Dear Parishioners,
This past week has been an important yet emotional step in our journey to our new church building. Thank you to all the many people who came this past week to help prepare our church by preserving all the items that are important to us while also removing the items that needed to be thrown away or given away for other noble purposes.
While Tuesday was our official day for the “Church Clean Out Work Day,” we had many people come on Monday to help us get ahead in this needed task. On this following Monday (June 26), the church building will be off limits to all as asbestos abatement begins. It is scheduled to last for two weeks. At the time this posting went live, we have a demolition date for July 10th. I don't know what time this will be, but keep your eyes peeled to our parish Facebook and Twitter feeds for the latest.
In addition to preparing the church building for demolition, we have settled into a routine for daily Mass. If you come to daily Mass, each parishioner needs to immediately take notice that they will be responsible for placing a host in the paten to be brought forward at the Preparation of the Gifts. This is one benefits of no longer having two entrances and two sides to our gathering space. Now, we can more easily fulfill the Church’s guidelines that tell us that the hosts to be brought forward should only be the ones needed for the community at that Mass. As for Sunday celebrations, our sacristans will continue to get rough counts of those who have come for Mass and make sure the number of hosts is appropriate. In addition, we continue to have a reserved number of hosts for the sick in our Tabernacle so that our Homebound Ministers can bring Christ to the sick.
As always, please keep this courageous and faith-filled enterprise in your prayers. And, again, thank you to all who gave of their time and talent this past week to help prepare the church for asbestos abatement.
Blessings,
Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor