CONSIDER THIS!
Dear Parishioners,
Happy New Year and prayers for a Covid-Free Year sometime in 2021. My last letter to everyone was the Christmas letter and not too much has changed since then. Activity is slowly coming back to the parish: (1) Outreach Office is back to normal – if triple the need is ‘back to normal’; (2) Religious Formation continues with classes in session this coming week. Meetings with parents and children and ZOOM lessons have been ongoing for months. Youth Ministry has never stopped, although our numbers are lower. Of course our liturgies: Masses, Confessions, Baptisms, Weddings, Funerals, Rosary and Novena all continue to be celebrated, but with smaller numbers. The Choirs are back in limited format and many of our masses are live-streamed. Some of our Ministers of Communion have been bringing the Eucharist to homes as has Bishop Wcela and I. The rectory office is open from 9am to 2pm Monday to Friday and added hours on Wednesday afternoon up until 6pm. We are also trying limited Saturday ours from 10am to 4pm to see if this works. We have opened our building for some AA meetings on Thursday and Saturday evenings. The church is open Monday to Friday (7:30am to 1:00pm). Mass times remain Saturday at 4:30pm, Sunday at 7, 9 & 11 AM and 5:30 & 7:00 PM in Spanish. Confessions are at 3:45pm on Saturday, 12:30pm Tuesdays and anytime by calling for an appointment. Thank you to all who are helping out, especially our parish staff. Please check our website: www.stjohnriverhead.org for any changes in schedules, the weekly bulletin and other vital parish news. Catch us on Facebook at John Church Riverhead or on YouTube at stjohnriverhead for live-streaming events and other recorded programs. We also remind you about FORMED – a free Catholic Service with programs, videos, books, etc. that you can access by going to saintjohnriverhead.formed.org. If you have not yet created an account you simply create one by putting St John the Evangelist Riverhead NY in the space provided and our parish and address will drop down automatically. (Call us if you are having problems signing up). Financially we have been doing well; however, in the past three – four weeks the collections are down about $2,000 a week which I tribute to: (a) mail backlog, (b) folks away for the winter (c) many dealing with unemployment (d) a few of our regulars have died and others are sick or hospitalized. Again, THANK YOU to all who have consistently been mailing in your donations.
If you wish to have the Eucharist brought to your home or if you wish to celebrate the Sacrament of the Sick or the Sacrament of Penance, please contact us.
LENT is early this year and almost here: Wednesday, February 17th is Ash Wednesday. Due to restrictions we are only having one mass at 8:00am and services at 6am, 12 noon, 3pm, 5:30pm and 7:15pm (Spanish). (Lent is a time for Prayer, Fasting, and Works of mercy: a time to reflect on the Gospel directive of ‘social justice’ – “How does my prayer, fasting and works of mercy help me become more in touch with those throughout the world who are homeless, hungry, unjustly imprisoned, or who are denied the very basics of human life, liberty, and a chance to better their lives?”
Lenten Regulations. Fast & Abstinence: All Catholics, 14 years or older, may not eat meat on Ash Wednesday or any of the Fridays in Lent. All Catholics between the ages of 18 – 60 are required to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, which means limiting oneself to one full meal and not eating between meals.
Stations of the Cross – in Church (available on our Live-stream)Friday mornings of Lent at 11:15am Tuesdays at 5pm for families, for children and for teens.
A parish mission – March 7, 8. 9. Sunday the 7th at Mass; Monday and Tuesday at 8:40am. Daily Mass: Monday, Wednesday and Thursday at 8:00am. Tuesday and Friday at 12:10pm. Presentation on the Third Eucharistic Prayer: March 2nd, Tuesday at 2PM & 7PM in Church. Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confessions) Saturdays at 3:45 PM and Tuesdays at 12:30 PM. On Monday, March29th: Extended hours for hearing confessions from 2:00PM – 8:30PM. No Confessions on Good Friday or Holy Saturday. You may call to set up an appointment to celebrate the sacrament of reconciliation at other times.
Please know of my gratitude for your understanding and cooperation during this pandemic, which I hope and pray will soon be a distant memory for us all. Please join with me in asking for the intercession of Mary, Mother of the Church to guide and assist us as we go forward. Another reminder for those who have not yet sent us your email address, cell phone number and cell phone carrier to please do so. We cannot do quick, mass notifications with the small numbers that have sent in the information.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
F r. L a r r y
Fr. Larry Duncklee
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Parish Raffle: We postponed our annual raffle, normally held in autumn to March 19th this year. The donation for a ticket is $100.00. First three Prizes will be $5,000.00 * $2,000.00 * $1,000.004th through 10th Prize is $100.00. Drawing will be March 19th at 7:00pm in the church. Please mail in or place in collection basket your request for a ticket or tickets. You may also come to the rectory to obtain your raffle ticket(s).
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WELCOME:
We joyfully welcome all who have joined our community for worship and praise to God. We are grateful to our faithful parishioners who pray with us every week and ask you to consider officially registering to be a part of the parish as well. You, our neighbors and guests are always welcome; and, we hope you find a peaceful home here with us when visiting the area.
Rev. Lawrence Duncklee Pastor
