Message from Msgr. Callahan-April 19
Dear Parishioners,
Hopefully, everyone was able to enjoy Easter under the circumstances. It seems that many parishioners clicked on to the live streaming of our Easter Triduum services and the Easter Sunday Masses. I appreciate that many of you are taking the time to watch both Sunday and weekday Masses.
For your information, the Archbishop has extended the dispensation of attending Sunday Mass through the end of April. In addition to that, our First Holy Communions, Confirmation and Graduation ceremony have been postponed until further notice. I have been delegated to confer the Sacrament of Confirmation on our 8th graders depending on when we will be able to set a day for that sacrament. Also, all Baptisms for the time being will be private Baptisms. In other words, we will not have multiple Baptisms at one time for the foreseeable future. If we have a number of Baptisms scheduled for a Sunday, we will celebrate them in intervals of 30-40 minutes on Sunday morning beginning at 10 a.m. Please call the Parish Office to set up specific times for the Baptisms.
Please remember that Confessions are still scheduled for Tuesdays from 4-5 p.m. and Saturday from 3:30-4:30 p.m.
Today is Divine Mercy Sunday. Even though you cannot attend Mass, you can still receive the Plenary Indulgence. Pray the Divine Chaplet, pray for our Holy Father, receive Spiritual Communion when you watch the live streaming of the Mass and try to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation in the near future. More information about Divine Mercy Sunday below.
God bless,
Msgr. Callahan
MEMORANDUM
From: St. Louis Archdiocese
DATE: 9 April 2020
RE: Divine Mercy Indulgence …
In light of the current pandemic, Archbishop Carlson has decreed that the
faithful of the Archdiocese of St. Louis may gain plenary indulgences while
public masses are suspended without actual confession and communion,
provided that they have inner contrition and the resolution to go to these
sacraments as soon as possible (cf. Norms for Indulgences, n. 28) following the
lifting of the current suspension of public masses.
This applies to the indulgence attached to the feast of Divine Mercy, and all
other plenary indulgences, for as long as public masses are suspended.
The faithful who cannot pray before the Blessed Sacrament on Divine Mercy
Sunday can remember that they, like all the faithful, can gain a plenary
indulgence by praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet to “implore from Almighty God
the end of the epidemic, relief for those who are afflicted and eternal salvation
for those whom the Lord has called to Himself” (Decree of the Apostolic
Penitentiary March 20, 2020).