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COVID-19

Sacrifice and Masks

Sacrifice and Masks

Dear Parishioners,

Thank you for all the sacrifices you do for the community! This past week, we were called to wear masks in order to mitigate the risks for parishioners and school families from COVID-19 and its Delta variant which has become the most dominant form afoot. This was done out of a sense of pastoral responsibility and prudential judgment. None of us are happy about any of the recent events in regard to the pandemic. But, there is merit in obedience and care for others. We live out our faith as Church by personal, one-on-one sharing of our hearts and faith and putting the concerns of others above our own. 

I understand that some do not agree with some of the requirements or other regulations that have come to us over the past 18 months. Yet, their sacrifice and willingness to still follow the regulations is commendable when in light of their consideration of others who may be scandalized or fearful to even come to Mass when they might see others not following those guidelines. I am proud that our parishes in Southern Oregon and throughout our Archdiocese have followed, as best as each could, the guidelines and requirements. I know that other churches have disregarded them altogether. I believe the Catholic Church’s “Preferential Option for the Poor” calls us to lift up the weak and to put those who are sick or at risk in the forefront of our hearts and minds.

One of the purposes of the Mass is to offer and receive sacrifice, offering our burdens to Christ while also proclaiming Christ’s suffering, death, and resurrection in our lives. In doing so, we are given consolation and enter into communion with Christ and his meritorious death and Resurrection. 

In the beginning of the Eucharistic Prayer the priest says, “Pray my brothers and sisters that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God the Almighty Father.” And the community affirms this desire in response. So, it is in these times that the requirement of wearing a mask, as given to us by the local Church, is one such sacrifice we can quickly identify that we offer up during Mass.

May the proclamation of the Word and the reception of the Eucharist give us the strength to be joyful witnesses to God’s love despite and through the sufferings that befall us in these difficult times. Again, thank you all for your faithful response and sacrifice. May we all offer it up as a sacrifice of love for those who suffer more than we do.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

COVID Risks And Our Part

COVID Risks And Our Part

COVID Risks & Our Part

Dear Parishioners,

As of this writing (Tuesday, April 27), it is unknown which counties will be returning to the “Extreme Risk” status in the state. As of yesterday (Monday the 26th), the OHA reported 319 patients were hospitalized across the state, passing the 300 mark which Gov. Brown said would return counties like ours into the Extreme level. This will also be the case for the county where the priest’s special convocation is to be held. That introduces some questions that will need to be addressed due to gathering guidelines. Since the convocation is essentially a retreat and is truly a religious gathering, that wouldn’t cancel the gathering. The issue will be lodging and food. I have hope those will be ironed out.  

Beyond these issues, many businesses may have to curtail how they operate, most poignantly, restaurants and other similar entities. This effects not just employers, but their employees and the overall well-being of our county and state. It is a concern that our care facilities could once again be closed to family members and other visitors who further the overall health of those in those facilities. We may have to adjust our parish office hours or availability for walk-ins. All of this increases our suffering and challenges our faith.

While it is in the purview of the Governor to determine the response to health risks in our state, we have a part to play in regards to how we participate in the overall wellbeing of others. One way involves getting vaccinated. Here at St. Anne, we are working to host a clinic for vaccinations in proximity to our Mass times on the weekends. The timeline is not yet set as I write, but I hope it will make this opportunity more convenient. The second way involves being more conscientious and faithful to the behavioral guidelines set forth by our healthcare officials. That means wearing our masks correctly and maintaining the appropriate distancing just to name two major factors known to reduce the spreading of the virus.

As Catholics, we are called to care for the common good. We are people of hope, and look towards not only the end of the pandemic, but ways that God is working in and through the current situation. I was recently reminded that even this pandemic should not deter us from proclaiming and living out our faith. Indeed, it is through these times that some of the best of our faith has been demonstrated. So many people have given of the time, talent, and treasure! It is truly inspiring. Instead of being pulled down by the things about us, remember the Holy Spirit is with us always. If we dare to be open, we can be part of miracles, for God takes delight in turning darkness into light, suffering into triumph. We are people of hope and joy beyond our circumstances, for it is God who strengthens us.

Let us all play our part in the well-being of others.  Let us renew our prayers for an increase in faith, hope, and love. Remember that it is through sacrifice that Christ triumphed over death, and our sufferings can be salvific for ourselves and others. By our sacrifice, we give glory to God and love our neighbor. 

