“This is my Son, my Chosen one; listen to him!” Lk 9,34

Dear parishioners,

In today’s beautiful gospel of the Transfiguration, none other than the Father of Heaven and Earth is referring us to Jesus, his beloved Son, the Suffering Servant of God, and bidding to us that we listen to him! We can’t receive more clear direction. If we want to be one with the Father, we just need to cling to the Son. By the grace of God and for our own sake, may we listen to him always.

Big news this week coming from Dr. Bonnie Henry.

First, all restrictions are lifted with respect to attendance at religious gatherings. However, we continue to simply recommend the wearing of masks, distancing as much as possible, and as you do so well, and sanitizing your hands when you enter and leave the church, all the more so because we have been told it’s now safe to reintroduce missals in the pews, which we will do as soon as we’ve had time to stamp them. 

Secondly, we’ve been told that non-liturgical gatherings are also allowed going forward, as long as we have a Covid safety plan. So here, predictably, is St. Mary’s Covid safety plan for non-liturgical gatherings: we ask that numbers remain low, that you practice social distancing as much as possible, that you sanitize your hands, that you share food and drink on the condition that they are individually packaged, and that you wear masks. Just like businesses, we are allowed to make of mask-wearing a requirement, as long as it is a part of a Covid safety plan. At St. Mary’s, we feel it is the right thing to do. So we are requiring that you wear a mask at non-liturgical gatherings. And we leave it to the discretion of each ministry group to judge whether the time has come or not to resume in person gatherings. We are very limited in terms of venues. The rectory is still off-limits, since the basement is under renovation, and the spaces on the main floor are just too small. Only the church, the church basement, and to a limited extent, the school gym are available, the latter, pending a meeting with Ms. Krivuzoff, the principle, to be clear on the parameters of use. As always, before you gather, be sure to book the venue with Lorna, or with the school principal.

I end this section on the mitigation of Covid restrictions with an appeal. We’re headed into a delicate time.  Firstly, to those of you who are very keen on wearing a mask and very concerned that you will find yourself in the presence of people who are not wearing a mask in enclosed spaces, be aware that you will indeed encounter people not wearing masks in enclosed spaces at St. Mary’s as time goes on, and make your decisions about attending events here accordingly. Secondly, an appeal to us all. Let us remember that those who are keen on wearing masks and distancing themselves from others have solid reasons to be so. Let’s remember that those who aren’t wearing masks and aren’t particularly concerned about distancing have reason to believe that these aren’t necessary. Let us give one another the right to make the choices we make without feeling that we have to justify our preferences. Let us honour each person’s preference and get through this delicate time in peace and harmony, by means of a high and widely shared degree of tolerance and acceptance.

In other news, our second order of Magnificat Lenten booklets has arrived. They are available at all exits as you leave mass this Sunday, starting with the 11:15 mass.

Finally, one last reminder of our parish mission. It is happening this week, Monday to Wednesday. Each day, there will be a single talk, given twice, after the 8:00 a.m. morning mass and after a special 7:00 p.m. evening mass. Clay Imoo will be speaking on Monday and Wednesday, and Sr. John Mary Sullivan will be speaking on Tuesday. The evening mass and talk will be live streamed for those who cannot or are reluctant to attend in person. 

That wraps it up for this week. See you perhaps, at one of our parish mission talks this week.

God bless, keep safe,
Fr. Guy