Sacred Heart Church

September 8, 2020

Dear Parish Family,

You are receiving your annual financial report by snail mail and it speaks for itself! Please continue your stewardship, which is critical through this ongoing pandemic. I ask you to please consider online giving as well. Thank you for your sacrificial giving.

We thank Rob for his 25 years of ministry to Sacred Heart Parish and we ask the Lord for His gracious blessings upon him. Rob is a talented musician and we are blessed to have him. Thank you Rob for your musical leadership!

We also thank Deacon Thomas Cloutier for his ministry as deacon at the parish. As you know, Deacon Tom has not been with us in the parish for over a year and a half. He will not be returning, as he is now a resident of Fairview Nursing Home in Hudson. He and his father have given me permission to share that news with you. We send him our appreciation for his ministry. He will be a ministerial presence where he is. God always uses us for His purposes.

May we all join together in nine days of prayer (Novena) to St. Therese, from September 22 – October 1 (her feast day), and ask that she may answer your prayer requests and continue to shower her roses upon our parish! Let us pray: “Saint Therese be our power in this hour. Pick me a rose from the heavenly garden and send it to me with a message of love. Tell the Lord I will love Him more and more each day!” Or you can say your own prayer!

There is still no communion to the homebound or healthcare/hospital visits at this time. There will be no activities in the parish outside of our weekend Masses at 4 pm on Saturday and 9 am on Sunday, along with Daily Confessions 7:00 am-7:45 am Monday through Thursday followed by Mass at 8:00 am. We will continue to evaluate our parish monthly. Phase 2 in our parish goes to the New Year. There will be no breakfasts, no suppers, no meetings or gatherings, and no boy scouts during this time until we evaluate what the fall months will bring. I would like us to come together as a parish in prayer monthly. Let us use September for adjusting to schools and the new norms in our workplace and homes. October 13th is the anniversary of Our Lady of Fatima. You might note the movie, Fatima, is now playing in the movie theatres. The message is about praying the rosary for World Peace. Our Lady appeared to three shepherd children in Portugal in 1917, monthly from May to October. Thus, we will join in the communion of prayer as a parish by having Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in the main body of the Church immediately after the Mass and the rosary is recited until 7:00 pm. As usual, I will have morning confessions from 7-7:45 am. In addition to accommodate our people, I will have confessions from noon – 1:00 p and 6-7 pm. Confessions will take place immediately to the right in the little chapel dedicated to Our Lady, Mother of Perpetual Help. We will have security available and camera surveillance for a safe environment. There will be no access to the hall bathrooms. Entrance to the church will be by the side door only. We will have two people representing the parish on every hour after Mass until 7 pm. This allows anyone in the community to come in and pray, be it just for a few minutes, perhaps with your children or grandchildren. Simple reposition of the Blessed Sacrament will take place at 7 pm. We will have disinfectants available and we ask that each person disinfect their pew area and kneeler as they leave with the Bioesque. We will then go to the same format for First Friday in November and First Friday in December. This will be a wonderful way to be a praying community in a time of public pandemic.

As it stands, many of our young families have chosen to stay home and I understand, as these are serious times.

Let us continue to navigate the pandemic with prudence, safety and grace. The Lord shall guide us. Remain prayerful and positive and focused!

God Bless!

Fr. Steve Marcoux
Pastor