A Memo from Fr. Kwame - Update #2
MEMO-3 3/13/2020
TO: All Parishioners of Saint Charles Borromeo
FROM: Fr. Kwame Assenyoh, Parochial Administrator
SUBJECT: OPEN AND CANCELLED SERVICES AND PROGRAMS DUE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Dear Saint Charles Borromeo family,
We are learning by the day, if not by the hour, the severity of this Coronavirus pandemic. Based on a combination of messages from our public health officials, from our diocese and from parishioners I have decided to suspend, until further notice, ALL gatherings and programs on our Church premises with the exception of the following:
Open and On-Schedule Programs and Services
(It’s your personal choice to attend or not)
Reconciliation Night (No communal service; priests will be available for confession from 7pm to 8:30pm)
9:00am Weekday morning Mass & Friday morning Communion Service (in the Church)
All Weekend Masses (9:30am Mass will be televised; go to (www.stcharleslivermore.org/watch)
Lifetouch photo-taking appointment will go on
Regarding these open services, please note that:
We are a people of faith and with this faith we must deal with all problems that come into our lives whether it is an outbreak of disease, earthquake or storms, terrorism or wars, abuse or economic recession, etc. We walk and live by faith not by sight. So, I urge every family of Saint Charles Borromeo to use your faith as you do everything in your power to keep your family safe and healthy against COVID-19.
Remember that our faith is not against science, instead our faith works with science. Science helps us to heal our physical bodies. Faith helps us to use that physical body to produce spiritual values which we call the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Every physical program, gathering, and services including Masses aim at making us a people who are generous, patient, kind, loving, joyful, gentle, faithful, peaceful, self-controlling, good (see Galatians 5:22-23), and so many values that promote human flourishing.
Now that science indicates that our physical and bodily association must be interrupted or limited or even stopped, we must remember that we can still exercise our faith because faith is about spiritual values that are not limited to physical presence only. God’s blessing and inspiration cannot be limited, interrupted, or stopped by physical things like buildings, bodily presence or touching. The physical is sacramental, that is, they lead us to the reality – God’s spiritual values.
I remind you all, therefore, that this is the time to test our faith in a “God who is spirit, and everyone who worships God must worship in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). This is a time to learn to live in spirit without touching, physically or socially associating or gathering. Moreover, our Lenten Season calls us to experience and understand physical death and fasting and dryness in order to appreciate and enjoy the resurrection, abundance, and living water at Easter.
It is in times like what we face now, that we must listen to and follow scientific and medical experts' advice to keep our bodily and physical selves healthy. This is the kind of time when we can confidently explore, deepen and claim the spiritual and most important value of our programs and sacraments. It is times like this that it is legitimate to keep your health and the health of your family in mind over and above the risk of gathering them at all costs for services and programs.
While we keep our Weekend and Weekday Masses open, I want to be clear, that NO one or family, is obligated to be physically present in order to enjoy God’s grace and blessings. You may watch our live-video Mass on Sunday at 9:30 AM with your family; or you may organize a family word service: read the scriptures for Sunday, reflect on them, pray for our world. God has blessed us that we can find other ways – like audio-visual means – to pass on the message and the inspiration of God; This is the time to do that.
Thank you for your faith. May God enlighten our scientists and health officials to find a remedy for this pandemic, and heal our world.
Blessings,
Fr. Kwame
Practices at Mass
Respect and follow the expert advice from our public health officials; you don’t sin and must not feel obligated or guilty for being physically absent.
Keep a social distance from fellow parishioners in the pews.
If you are ill, stay home; watch our live-video Mass, and/or read and reflect on the Word of God for the day. You can unite yourself in spiritual communion with us in Jesus Christ.
Use the hand-sanitizers which we provide in the vestibule of the Church and at entrances of our meeting areas and rooms.
Communion will be distributed under the species of Bread only. Be assured that we receive the whole of Jesus even if we receive under one specie for reasons like the pandemic we are facing. Receive only the bread and make a spiritual commitment in your heart to live a life of sacrifice.
We would NOT hold hands at the “Lord’s Prayer” and NO hand-shaking or “fist-bumps” at “Sign of Peace.”
Eucharistic Ministers MUST use hand sanitizers before distribution, and must NOT touch when blessing non-communicants.
Please DO NOTHING out of panic. We will use common sense to know when it is appropriate or not to touch.
Cancelled Programs and Services
6:30 AM Lenten Services
Adult Bible Study (after the session for tonight/Thursday, March 12)
Alpha Sessions
Choir Practice
CLW – Children’s Liturgy of the Word
Cyber Security Training
Faith Formation
Faith Formation Out Reach Project (Packaging Meals)
Girlfriends’ Tea
Grief Support
Karen Adam’s Funeral
LTAA – Life Transition for Aging Adults
Meditation
No Masses at Vineyard, No ministry to Nursing homes
No Ministry to the Home Bound
Perpetual Help
Parish Mission (we will post videos on the topics on our website)
What Makes us Catholic
WINGS Thursday Gatherings
Women’s Bible Study
Youth Ministry
Note: You can find these changes on the Calendar website. If you have further questions, call Mary in the Parish office. 925-447-4549 x101 or (925) 922-6131.
March 13, 2020
An Update from Bishop Barber