Lent & Liturgy

Dear Parishioners,

What is Lent?

Lent is intended to strike out on a 40-day journey which is intended to bring us all closer to Christ. We are being called to participate in the three focused works of prayer, fasting, and alms giving. Liturgically, in order to help focus our attention, the Mass is pared down, the penitential color of purple is adorned, and the rest of the environment is sparse. All of this is intended to help us with these three foci in our preparation for the greatest even of all history: Christ’s Paschal Mystery, his suffering, death, and resurrection.

Lenten Practices

I hope you are also able to take part in “The Search,” the online seven-part video series via our FORMED account. I am looking forward to it. As you journey in Lent, we offer each Friday the Stations of the Cross. Different ministries will host it in the church with versions that either express their own ministerial focus or personal preference. So, each time you come, the way the stations are offered may differ. These all begin at 6 PM followed by a Spanish version at 7 PM. While the Church always encourages us to obtain from meat on Friday’s throughout the year, there is a special emphasis on this practice as a way to memorialize that Jesus gave up his flesh on a Friday. 

It is a tradition that Catholics give up something for Lent as way to gain mastery over ourselves, reduce those things that are not good for us, and potentially replace it with something that is good for the soul. Think of it as fasting and feasting. Give up something and add something. Due to the pandemic, maybe watch less news and write some encouraging letters to others you know. Maybe refrain from drinking that special latte and give that money to Operation Rice Bowl or any other non-profit in which you believe.

Translation Correction

If you did not noticed, beginning with Ash Wednesday, the opening prayer at Masses ended differently than we are used to. Instead of ending with “one God for ever and ever,” the priest now says “God for ever and ever.” One word has removed, and that word is “one.” This comes after guidance was offered from Cardinal Sarah from the Vatican’s Office for Divine Worship, agreed upon by the United States Council of Bishops, and ratified by the Carinal Prefect. While the 2011 ed. of the Roman Missal made a broad range of changes in order to be a more authentic translation form the Latin, this change was purposefully left out. The latin text is, “Deus, per omnia sæcula sæculorum.” In this text, there is no mention of the phrase “one God,” but simply, “God.” So, as of this past Ash Wednesday (the Church loves to make liturgical changes in a way pairs up with a change in liturgical seasons.), this change has become part of our Missal which we priests use to offer Mass.

The previous translation was also theologically problematic, according to the Welsh bishops who wrote, “The addition of 'one' before 'God' in the conclusion of the Collects could be construed as mistaken and problematic. 'Deus' here refers to the earlier mention of 'the Son' and is a Christological, anti-Arian affirmation, and not directly Trinitarian in this context.” Arianism is an early heresy which claimed the Jesus was not fully divine, but somehow less divine than the Father. A correction became the fruit of the Council of Nicaea where we get our Nicene Creed we proclaim every Sunday.  In other words, the use of “one God” in this context could lend people to understand that Christ is one God amongst many, and that the Trinity is actually three gods. That is not orthodox, so this change helps preserve any erroneous ideas going forward. It also preserves the focus on Jesus who is the second person of the Blessed Trinity and not an additional God.

So, as we priests get used to this change, please be patient if we mess up. I’ve heard “one God” all my life and have been using it for all 20 years of my priestly ministry. So, we are bound to forget, goof up, or what have you. However we offer the prayer, please be patient as we settle in with the corrected translation.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

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

Stewardship Program 2021

Dear Parishioners,

I pray that this letter finds you well and safe with your loved ones. I am writing to remind you of our annual Stewardship Program. If you were at Mass this past weekend, will be a review of what we mentioned last weekend at Mass. However, many are not at Mass in person due to Covid-19. This week’s Mass we heard from the Book of Wisdom which claimed that it is prudent to keep vigil for the coming of wisdom in our lives. We also heard from St. Paul to the Thessalonians who wanted to remind us that we should be people of hope who are prepared for the Second Coming Christ. In the Gospel, Jesus (who is the Bridegroom) spoke about the wise virgins who kept their lamps lit waiting for the bridegroom to come. These text harmonize a message that we need to hear now more than ever.

