Since the Passover of the Jews was near, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, as well as the money changers seated there. He made a whip out of cords and drove them all out of the temple area.
~Jn 2:13b-15a
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Moderna and Pfizer Vaccines
Several parishioners have asked about the moral status of the development, manufacturing and testing of the three COVID-19 vaccines currently available in the United States. I offer the following summary of a statement from the chairmen of the Pro-Life and Doctrine Committees of the US Bishops Conference as to the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, followed by links to the full statement and other writings on this important topic.
On December 14, Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Doctrine, and Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City in Kansas, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Pro-Life Activities, issued a statement on the new COVID-19 vaccines. In their statement, the bishops address the moral concerns raised by the fact that the vaccines have some connection to cell lines that originated with tissue taken from abortions.
With regard to the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, they concluded: “In view of the gravity of the current pandemic and the lack of availability of alternative vaccines, the reasons to accept the new COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna are sufficiently serious to justify their use, despite their remote connection to morally compromised cell lines.
“Receiving one of the COVID-19 vaccines ought to be understood as an act of charity toward the other members of our community. In this way, being vaccinated safely against COVID-19 should be considered an act of love of our neighbor and part of our moral responsibility for the common good.” [Pope Francis and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI received the Pfizer vaccine.]
The bishops warned that Catholics “must be on guard so that the new COVID-19 vaccines do not desensitize us or weaken our determination to oppose the evil of abortion itself and the subsequent use of fetal cells in research.”
Note is from the Vatican - View HERE
Statement from the US Bishops Conference - View HERE
A great Catholic resource for ethical issues like this one is the National Catholic Bioethics Center, found at https://www.ncbcenter.org.
Johnson & Johnson Vaccine
On March 2, Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Doctrine, and Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City in Kansas, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Pro-Life Activities, issued a statement on the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine recently approved for use in the United States.
“The approval of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine for use in the United States again raises questions about the moral permissibility of using vaccines developed, tested, and/or produced with the help of abortion-derived cell lines.
“Pfizer and Moderna’s vaccines raised concerns because an abortion-derived cell line was used for testing them, but not in their production. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine, however, was developed, tested and is produced with abortion-derived cell lines raising additional moral concerns. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has judged that ‘when ethically irreproachable Covid-19 vaccines are not available … it is morally acceptable to receive Covid-19 vaccines that have used cell lines from aborted fetuses in their research and production process.’[1] However, if one can choose among equally safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines, the vaccine with the least connection to abortion-derived cell lines should be chosen. Therefore, if one has the ability to choose a vaccine, Pfizer or Moderna’s vaccines should be chosen over Johnson & Johnson’s.
“While we should continue to insist that pharmaceutical companies stop using abortion-derived cell lines, given the world-wide suffering that this pandemic is causing, we affirm again that being vaccinated can be an act of charity that serves the common good.”
Peace, Fr. Talbot
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Current Options for Mass at St. Mary of the Lake
Please view the guidelines for attending Mass HERE. Masks are required and seats are assigned.
Daily Masses
We have daily Mass in the church at 8:00 AM on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. There is no limit to the number of times you can attend daily Mass. Sign up is no longer necessary.
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Please Note: This weekend March 7, 2021 is the Rite of Enrollment for First Eucharist. Sunday Masses are reserved for First Eucharist Families ONLY.
We are inviting parishioners to be prayer partners for our First Eucharist candidates throughout their months of preparation. They will celebrate their First Eucharist on April 17-18. If you would like to pray for one of our candidates, pick up a card the next time you are at church or pick one up at the Parish Life Center.
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Sunday Mass
We have Mass in the church on Sundays at 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM. Sign up is required as space is limited. These Masses are for those who are unable to attend Mass during the week.
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Sign up for Sunday Masses HERE. Or you may call the parish office between 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM, Monday through Friday at 651-429-7771 option 1.
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Confessions Heard Saturdays,
9:00 AM at the House of Mercy
Thanks to a generous donation, outdoor drive-up confessions will continue this winter with Fr. Talbot sheltered in a fish house, a.k.a. “The House of Mercy.”
Drive up and stop alongside the fish house and Fr. Talbot will hear your confession through the window.
Fr. Talbot was recently featured in The Catholic Spirit: View HERE
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Reconciliation
St. Mary’s will be having reconciliation during Lent (Form III).
