Dear Parishioners,
I hope that you are able to read this message online, since
the bulletins you normally receive at church at the end of Mass are not
being distributed as usual. However, my weekly
letter to you is found on my blog (fr-ed-namiotka.com), linked to our
parish web page (holyangelsnj.org), through my Facebook account
and through Twitter.
Be assured that I pray for you and offer Mass daily for
you. Whether it be in the church or in our
private chapel in the rectory, Mass continues to be offered. All requested intentions are being fulfilled. If this quarantine is prolonged, we will attempt
to live stream the Mass and other spiritual exercises, as many other
parishes are doing. We are trying to
figure out how best to accomplish this. I
realize it is not the same as when you are physically present. However, difficult times call for alternate
measures.
The primary way we can stay in touch right now is through the
internet. The staff is not coming to
the office but working from home. All of
the priests are well. While we are
certainly disheartened that we were told not to offer public Masses and
other spiritual exercises gathering a crowd, we still try to open the church periodically
for private prayer, hear confessions (from a proper distance) and anoint the
sick (taking proper precautions). We
struggle with leaving the church open without supervision, so we are usually in
the church whenever the doors are open.
I think that more security cameras for the Church and other buildings are
in our immediate future.
Let me give some spiritual guidance since this is still Lent. These crazy times do not exempt us from
intensified prayer. We should not be “killing”
or “passing time” but rather using the time we are given to grow in
holiness. Pray the Rosary daily. Read the Bible and meditate on a
passage (especially the daily Mass readings). Watch and participate in the Mass on TV
(EWTN is available daily) or through various live streams and make a Spiritual Communion often. If the opportunity
becomes available, get to confession.
However, make an act of perfect contrition every day—multiple
times per day is encouraged. Participate
in other spiritual exercises such as the Stations of the Cross, novena prayers, praying the Divine Office, etc. at home.
I can’t emphasize enough the importance of staying in the state
of grace. Simply put, we should not
be conscious of any grave sin that has not been confessed in the Sacrament
of Penance and Reconciliation (confession).
If we find ourselves in such a situation, make that perfect act of contrition (renouncing all sin and professing a complete and total love
for Almighty God) with the intention of getting to confession as soon as
possible. Conversion—a turning away
from sin and a turning toward God—is what is required of all of us as
Christians and disciples of our Lord.
It does not look like we will have any public Masses into the
foreseeable future. This unfortunately includes
Holy Week and Easter. I am really,
really distraught by this. It is such an
unprecedented time for the Church and for the world in these modern times.
Pray to our Lord and to our Lady. At Fatima, she said that in the end her
Immaculate Heart would triumph. I
trust in this promise. I always
have. I consecrated Holy Angels
parish (as I had done at my previous parishes) to her care. Remember that and be consoled by that!
Please pray for your priests, bishops and the Holy
Father. Pray that God’s Will be
accomplished in all things.
I love you all!
Fr. Ed Namiotka
Pastor
We will be so happy when we can come back.
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