St. Timothy's and St. Rita Churches

Monday, March 16, 2020

Dear parishioners,

These are indeed challenging days for all of us. Firstly, please join me in praying for the recovery of all those who have the Coronavirus. Please pray for those in the scientific and medical communities who are working to bring about new solutions for combating the virus. May the Holy Spirit guide the efforts of our government officials.

You may have heard that I am presently under a 14-day quarantine. I was helping with the First Penance Service at St. Kevin’s last Tuesday evening. One person who was at that service has tested positive for the virus. Everyone who was there---including second graders, their families and the three priests who were hearing confessions---was asked by the Department of Health to do a 14-day quarantine.

With Bishop Tobin’s announcement today of the suspension of public Mass you are encouraged to (1) watch Mass on television (EWTN) (2) pray daily----making a spiritual communion---we can have a personal encounter with Jesus in our personal prayer (3) extend kindness to the elderly who may be homebound---with a phone call or e-mail.

Lastly----and of some importance---is the weekly revenue we receive through the weekly offertory collection. Your financial support is what pays the bills----and as you well know, the bills don’t stop coming in. Please consider mailing your budget envelopes to the parish (many of our homebound parishioners already do this). When we do return to the celebration of ‘public masses’----please ‘make up’ the budgets that you’ve missed---due to the temporary closure. Thank you!

During these days of quarantine, I celebrate a ‘private mass’ each day in the rectory. My mass intention each day is for those suffering from the virus and for the physical and spiritual wellbeing of the parishioners of St. Timothy and St. Rita.

In Christ,

Rev. David F. Gaffney