Our lives, during this pandemic, have all been impacted in one way or another. Some have been hit financially, some spiritually, some socially, and some, sadly, by the virus itself. I hope that these words of Scripture offer some solace and encouragement to know that God is bigger than it all and that we need to pray for wisdom in order to weather the storms that come upon us, for our Lord will certainly return and put all things right. In the meantime, we are called to help prepare people by being the presence of Christ here and now.

The mission of the Church stands to help, accompany, and pray for all as we approach that day when Christ will come. The Church has been the singular greatest agent for change and goodness in the world since Christ commissioned her to go out into the and proclaim the Good News.

Locally, St. Anne does this by annually calling us to review our stewardship of our time, talent, and treasure. The events of our time make some of these things very difficult and adjustments may be needed. So, I am asking you to pray about how God has called you to this mission of sharing the Gospel and how you can be part of that mission through St. Anne. We have many different ministries that may help you be active with your time and talent. Some may be temporarily paused due to the pandemic, but it would still be helpful to communicate with the parish about where you would like to start or continue serving at St. Anne. This sharing of time and talent is one aspect of stewardship. Another is by reflecting on your financial giving to the parish so that we can continue this important mission. To be clear, it takes money to be good stewards with the amazing facilities we have, particularly our new church. But, the offertory donations of the parishioners is the single most important factor determining how we can employ the wonderful talent we call our ministry staff. Without our staff, our mission is at risk.

Next week, we will spend time during the homily filling out our annual Commitment Cards whereby we express how we plan to be good stewards with our time, talent, and treasure. As part of being accountable to our parishioners, we offer the financial report for St. Anne in this brochure. In addition, you will find a copy of the commitment card which you can either cut out and complete prior to Mass or during Mass. If you forget to fill out the commitment card prior to coming to church this coming weekend, we will hand out these cards at each of the Masses.

Please keep all of this these things which I have discussed in your prayers. God is at work and desires to use us as his stewards of his grace. Let us commit to being those good stewards, especially in this difficult time. Don’t hesitate to contact me, Fr. Arjie, or Stephen Voehl, our Business Manager if you have any questions.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

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

Grief & Loss Bring Stretching

Dear Parishioners,

Thank you so much for all your prayers and well wishes which you offered me and my family after the passing of our mother, Helene, on September, 24th. She was eleven days short of her 95th birthday. And so, begins a new normal for me and my siblings. As it is for grief and loss, each of us deal with it in a unique way. One good thing is that we are pretty healthy about sharing amongst ourselves and others about how we are doing, sharing stories and feelings. A second good thing is grieving itself. Yes. I did mean to write that grieving can be a good thing. Am I nuts? Well, possibly, but not about this. Let me explain.

Now, nobody invites grief and sadness into their lives, but when it does come, instead of perceiving it as the worst of suffering, I would like to offer that it is an opportunity to be stretched by our Lord, to grow in our compassion, and to become more the people we are being called to be. Yes, suffering is difficult, but through suffering comes great consolation and joy! When someone represses suffering due to the loss of a loved one, it blocks our healing and will likely come out in ways that are destructive and even more painful. We Catholics understand, because of Jesus’ example, that the only way to resurrection is through suffering and death, particularly dying to ourselves. But more potently, our own eventual passing from this life with faith in our Savior brings a confident hope in eternal life in heaven. And so, we all need to say goodbye to people we love, and the closer they are, the more painful it is. But, let us take comfort in the knowledge that every loss, every pain, every moment of suffering offers us the promise of heaven.

May we allow the grace of God to transform each of the griefs we experience into a joy beyond understanding!

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Response to Wildfires

Dear Parishioners,

These last several weeks Southern Oregon, indeed all of the Northwest, has experienced unprecedented tragedies due to fires. Reports have said that they have displaced 10% of the entire population of Oregon. That is a hard reality to swallow. Yet, here we are. In response to our local situation, we opened up our parking lot and used the Kelly Youth Center as a command center where we were able to offer food, drink, shelter, clothing, and a bathroom. While we didn’t receive the numbers of evacuees that other shelters in our area did, we did offered our hearts, hands, and feet as an expression of faith to those who did come our way. These Corporal Works of Mercy, while predicated on the darkness that has come our way, allowed us to put into action the mission of our parish.

