be live-streamed for those who watch at home or who want to participate in Mass at another time on Sunday. Remember to come early to allow us to do what we need to do on this end to assure a safe experience for everyone.

We want to alert you that if you plan to be part of the 8:30 or 11:00 am Mass, we will not be using the readings and prayers of the day. Instead we will be celebrating the scrutiny rites with our Elect – with those who are preparing to be fully initiated next month in the Catholic Church. As you know, because of Covid-19 they could not be baptized, confirmed or receive the Lord for the first time at The Easter Vigil. The scrutiny rites help the Elect to search their hearts and begin naming those sinful things in their life they want Christ to wash away in the baptismal waters. We ask God to protect them and to open their hearts to receive the healing and saving gifts of the Spirit. For us who are already baptized, they might help us see better what we need to bring to the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

As you have heard, if there is not a major spike in the counts of those who test positive for the corona virus or who land in hospitals because of it, the Commonwealth of Virginia moves into phase 3 on July 1. Phase 3 effects nothing we are presently doing. What it does allow is for larger gatherings greater than 50 to happen in places like Kaplan Hall or outdoors. The procedures and safeguards outside the church and inside the church remain. 

Those safeguards one more time for those who may be coming for the first time this week:   
  • You will be asked about our overall health in the driveway in front of the church. 
  • You will be reminded to sanitize your hands when you enter into the commons.
  • You will be escorted to and from our seats to communion and let out row by row at the end of mass.

Again we thank all our many volunteers who help make all this happens.    

To register for this weekend's Mass, click here.


   If you have questions, please email me directly:  msgrjlehman@bedeva.org.

May 30, 2020 update

June 6, 2020 update

June 13, 2020 update

June 20, 2020 update