Please pray for us priests, the coming convocation, and the ongoing activity to re-invigorate our priestly vocations. Please pray that more people will be mindful of the risks to others for COVID-19 and be open to do their part in reducing its spread. We are all in this together. May we Catholics be beacons to our community of faith, love, and self-sacrifice for the good of our brothers and sisters. As my mother has encouraged by her prayers, specifically the Surrender Novena, “O Jesus, I surrender myself to you. Take care of everything!

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger

Pastor

One Year Later... Where Is Our Hope?

One Year Later... Where Is Our Hope?

Dear Parishioners,

Last week, our world memorialized the near shutdown caused by the global pandemic. Last week marked the stoppage of most of those things we hold dear such as going to church, in-class learning for schools, eating out at restaurants, gathering with friends, working in an office with other employees, and more. Quarantines were set in place for those who may have been exposed to the virus. Businesses shut down. People were sequestered in their homes and could not visit other family or friends. People’s addictions and mental illness became worse. Many lost their jobs and some businesses closed for good. More tragically, over a half a million people lost their lives due to the effects of COVID-19 either directly or indirectly. Suicide rates climbed. Each of us likely know someone who fell ill due to coronavirus and many of us know someone who even died. These are some of the dark sides to the pandemic. A question that many have asked is, where is God in all of this? Does he care that we are suffering? Such questions are reasonable and answers can be shrouded in mystery. If the Father sent his Son so that we would not perish (cf. John 3:16), then where has he been this whole time? Let me offer a response. While God’s permissive will allows for sin and evil, including pandemics, that does not mean he doesn’t care. Indeed, he cares more than anyone, and his response is more profound and eternal than a quick fix.

God has been in the hands of first responders, doctors, nurses, and respiratory therapists. He has been in the work of scientists who found a way to create therapies that help people fight off sickness from COVID-19. He has been in some of the work of politicians who have been scrambling amidst the divisiveness of the political environment to secure financial aid to those in need and protections for the most vulnerable. God has been in the ministers and laity of churches who reached out to pray and accompany those who were sick, sometimes putting themselves in harms way. He has been present in those who could only visit via an outer window of a nursing facility to let their loved ones know that they are not alone. God has been with teachers and staff who worked beyond their training in order to allow children to receive the best education possible given the restrictions placed upon them. God has been in the work of the myriads of people who have made efforts to call or write letters to those who were most isolated and vulnerable. God has been present in the efforts to bring food to the  poor or those who lost their jobs and struggled with food insecurity. He has been in the truck drivers and distributors of food, grocery employees, utility workers, and construction workers. God has been present in people who have spent extra time, energy, and money to communicate helpful and uplifting content as well as make more easily available the tools to communicate via the Internet. The list goes on and on. 

We are approaching Holy Week which begins with Palm Sunday. In these coming liturgies, we are given the ultimate answer, by the Father through Jesus, how much we are loved and cared for by God. In His Paschal Mystery, our Lord definitively answers the question with which I began this letter. He set in motion the ultimate response to suffering and death in our world. He sent his Son to take on our suffering, sin, and death. He became that grain of wheat that fell and died, only to rise again in glory. In doing all of this, Jesus Christ allied himself with humanity’s fallenness, was lifted high on the cross, and died for our sins. He pulled humanity through death and rose from the dead so that we too could rise with him when our final day comes. He has redeemed us and opened Heaven for us, that place where we hope to live in ecstasy with God, the Angels, and Saints forever!

This is the hope in which we find meaning. This is the consolation we have for those who have suffered so much in the pandemic. It is the divine mercy in which we place our trust for those who have died. It is the Good News, the center of the Christian faith, the reason why the Church exists, and the message we need to be reminded of and share with others. 

May the light of our faith shine ever brighter despite and through the darkness of the pandemic and other tragedies which befall us. Remember, Christ is the way, the truth, and the life. Let us surrender all our worries, losses, and concerns to him. We surrender ourselves to you, Jesus. Take care of everything!

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Church Permits COVID-19 Vaccines

Church Permits COVID-19 Vaccines

Dear Parishioners,

I have heard from many who have voiced concerns about the morality of receiving the upcoming COVID-19 vaccines. To put it succinctly, the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) as well as the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) have both deemed that it is “morally acceptable” and should be considered an act of charity to receive the current vaccines available. 

