Parish Update – Friday, June 26

Happy Friday, one and all! We’re rapidly approaching the end of June and the halfway point of the year. Can we all agree to just skip the remaining six months of 2020 and move right into 2021, or maybe even 2022? I for one am ready for this year to be over.

Since I don’t suppose that is going to happen, we will press on and get through it the only way we can – by faith and hope in the Lord, by loving God and serving our neighbor, and by trusting that the Spirit is leading us to wherever it wills. Our task is to echo the young prophet Samuel: “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” (1 Samuel 3:10)

This Sunday we celebrate the 13th week in Ordinary Time and in the Gospel from St. Matthew we find the word “welcome” or “receives” used repeatedly – six times – to describe the life of discipleship. The point is clear: that what we do to others, especially the poor or those in need, we do to the Lord. In these trying days of the pandemic, when so much of our world has been turned upside down, let’s redouble our efforts at being a good disciple that “welcomes” others so that we might one day be “received” by God.

Now, on to a few things to call to your attention:

• I remind you that the Sunday Mass obligation is still dispensed, meaning that you do not have to come to church. Cardinal DiNardo put this into place in March and it’s still in effect for Catholics of all ages. Those over 60 are especially reminded of it, but it applies to everyone. In light of today’s new county order and the update on restaurants and bars that went into effect from the state, I want to be sure that everyone is on the same page. This spike we are experiencing in Texas and other states is concerning and so if you don’t have to go out, please do not.

While I have enjoyed seeing more people each week at our public masses, we all need to be wise and prudent in our choices. As of this writing on Friday afternoon, we are planning for our same public mass schedule this week of Saturday at 5 p.m., and Sunday at 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., with a limit of 25 percent capacity and social distancing in effect as has been our norm since we began. If that changes, we’ll let you know ASAP.

• I highly encourage you to join us for Mass via our livestream on Sunday at 9 a.m. on both our Facebook and YouTube pages. The new high-zoom cameras we have installed (thanks to the yeoman efforts of Tony Croes, our Director of Technology) are getting great reviews. Someone even said they make me look 10 years younger! (OK, I may have made that last part up, but the cameras do really capture the Mass nicely for all viewing.) You can find the link to the livestream at www.ctrcc.com/live-stream, and in addition, you’ll find there both a worship aid and a link to the Scripture readings to follow along with Mass, and you can make your weekly offertory contribution online at www.ctrcc.com/donate. Thank you for your continued financial support of CtR during this challenging time. It’s the last weekend of our current fiscal year, by the way.

• Be sure to see our Faith at Home page on the website as well (www.ctrcc.com/faithathome) because it has a ton of resources to help you in your spiritual journey during this time of the pandemic. Seriously, there’s a LOT of great information and links to be found there for adults, teens, and children, from online bible studies and faith formation programs, podcast links, Bishop Barron’s Word on Fire video series (including a free ebook to download), and much, much more. We update it regularly with new information so use this time of physical distance to grow closer spiritually to the Lord and the Church.

• Because of the recent uptick in coronavirus cases in Houston we opted to scrap our Youth Ministry LEAD retreat that I spoke of last week. We were sorry to do so, and I'm bummed for the teens who would have participated, but all agreed it was the right thing to do. Likewise, the Ordination to the Diaconate that was going to be held tonight for four men from the Archdiocese, including our summer intern from last year, Joseph White, has been postponed out of health and safety concerns. It’ll be rescheduled sometime later in the summer, so please keep Joey and the other three seminarians in your prayers as they await ordination to the diaconate on their journey to the priesthood next year.

• Remember that this coming Tuesday, June 30, is the deadline for registering for our Virtual Vacation Bible School, scheduled for the week of July 13-17. Go to www.ctrcc.com/vbs to register your children (and adults and teens are encouraged to sign-up as a volunteer as well). It promises to be a bright spot in a summer when all of us can use one, and best of all, it’s absolutely free!

• A special shout-out this weekend to our Founding Families of CtR. In this 40th anniversary year of the parish we had planned to recognize those families still active in the parish who were here when we were first formed in 1980. There are a number of parishioners who have been with us since Day 1 and we had planned a Mass and luncheon in their honor. It obviously won’t be happening this Sunday as planned, but we will remember them in our prayers nonetheless. I’m hopeful we can get something scheduled to recognize them later in the year. Until then, thank you to all who helped start CtR with Father George 40 years ago. We today stand on the firm foundation you built for us! #weareCtR

St. Peter and St. Paul, whose feast day is this coming Monday, pray for us!

Peace, Fr. Sean