Signing up to attend is required for the following dates.
- Thursday, March 18 at 6:30 PM
- Saturday, March 20 at 10:30 AM
- Wednesday, March 24, immediately after 8:00 AM Mass
- Thursday, March 25 at 1:00 PM in the parking lot
- Saturday, March 27 at 10:30 AM
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Lent Resources
The Word Among Us for Lent and other resources can be picked up at the Parish Life Center or at the church.
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Funerals are Private
In our ongoing efforts to keep parishioners as safe as possible during COVID-19, funerals at St. Mary’s will be private. Many families choose to have the funeral live streamed so that others can participate online.
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Old Palms Collection
Palms from last year can be brought to the collection box in the Gathering Space through March 14.
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Lenten 40 Days for Life
We will be having a St. Mary of the Lake/St. Pius X/St. Michael-St. Mary's (Stillwater) 'Day of Prayer' outside of Planned Parenthood during Lent on Wednesday, March 10, 6:00 AM-6:00 PM . On this day (at any hour for any length of time) all parishioners are encouraged to pray, witness and fast in their homes, at church and/or at Planned Parenthood (671 Vandalia St., St. Paul) to end the aborting of the unborn and forever wounding the hearts of their mothers. Parishioners, religious and clergy will lead prayer services at various times throughout the day on the sidewalk in front of PP. Social distancing, masks and COVID protocols will be observed. If you would like to lead a short 5-10 minute prayer service or the Rosary at any time, please contact Cathy Evans, 651-429-0529.
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Catholic Solidarity Sunday
Next Sunday, March 13-14, is Global Solidarity Sunday. This year’s theme is, “For God so loved the world…” (Jn. 3:16). We share the love of God with those who still hunger and thirst for God’s love, mercy and healing. We are invited to offer gifts of support by contributing to this collection for four global initiatives designated by the US Catholic bishops: Africa, Latin America, Central and Eastern Europe and the humanitarian activities of Catholic Relief Services. Please use the Global Solidarity envelope in your envelope packet or find one in the Gathering Space at church. Please write your checks to St. Mary of the Lake and indicate “Global Solidarity” in the memo line. Thank you for your generosity.
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Social Justice
Advocate for peace and justice with our representatives in the Minnesota Legislature. The Social Justice Legislative Tracker provides continual status updates of important legislation impacting our shared values as Catholics. View the latest updates HERE
Take part in a survey sharing what social justice issues matter to you most. Download Survey HERE
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Stay on Mission this Lent
This Lent, St. Mary’s is inviting parishioners to engage in this year’s theme of “Mending Our Hearts.” Please consider one or more of the options below for engaging in an examination of what in your heart needs mending. For more information about the options below, please visit www.stmarys-wbl.org or contact Nick Brady at nbrady@stmarys-wbl.org.
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Join a small group – Registration is ongoing, and options are available for all adult ages including young adults. High school options are also available.
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Praying with America Lenten Retreat – options to meet via ZOOM include Mondays at 6:30 PM or Wednesdays at 10:00 AM.
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Synod at Home with Chris Stefanick – 5-week faith enrichment series, especially for families with children at home, developed by the Archdiocese.
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Stations of the Cross – in-person at the church on Fridays during Lent at 4:30 PM or at home through the recorded version available on our YouTube channel.
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Free Resources Available -– stop by the parish office during regular business hours to pick-up a couple of the free Lenten resources available to parishioners.
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Prayer Network At
St. Mary of the Lake
Please call your prayer requests in to the Parish Office 651-429-7771, option 1 or Terry (651) 429-4972.
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Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis monthly prayer request for priests:
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Blessed Sacrament Chapel - Adoration Hours
The 24 hour Eucharistic adoration chapel at church is now open for parishioners. Please call our main number 651-429-7771 from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM weekdays for the three-digit code to get in the chapel. You will be asked to provide your name. Only one or two worshipers are allowed in the chapel at a time, to ensure social distancing. You must wear a mask in the chapel.
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Parish Office Information
The parish front desk is open from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM Monday–Friday. During office hours, the door from the front entryway towards the front desk (to the right) will be unlocked. However, pick-ups and drop-offs are still available without approaching the front desk itself. If you would like our answering service to pick up your call when the front desk is closed, please call 651-429-7771.
