FROM THE PASTOR, FR. JOE STEINBAUER
OLPH TOLEDO RESPONSE TO COVID-19
All the Bishops have cancelled Mass and liturgical celebrations until after Easter. This includes daily and Sunday Masses, Stations of the Cross, and other gatherings.
The Penance Service for Lent has been cancelled, but Fr. Joe will be hearing individual confessions on April 1. This will go from 4:00-7:00pm. The preferred way of going to confession during this contagion is behind the screen. This could change so please consult the website for any changes.
As of this writing, Holy Week and Easter Masses are also cancelled. The fish fries are now officially cancelled. Also the Easter Egg Hunt, the Men’s and Women’s retreats are cancelled, and Trivia Night is postponed.
School is closed for a few weeks and this will probably will be extended. During this time there are also no sports activities or games.
Besides the OLPH website, the school and parish are also posting information at https://www.smore.com/3j2xe during these closures.
We encourage all of you to watch Mass on television. EWTN has Masses at 8am and noon. There are other offerings also from different venues. Please take this time to pray with your family, the rosary, the Divine Mercy Chaplet, and a novena would be fine. Watching a video from Formed.com is also encouraged. You can also make a spiritual communion: “My Jesus, I believe that thou art present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love thee above all things, and I desire to receive thee in my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive thee sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace thee as if thou were already there and unite myself wholly to thee. Never permit me to be separated from thee. Amen”
If anyone is in need of assistance (grocery shopping, a ride to doctor appointments, etc.) please contact the parish office and we will get a volunteer to help. OLPH also remains committed to assist those who are sick especially those who are seriously ill and in danger of death. Should you or a loved one be in such a situation, please call the Parish Office. Please state if the illness involves this new virus, even if only suspected. A priest will come. The priests of our deanery are discussing ways to minister to the sick while limiting the risk of many of us being exposed at the same time.
Please continue your prayers for our situation in this country, in our community and at the parish. There is a sadness in so many of our hearts because we cannot be together especially for Holy Week and Easter but the bonds we have in Christ are strong and deep. May we as a community of faith continue our trust in God and may the practice of charity among each other and the prayers for each other enliven our hearts and encourage our hope.