Dear parishioners,

The sun is shining gloriously as I write this, so let’s all just remember, if the rains comes back, that on

Friday, the sun was shining!

I announced two weeks ago, I believe, that Theresa was leaving us. I’m now very pleased to be able to

announce what follows. Effective October 1 st , Lorna will assume Theresa’s position as pastoral assistant,

and Marianne is coming back to us to resume her position as receptionist. I thank them both, on behalf

of all of us, for their enthusiastic acceptance of these roles, for the greater benefit of us all. Both of

them, might I add, are accepting a shortfall in income, to help us out in our difficult financial situation.

The rest is mostly repetition of things I’ve shared with you previously, but there are nonetheless a few

developments so please read attentively. Also, even though I run the risk that some of you will stop

reading me since much of what I write is repetition, I’ve come to accept that repetition is not only a

good thing, it’s a necessary thing.

Project Advance is in full swing, and we are receiving pledges and donations. I checked just before

writing this: we are now at 86% of our parish goal! I remind you that everything we contribute above

and beyond our parish goal comes back as a rebate to the parish. I remind you also of the fact that all

monies gathered through Project Advance this year will be devoted to ministries of evangelization and

of help to those who have been adversely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. Those who have

donated previously should have received everything that you need to donate through the mail. Those

who haven’t donated previously can drop off a donation at the parish office, or in a clearly indicated

envelope with your name and address on it in the collection box in the church, or again online at our

parish Project Advance website. Just go to www.projectadvance.ca/stmarysvan. I remind you again of a

further incentive for giving: the funding for our “All Were Filled” food distribution programme comes

from Project Advance!

Speaking of All Were Filled, I need to mention two slight but important changes to our process for

receiving requests for boxes. The first, we are now accepting requests until Monday at 5:00 p.m. for

delivery the following Friday. The second, effective October 1, when you call the parish office to

request a box, the extension you need to dial will be no longer “0”, but rather “6”. We are

experiencing an enormous reluctance to request this help. I totally understand this. Because of Covid-

19, there are many people presently in need who have never in their lives had to ask for help of any

kind. That makes it difficult to do so. Might I just say there is no ceiling, no limit to the number of boxes

that are available for distribution. Therefore, I can assure you that you’re depriving absolutely no one by

requesting a box.

We are, as I previously mentioned, in the “Season of Creation” proclaimed by Pope Francis, and which

runs from September 1 st until the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi on October 4th. A golden opportunity to

focus on something other than the pandemic, to re-read, or perhaps read for the first time, Pope

Francis’ beautiful writing on this topic, “Laudato Si”, or go the websites devoted to this season. There

are very many. I suggest two: “Season of Creation” and “Global Catholic Climate Movement”. You can

also find the special prayer composed for this season by googling “Season of Creation 2020 prayer”.

Let me be so bold as to refer you again to the video that I prepared and in which I try to offer very

down-to-earth advice as to how to find peace, serenity, and hope in this time of pandemic. You can find


it on our Youtube page. Just go to Youtube, then click on “search”located at the top of the page, and

type in “St. Mary’s Parish – Vancouver. You’ll find it there. Look for “Be Still and Know that I am God”.

Perhaps some people are wondering whether, and when, we will open up the remaining three Sunday

masses for attendance. We are currently experiencing a bit of difficulty putting together teams of ushers

to cover these three masses. But also, with the consistent rise in the number of new cases, and given

our recent, isolated incident of the presence of Covid-19 at St. Mary’s parish, I consider it ill-advised to

open up three new occasions every Sunday for the possible transmission of the virus in our parish.

Therefore, we will hold off on opening up new masses for attendance until we have sufficient ushers to

do so, and until we have some kind of assurance that the overall situation is, if not improved, at least

stable.

We are encountering a problem at our 11:15 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Sunday masses. Since we opted to

distribute communion to the people standing outdoors during these two masses, the number of people

standing outdoors is increasing steadily, which creates two problems. The first is that while they are

distancing as best they can, as the numbers grow, and the rain makes people want to be under the

overhanging roof, distancing will be impossible. We simply cannot allow this to happen. The second

problem is that this close gathering of people in front of the church is very public, very visible. It’s only a

matter of time before someone reports us to the public health authorities. To try to correct this

problem, we will distribute communion outdoors just before mass begins inside the church, and ask the

people outdoors to please leave immediately after they have received communion. Others will probably

arrive during mass, but in smaller numbers. We will distribute communion to these people at the usual

time. If this fails to resolve the problem, I see no alternative but to stop distributing communion

outdoors at these masses. Let’s just hope this works.

My closing prayer this week is again is that God keep us all safe and well. Fr. Guy