Note to Our Parishioners
Assistance may be available for parishioners who need some help during these uncertain times. Email cjgreen@stmarys-wbl.org or call the parish office at 651-429-7771 option 1 and ask for Casey Green. Thank you to parishioners who have made a donation to our Emergency Assistance Fund.
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How To Subscribe to Our Parish Bulletin on Parishes Online
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Go to www.parishesonline.com.
- Enter your church name and your city, state or zip. Click the search icon.
- Find your church on the search results page and click on the name of the church.
- Under recent publication, click subscribe.
- Enter your email, first name and last name in the pop-up box. Click subscribe.
You will now receive alerts in your inbox when new publications become available for your church on parishes online.
View this process step-by-step with visuals HERE.
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Subscribe to St. Mary of the Lake on YouTube
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Consider Remote Giving to Support Our Parish
There are currently three ways to give electronically:
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Monthly amount transferred from your bank account (click on the DONATE button on our website home page to find a form). It would be better to mail the form to us, since you need to include a voided check.
- Weekly, monthly, or one-time checks sent by your bank or other financial service organization (contact your bank to set up a plan that works for you). It is helpful to have your envelope number on the check your bank sends to us.
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Weekly, monthly, or one-time gifts charged to your credit card (click on the DONATE button on our website home page to set up your gift).
There is a way to give remotely that is not “high tech”: Simply mail us your check. Our address:
4690 Bald Eagle Avenue, White Bear Lake, 55110.
Thank you so much for your support in this difficult time.
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FRASSATI CATHOLIC ACADEMY NEWS |
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The Frassati Catholic Academy Spring FUN-draiser event is our school’s largest fundraiser and is scheduled to take place ONLINE this year from Friday, April 23 through Friday, April 30. This flagship event is known for the auction where parents and grandparents, parishioners and local business owners, Catholic school alumni, and supporters can celebrate and support the mission of Catholic education. Each year, this fundraiser generates support for a specific fund-a-need project. In 2020, we raised the funds necessary to build our school Chapel, ensuring that our kids would have Christ’s presence with them at school. This year, we aim to enhance our science program, providing more tools for our students to research, theorize, hypothesize, and experiment-- all within the framework of our faith. This sure foundation will help enable these future scientists to be ethical and moral as they continue to discover the details of God’s creation, all while delivering a cutting-edge curriculum. We are currently seeking sponsors and auction donors to help make 2021 our best year yet! Please email Frassati's Director of Development, Monica Kenney, at monica.kenney@frassatiwbl.org if you are interested in supporting this initiative. All support is greatly valued and appreciated! |
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Falcon Feed Blog
Stay in the loop on Frassati news and Falcon activities, be sure to subscribe to the Falcon Feed Blog. Have new blog posts sent directly to your inbox. Subscribe HERE
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White Bear Area Food Shelf
will have “To-Go” Bags, Monday-Friday
No Appointment Necessary, any and every household is eligible to receive them. Food helpline 1-888-711-1151. Curbside Pick Up Hours:
Monday: 4:00 – 7:00 PM
Tuesday: 4:00 – 7:00 PM
Wednesday: 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Thursday: 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Friday: 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Mahtomedi Area Food Shelf: 651-395-5350
Vadnais Heights Community Food Program: 651-746-4158
Questions about “ Meals On Wheels” 651-653-3123
National Alliance on Mental Health: 651-645-2948
Northeast Youth & Family Services: 651-429-8544
Medicare/Health Insurance – Senior Link – Age Line: 1-800-333-2433
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YMCA Food Distribution
The YMCA is partnering with Loaves & Fishes and United Health Group to serve free healthy meals to families in need. These organizations believe that supplying healthy fresh food is critical to supporting families in our communities to alleviate food insecurity and hunger. Together they combine the YMCA region-wide distribution network, Loaves & Fishes internationally recognized program, and United Health Group efforts to cover the more than $2 million in food costs and wages for the cafeteria employees preparing meals for people in the Greater Twin Cities.
Families may pick up food from Noon – 1:00 PM Monday through Friday at select YMCA and choose a meal package for a family of four including a protein, vegetables and other fresh food. Also, lunch bags with a sandwich, snacks and fruit are available. The White Bear Lake location is a designated pickup spot. Go to
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