The concerns have rightfully been voiced about what “kind of cooperation" such reception would constitute since the vaccines have had various cooperation with illicit means, namely the use of tissues used from aborted fetuses. The response has been that the situation at hand consists in “remote cooperation” which allows their use to be acceptable in the context of the pandemic. The CDF instructed that Catholics are not obliged to avoid their use since there exists a grave danger, in the form of an “uncontainable spread of a serious pathological agent.”

The CDF further stated, ““In such a case, all vaccinations recognized as clinically safe and effective can be used in good conscience with the certain knowledge that the use of such vaccines does not constitute formal cooperation with the abortion from which the cells used in production of the vaccines derive.”

The CDF wanted to clarify that “the morally licit use of these types of vaccines, in the particular conditions that make it so, does not in itself constitute a legitimation, even indirect, of the practice of abortion, and necessarily assumes the opposition to this practice by those who make use of these vaccines.” Nor should it imply a moral approval of the use of cell lines proceeding from aborted fetuses.”

The USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities issued a statement. Here is the summary from the USCCB website:

“… the bishops address the moral concerns raised by the fact that the three vaccines that appear to be ready for distribution in the United States all 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.”

With regard to the AstraZeneca vaccine, the bishops found it to be “more morally compromised” and consequently concluded that this vaccine “should be avoided” if there are alternatives available. “It may turn out, however, that one does not really have a choice of vaccine, at least, not without a lengthy delay in immunization that may have serious consequences for one’s health and the health of others,” the bishop chairmen stated. “In such a case … it would be permissible to accept the AstraZeneca vaccine.”

At the same time, the bishops also 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.”

The CDF also shared that it is a “moral imperative” that all the entities involved in distributing the vaccines ensure that the vaccines are accessible to the “poorest countries in a manner that is not costly for them.” Pope Franics reiterated this stand in his annual Christmas, “Urbi Et Orbi” Message and called upon a just and equitable distribution of vaccines. This was further reinforced by the Pontifical Academy for Life.

Moral theology is a difficult area of study. The concept of “cooperation” may be new to readers. I would encourage you all to 1. give your attention to these documents as to the morality of the vaccines and 2. consult with your personal health care professional about whether you are a candidate to receive it, given your current health status, when the opportunity arises for each of you.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Source for CDF information: https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2020-12/vatican-cdf-note-covid-vaccine-morality-abortion.html

Source for USCCB information: https://www.usccb.org/news/2020/us-bishop-chairmen-pro-life-and-doctrine-address-ethical-concerns-new-covid-19-vaccines

Other More Complete Sources:

https://www.usccb.org/moral-considerations-covid-vaccines

https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2020/12/29/0697/01628.html#notaing

http://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/audiences/2020/documents/papa-francesco_20200819_udienza-generale.html

New COVID-19 Guidelines for Face Coverings

New COVID-19 Guidelines for Face Coverings

Dear Parishioners,

Here’s some updates we are making in view of our own local experience as well as a recent Oct. 19 update from the Oregon Health Authority as in regards to COVID-19.

  • Seating: This weekend you, no doubt, noticed that we reconfigured how we did our seating in the church, as we have noticed that while a vast majority of people are taking extra care not to see too close to others outside of their household, there have been still too many times when this was not followed. So, in order to make it more simple, we have blocked off eery other pew for seating.

  • Entering & Exiting: While we maintain a single entrance at this time, we hope to make it quicker for those who preregister online. Last weekend, with the approval of the Archdiocese, we increased the number of texts to four locations to reduce crowding when leaving the church building after Mass.

  • Face Shields: Directly from OHA: “In general, it is recommended that people wear a mask or face covering, with or without a face shield, whenever they are within six (6) feet of people who do not live in the same household. It is not recommended that individuals wear a face shield instead of a mask or face covering. Face shields can be very good at blocking droplets that individuals release, but they are not as effective at limiting the release of aerosols that can go around the shield.The following are not face coverings because they allow droplets to be released: a covering that incorporates a valve that is designed to facilitate easy exhalation, mesh masks, lace masks or other coverings with openings, holes, visible gaps in the design or material, or vents.

Fortunately, while the increase in the Coronavirus has hit our country in dramatic ways, we have not experienced the same levels of virus spread. As a parish, I believe we should model, as best as we can, the guidelines that will keep people safe. The secondary effect of a safe environment is the return of many of our parishioners who have kept away out of fear of being infected. The complete new guidelines can be found on our parish website or go to this link: https://sharedsystems.dhsoha.state.or.us/DHSForms/Served/le2288K.pdf . Thank you all for your conscientious attention to these things!

