May 7 update from Fr. Sean

Parish Update – Thursday, May 7 from Fr. Sean

Happy Thursday, everyone! We’re off to a good start with  Phase I of opening up the church once again to public masses. There’s more on that and much more below, but first, allow me to express my sincere thanks to  Ofelia Carrasco, our Director of Liturgy. She is doing yeoman duty on behalf of our parish to coordinate the many “little things” that have to get done in order for us to celebrate publicly once again. She does it with a smile, and has a wonderful team of volunteer ministers who assist her in serving the community. On top of all that, she’s working with a number of families to plan funerals that have been put on hold the past month. Thank you for all you do for CtR, Ofelia!

O.K, let’s get to some of the news and notes:

• We’re averaging between 50-60 people each day at our 9 a.m. Mass in the church. Everyone has cooperated beautifully in wearing a mask and keeping social distancing, and our team of ushers and hospitality ministers are able to clean and disinfect afterwards quickly and efficiently. Thanks to everyone who has ventured out, and thanks as well to all of you still tuning in to our livestream each day. We’re going to keep that up, so by all means, feel free  to join us online if you prefer.

I suspect our numbers will increase this weekend as we open up for Sunday liturgies. We’re going to follow the same procedures so remember to enter by the side doors closest to the Parish Hall. From there the ushers will guide you to an open pew. Remember we’re asking that only those 60 and older attend the Saturday vigil Mass at 5 p.m. On Sunday, it’s open to everyone at both the 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. masses. We’re not quite ready to resume our 7 or 11 a.m. masses to the public just yet. Let’s see how it goes for a couple of weeks and then we’ll work on expanding things in Phase II. All the details  can be found here on this page, so please review them before you venture out. 

•  We’re ready to get your CtR Spring Festival t-shirts to you! I understand we sold more than 500, so thanks to everyone who picked up one, or two, or 10! We still have extras available in most sizes so check our website at  www.ctrcc.com/springfestival for the link to the online store.

For those of you who already made a purchase, you are invited to pick them up beginning today from 1-4 p.m., as well as on Friday from 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. and on Saturday from 12 – 2:30 p.m. Come to the Community Center in the front of our campus near the prayer garden and follow the signs for our “contactless” distribution system set up. Just give your name at the door and they’ll have it waiting on a table for you. We’re trying to make it quick and easy, but if one of those above times doesn’t work for you, email  Sylvia Baker at  [email protected] and she’ll work with you.

For those who purchased an item on the online auction, Sylvia will be in touch to coordinate pick-up as well. Thanks to everyone for your support.  We raised nearly $60,000 for the parish through this effort, which is a great help to us in these lean times. God bless you in your generosity!

• I want to remind you about our plans to mark the  40th anniversary of our parish on Pentecost Sunday, May 31. Our day of founding was the following day, June 1, in 1980, and given that Pentecost is called “the birthday of the Church,” what better day for us to celebrate!

It seems certain that our plans will have to be somewhat revised on that day, but that’s OK. We’ll plan to do other things throughout the year. We are, however, moving ahead with our 40th anniversary mosaic.  We invite you to send us a picture from any celebration you and your family enjoyed at CtR – could be from a baptism, a First Communion, a wedding, or even a past Spring Festival or other parish event. Scan it (or take a picture of the picture) and  email it to [email protected]. We’re collecting all the pictures and will use them to create one large photo mosaic for all to see when we return to church.   

•  Today is our annual CtR Catholic School Crusader Fund Day of Giving. I invite you to help support our parish’s great Catholic school by making a donation to the Crusader Fund that helps support our mission.  It empowers a transformational difference in the lives of our students and sustains the excellence of our learning environment through tax-deductible financial gifts.

The Crusader Fund helps us offer financial assistance to make Catholic education possible for many families; ensures that school retreats and religious-education programs thrive, makes unique and essential faculty/staff training available, offers extracurricular and enrichment opportunities, enables us to build upon our leading-edge S.T.R.E.A.M. curriculum, and so much more.  It is the way we build a lasting legacy of excellence for our more than 400 students now and those who will come to us in the future.

Please join me in making a gift to the Crusader Fund by visiting  www.ctrschool.com/crusaderfund . It’s quick and easy to make your gift that will help our students. Thank you for your prayers and support for CtR Catholic School. Remember as well that  applications for the 2020-21 school year in grades Pre-K through 8th are open now. Come see all that CtR Catholic School has to offer for your children.

Our Lady of the Rosary, which we are invited to pray often in this month of May dedication to the Blessed Virgin Mary, pray for us!

Peace, Fr. Sean
#weareCtR