Dear Parishioners,

May the grace of Christ be with all of you in this difficult time. As you already know, Archbishop Sample had to cancel all public Masses. That means, of course, our daily and Sunday Mass will not be open to the public. That being said, both Fr. Arjie and I are offering Mass daily for the intentions for which people requested and for all of the community. Our Masses are considered “private,” which means, strictly speaking, that only the priest and an altar server and/or sacristan would be present. We will be putting the Sunday Mass online for the faithful and our hope is that will accentuate the Spiritual Communion all our parishioners are being asked to make. Other means of transmitting the Mass will be looked into, and about which I am open to hearing your ideas and suggestions.

During this time, I want to impress upon us all the need to keep our communion strong. A simple way to do that would be to not only participate in watching the Mass each Sunday, but also reaching out via phone or text, mailing a greeting card, or any other way that you can to make sure our friends and neighbors are doing okay. Our staff will be doing the same. So, don’t be surprised if you get a call from our parish or mission just to check in with you. The Church’s mission is not stopped by the COVID-19 virus. In fact, she is all the more needed and active in the outreach of evangelization and care for which the Church exists.

In my own meditation on the Scriptures, I offer some verses which might help and encourage us all:

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” —Psalm 27:1

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” —Psalm 46:1

“The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart exults, And with my song I shall thank Him. —Psalm 28:7

“But this I will call to mind; therefore I will hope: The Lord’s acts of mercy are not exhausted, his compassion is not spent; They are renewed each morning—so great is your faithfulness! —Lamentations 3:21-23

“What will separate us from the love of Christ? Will anguish, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or the sword? As it is written: “For your sake we are being slain all the day; we are looked upon as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” —Romans 8:35-39 

Since we all need to hunker down for a bit, please know that we are available by phone or by email.  

Blessings,
Fr. William Holtzinger

Pastor, St. Anne, St. Patrick of the Forest, Our Lady of the River
Administrator, St. Joseph and St. Francis Xavier