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

The Coronavirus Paid Us a Visit

The Coronavirus Paid Us a Visit

Dear Parishioners,

Two Mondays ago (June 29), I was notified by a couple (to whom I had given communion, with whom I chatted after a daily Mass [Wed., June 24] at St. Anne) that they had been diagnosed with COVID-19. I was visiting my 94 yr. old mother in Dallas, OR at the time, and after the initial surprise, I went to the Dallas hospital where they turned me away, as I had no symptoms. I then called my doctor back in Grants Pass, and they thought I should be tested. So, I immediately packed up, said goodbye to my mother, and headed back home. I took the test the next day and was eventually diagnosed COVID-19 negative. Whew! That being said, I knew that I would still need to be quarantined regardless, for these tests have a 30% false-negative rate, meaning that 30% of the time, the negative reading is not accurate. So, by the time you read this, I will have completed the recommended 14 day (figured from the day of exposure) quarantine. I feel well and never had any symptoms. Thank God!

When we learned about the couple’s health status, we were able to contact all the parishioners who attended that Wednesday Mass and the previous Sunday Mass where the couple attended so that parishioners could contact their doctors to get advice. Thank God for good contact tracing! But, it didn’t end there. I learned later that the couple attended a ministry gathering that same day at Our Lady of the River (OLR). We then contacted all those who were in the ministry group. It was through those phone calls that we learned that several other members in that group had contracted COVID-19 with various levels of symptoms. Thankfully, none of the members of that ministry group returned to church due to being ill or self-quarantining. That has allowed us to keep OLR open. I am so thankful that the original couple contacted me as soon as they learned of their health situation which, in turn, allowed us to be active and help prevent it from spreading to other parishioners. That’s how our COVID prevention process is supposed to work. Of course, had the couple known that they had been exposed themselves, they would never had purposely exposed anyone else. Yet, how could they have known? So I hope you can see, we need to be vigilant about our interactions with each other, not just for our own sakes, but for the sake of the good of others.

How did these folks contract the Coronavirus? I do not know. However, this serves as an opportunity to remember our guidelines for going to Mass and for ministries that decide to meet in-person. Minimally, all members should:

- Wear Face Coverings during the event if at all possible (those with disabilities or health issues may be exempt to this guideline).
- Maintain physical distancing.
- Host short meetings.
- Don’t share food.
- Do not sing.
- Frequently wash your hands.
- Do not touch each other.
- Don’t touch your face.
- If using the bathroom, make sure to disinfect as you go, and only one person in the bathroom at a time. - If anyone feels ill or has symptoms of illness, they should not attend the event.
- All ministry leaders need to maintain the list of those who attended and make it available to the church. (At St. Anne, all ministry leadership is supposed to turn in that list to the office mail slot at the end of the meeting).

I was fortunate not to have contracted the Coronavirus in my encounter, likely due to the fact that I and the infected couple were all wearing masks during our meeting. Also, we never touched each other and the encounter was short, not even a minute long.

As things develop, we are learning more. Remember, what we are trying to do is not motivated by partisan politics, but strictly for the health and safety of all. A question arose this past week about face masks and other options. According to the Oregon Health Authority (OHA), and shared through the Archdiocese of Portland, "Face Coverings” are now required. That means all persons must wear some form of Face Covering when attending Mass, except “anyone who has a medical condition that makes it hard to breathe when wearing a face covering… or has a disability that prevents the individual from wearing a face covering” (Face Covering Facts, OHA). So, when you enter and check in/sign in for Mass, you can wear your favorite cloth mask, bandana, scarf, or one of our disposable masks, or a Face Shield. These should also be used if you are going to attend any church event or meeting. We will be offering instrumental music at Mass, and urge that nobody sing except on the rare occasion we have a cantor (ie. funeral), and even then, only the cantor should sing. As guidance changes, we will do our best to let you know what that is. Yes. It gets confusing, for the guidance changes as the health care professionals learn more.

This past few weeks have been worrisome for many, as the Coronavirus paid our faith community a visit. Let us join together to pray for those who are ill locally and abroad. We will continue to strive to adhere to policies and procedures from the OHA and the Archdiocese and beg your patience ahead of time for the inconvenience they may create for you and your loved ones. Please be mindful of your own health and practice safe behaviors to lessen the spread of illness. The actions of the couple I encountered once they realized their situation is commendable, for they may have preserved lives and the safety of others. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact me.

