Fr. John Blanket Letter #2 - 3/23 My Sisters and Brothers of St. Mary Parish With the possibilities that we may be “Hunkered Down” … "Staying Home” for a while, I want to maintain pastoral contacts with you and assure you of my continued loving concern for each and all.  I continue to offer Holy Mass for our parish needs and for you … the Saint Mary Family.  To date these Masses have been at our own parish Altar; in the future I will pray the Mass daily either at our Altar or at my home.  Either way the Mass will be offered daily.

We’re taking steps immediately to refashion of Parish website to be of greater use during our current situation.  I ask you PLEASE to check it out regularly:  groveportstmary.org .  There I will post regular spiritual reflections, including a brief “homily” for each Sunday.  I’ll also suggest other internet resources for your pastoral and spiritual benefit, including Web or TV places where you can find daily Masses, devotions and spiritual reflections.  All of these will be posted on our Parish website with easy to use links.  Daily Scripture readings and Catholic current events are also shown.  Check daily.
 
The staff is working on an “At Home” basis.  Donna at her home; Andrea in seclusion in her private office space with no visitors.  Push with limited hours at his desk necessary to pay bills and upstairs alone with his "old records" sorting project.  If you have an urgent pastoral need PLEASE call me (740-503-2827)
 
While this is period when our normal parish patterns are interrupted or impossible, it also can be a time we’re drawn together closer in prayer and conversation …  simple phone calls, or email/text messages can mean a lot when we’re physically separated.  "Social distancing" should mean  bodily separation,  not  social isolation.
 
In addition to the website, I also will use this “Blanket Letter” technique.  My address book is not complete; so, I ask you to forward these letters to others you know.
 
For our Worship there’s no thing as good as attending Mass and receiving Holy Communion.  But under the circumstances I recommend two very good web links:
 
·             * Word on Fire presents a daily Mass recorded on YouTube in Bishop Robert Barron’s chapel:   http://www.wordonfire.org/daily-mass.
 
·           * EWTN broadcasts the daily Mass live at 8am Eastern.  Watch live on TV Channel 385 or by streaming online   http://www.ewtn.com./tv/watch-live.
 
Your Servant in Christ with Mary,
 
Father John