-
BackForwardPauseCaption
-
Information from Fr. John
Computer users, for daily Masses and all Sunday Masses, logon to:
https://www.saintpatrickscathederal.org/live
* PLEASE NOTE: Facebook is no longer being used to post the Sunday Masses at St. Columba. For those wishing to view Sunday Masses at our church, please go to the Parish YouTube channel. The channel can be found by searching for "Saint Columba Church, Chester, NY", or simply by clicking on the YouTube Link above. You can also watch the current Sunday Mass on our parish website.
Let us contine to pray for one another during these difficult times.
In Christ, Your Pastor, Fr. John
LETTER FROM FR. JOHN
May 16, 2020
Dear Friends:
The last two months have been challenging for all of us. The Coronovirus Pandemic continues to change the ways we live our daily lives:
* Our human nature longs for socialization with both family and friends, but we continue to be deprived of these contacts.
* Children are challenged by a new way of learning. My prayers are especially with the youth of our community who were in the process of completing their lessons at our Faith First Program, the 8th and 12th grades. They are missing the "pomp and circumstance" of their Graduation ceremony and celebration.
* Although their are many other challenges, one of the most difficult ones for me is to not be able to celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass WITH YOU, my faithful parishioners.
Despite these challenges, we are able to move forward in a positive way. With the Lord's help, we are all working together in wonderful, loving and creative ways.
The guidelines instituted by the Archdiocese of New York for each parish to help mitigate the current pandemic remain Here, at St. Columba, we continue to do the following:
1. Until further notice all public masses are cancelled. However,
as noted above, you can log onto Mass at St. Patrick's Catherdral's web-site for celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass or visit the Saint Columba CHurch channel on YouTube.
As noted in our "Home Page Photo Gallery" a private Mass is
being celebrated honoring the intention offered each day. Please note that the obligation to keep the Lord’s day holy can be fulfilled by maintaining a prayerful attitude and through personal and family prayer.
2. The Church continues to remain open for private prayer Monday thru Sunday from 9:00am to 5:00pm. Sanitizing wipes are available at the back of the church for your personal use.
3. In lieu of a Funeral Mass during this time, prayers at the burial
can take place now with a Memorial Mass celebrated for your loved
one at a later date.
4. Pastoral visits to nursing homes and private residences
continue to be suspended until further notice. This suspension also applies to Baptisms, First Penance, First Holy Communion and Confirmation.
5. Confessions are available at the Parish Office by appointment
only.
6. As history has taught, people in need are sometimes
forgotten in the midst of a crisis. If you or anyone you know is in need of assistance with things like food shopping or pharmacy pickups, please let us know so we can reach out to volunteers willing to help at this time.Your parish, like you, is subject to the enormous financial strain that this current pandemic is putting on all of us. The absence of your weekly offering will make it almost impossible to pay out monthly expenses. For those of you who have responded to my request for your on-going support by enrolling in WeShare (Purple Box Above) please accept my prayerful thanks for your generousity as always, especially during these critical times.
You are also invited to mail your donation envelopes to the parish office. Any help you can give during these unprecedented times
is both necessary and appreciated.
Unexpected events impacting our daily life can create anxiety, fear, depression and even panic. Fortunately for us who are believers there is always hope. I encourage all of you to join me in bringing all our concerns to prayer. Let us pray for each other. Let us remember the sick and those who care for them, asking the Lord and our Blessed Mother to protect us all from harm. Please pray for me and be assured of my prayers for you during these trying times.
I am grateful to all of you for your faith and continued support. I am thankful to our parish staff for their dedication and willingness to serve the needs of our parish community. We are truly all in this together.
Remember Matthew 19:26 ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
In Christ,
Father John Bonnici,
Pastor -
-
In the story of the patriarch Abraham -- honored by Jews, Christians and Muslims -- faith becomes a direct relationship with God that is marked by constant prayer, which sometimes takes the form of...
-
With anger and frustration still high in the United States over the death of George Floyd, religious leaders should organize ecumenical and interreligious prayer initiatives to bring people together...
-
-
St. Columba Church
-
Today's Readings
-
Reading 1 2 Tm 1:1-3, 6-12Responsorial 123:1b-2ab, 2cdefGospel Mk 12:18-27
-
-
Feast of pentecost
-
Word on Fire - Daily Mass
-
Vatican YouTube