Blessings and stay safe,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Ministry To Our Homebound During COVID-19

Ministry To Our Homebound During COVID-19

Dear parishioners,

This past weekend, I was able to host a Zoom meeting (think teleconferencing via the internet) with almost half of our 30+ member Phone Call Ministry Team. Yes. That is right! Secretly, we created a stealth group of staff and parishioners who have been, not-so-systematically, contacting fellow parishioners who are registered in our parish and many who are not and just asking them how they are doing, praying with them, and simply letting them know we care. Now, isn’t that novel idea? In this Zoom meeting, we shared many stories of how grateful people were. In several cases, some needed extra help or were running low on food. A few couldn’t get out to go shopping. With God’s grace and a little creativity, we found a way to make it happen for them. To every cloud, there is a silver lining. And that, my friends, is the love of Christ which has been poured into our hearts and desires to reach out to you.

With regard to our parish family who are homebound not due to COVID-19, we learned that we have some 70 parishioners spread out in about 12 care facilities and 19 private residences. For these folks, we sent out some 215 cards so that they would know that they are not unloved or uncared for. 

Now, our job is not yet done. We may be nearing 50% of our parishioners. But, here’s the deal. This group of ninja phone-callers need to be the only ones.Oh! No! How about you? What don’t you pick up that phone, write a card, text or video chat with a friend or neighbor? Yes. Just do it. You don’t need our permission. You just need the desire to share you love and kindness to whomever you know.

Christ prayed that we would al be one, and we have found ingenious ways to reach out and let others know of our love and the love of God.This is the heart of the Gospel. This is the heart of evangelization. This is what Church is. No need to have a reason to call other than to reach out and love them with no agenda or strings attached. When was the last time you received such call? Likely, never! So, let’s do it. Let’s get busy. Go make a list of people you know and care about. Then go reach out them by whatever means is allowed in this time of quarantine. Don’t let technology get in your way. Get a piece of paper. Write a letter. Fold it up and tape it closed. Put an address on the outside along with a stamp, and mail it!! Boom! Done. If that is too much, pick up your phone and just dial them. Leave a loving message if they don’t answer. So, you need not join an official team, no! Just do yourself. Reach out and let others know you care.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Stay Home - Save Lives

Stay Home - Save Lives

Dear Parishioners,

With the Governor’s “Stay Home - Save Lives” order, most all of us are hunkering down. As I write this letter, I begin the first day staying home. I must say that I really like the title of her official declaration. It tells us what we should do and why. It reminds me that our lives are not about ourselves, but God. And if we say that we love God, then we must love our neighbor. Therein, I really like that since we are hunkering down to save other people. So, as Christians, we are called to sacrifice ourselves for others.  What are we doing in this regard? How can we possibly help people while staying home? Well, amazing things have been done by people during the most trying of times.  

I was watching a video online from Christian musician, Michael W. Smith, who quoted a message from a friend of his, Pastor Darrin Tyler of Franklin, TN:

In WWII, everyone in Great Britain was hunkered down in fear of the bombing from Germany. During that time, C.S. Lewis began a radio broadcast, and that broadcast became the book, "Mere Christianity.” Isaac Newton was 20 years old when the bubonic plague forced people into their version of “social distancing.” During his year away from Cambridge, he created the theory of gravity. The Apostle Paul, under house arrest, wrote most of the New Testament. I’m not so sure that God causes these things, but I do know one thing, he won’t waste it. We’re all restricted: Plans on hold—Sitting still. What creative, life changing, world impacting ideas are sitting inside of you? Sure, we could spend this time binging on Netflix, or we could spend it changing the world.

I have heard so many amazing things people are doing at this time out of love of their neighbor. Maybe you can help someone by going shopping for them. Maybe you can pay the rent that is coming due for someone who just lost their job. Maybe you have extra food for someone who is about to go hungry. Maybe you can sew masks or protective gear for the heroes on the front line of the medical field. I don’t know what lies ahead exactly. But, I do know that despite all the suffering and heartache, greatness dwells in each one of us. Don’t waste this time. God may be calling you to greatness out of love for another person. By staying home, a simple task, we save lives. By spending that time in service of others, we save souls.

From the newly transplanted home-office, may God bless you all! 

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor (St. Anne, St. Patrick of the Forest, and Our Lady of the River)
Administrator (St. Joseph and St. Francis Xavier)