I am proud of our staff, parishioners, and the Grant Pass community at large for stepping up, moving aside other commitments, and simply helping out. Their generosity in helping us assist others in their time of need was an inspirational thing to observe. Many turned to prayer, an essential and important way to discern what is needed.

Others gave of their time to steward the property, some even into the wee hours of the night, making sure the evacuees were safe and cared for. Some gave food, blankets, clothing, and money. Others came in to help us organize all these gifts so that everything stayed neat and clean.

Last Sunday, we learned the Red Cross had established an evacuation site with a variety of services. So, we informed the remaining folks who were still with us that we would be shutting down. Following that, once again, staff and parishioners swooped in to clean up the KYC and the area around it.

We learned many things looking back. Some were about how to host an emergency shelter, what resources are and are not needed, how to manage security, what agencies we can partner with, what boundaries we need to keep, and how to communicate with the media so that people in need can know what we are doing.

Thank you to all who responded in faith to this important moment of ministry in our parish. This won’t be the last wildfire which displaces people. There will be other emergencies in the future. The suffering due to the fires is still ongoing. People are still trying to figure out how to put their lives back together after losing almost everything. I am confident that we will, once again, step up and do what we can. St. Anne has a reputation of generosity when there is a need, and that generous response flows from our faith. May our faith in action give all the more glory to God!

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Four Living Creatures in Glass

Dear Parishioners,

Stained Glass Windows Done! 

The stained glass windows are done! Praise God! Another miracle in our midst. The miracle isn’t in the final completion, but rather that they even exist. All the otter windows were designed for stained glass windows at sometime in the distant future. Well, that was simply not to be. Rather, due to the amazing generosity of so many parishioners, we had plenty of people come forward with additional pledges to make the windows a reality sooner than later… and so here we are, windows designed, crafted, and installed. I am in awe of every single window. They have changed the look and feel of our new church, giving it that last bit of beauty to set it apart. Again, they are awesome, that is awe-filling.

Since the installation of the last of the stained glass windows, I have had more questions about the four windows in the Day Chapel than any other set of windows. So, let me take this opportunity to give you a basic understanding of the origin and meaning of these traditional images for the four Gospel writers.

Meaning/Origins of the Images

The images originate from two separate, but related biblical texts: Ezekiel 1: 1-21 and Revelation 4:6-8 where the writers each saw visions of four winged “living creatures” which resembled a human, an ox, a lion, and an eagle. These prophetic texts of apocalyptic style (genre) were inspired to help communicate the power and authority of God. St. Irenaeus (d. 202) in his Adversus Haereses (Against Heresies XI), reflected further on these images and likened them to the thematic christologies of each of the Gospels. He wrote:

"The first living creature was like a lion” symbolizing His effectual working, His leadership, and royal power; “the second was like a calf,” signifying His sacrificial and sacerdotal order; but “the third had, as it were, the face as of a man,” — an evident description of His advent as a human being; “the fourth was like a flying eagle,” pointing out the gift of the Spirit hovering with His wings over the Church. And therefore, the Gospels are in accord with these things, among which Christ Jesus is seated.

In addition, the lion, symbolizing the Gospel of Mark, begins with St. John the Baptist crying out in the desert—crying out like a lion. The human image is likened to Matthew since that Gospel begins with the human origins of the Incarnation with the genealogy of Jesus. St. Irenaeus saw this book as the Gospel of Christ’s humanity. The ox, symbolizing Luke, focuses on the sacrificial calling which Jesus lived, including the joy that comes from reconciliation which our Lord offers us through his one sacrifice on the cross. The final image of an eagle symbolizes the lofty or soaring vision of Christ’s divinity characterized by his many miraculous signs. The very beginning chapter (The Prologue) of John makes this thesis clear. Christ is no mere teacher, healer, rebel, and the like. He is God incarnate who has come with power.

There is much more to say about these images and how they represent the Gospel Evangelists. but that will need to be for another time. Meanwhile, I encourage you to gaze on their beauty and let them inspire you to read the Gospel to see if each image illustrate what is true.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor 

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

13th Sunday in Ordinary Time

12th Sunday in Ordinary Time