Author: admin_deb

A Call to Social Justice

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The members of the Parish Council of Saint Paul’s offer our thoughts and prayers to our church community and for the world at large. May you daily feel the peace of God.
We are continuing to share recommended resources for insight into the current issues of social justice from a Biblical/Church perspective.

And so we invite you to prayerfully consider:

Catholic Social Thought and Racial Solidarity

Cardinal Gregory on the ‘Today’ show

“Isn’t 400 Years Enough?”

Bishops reauthorize anti-racism committee

Church and country need a reckoning on race

CST 101

How to be anti-racist at work

Practical steps to eradicate racism

Bishop Zubik tells Pittsburgh Catholics he cannot tell them how to vote

Voting Catholic: Racial Justice

To fight Racism, Catholics must hunger for justice like we do for the Eucharist

Environment, other issues beyond abortion are critical in voting, bishop says

Open Wide Our Hearts

Racial Jusice – A Long-Time Concern

click​ here – Tips for Navigating Conversations about Current Issues 

YouTube video on Catholic Social Teaching

National Reconciliation

Lenten Book Club

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The selection for Lent is Amy-Jill Levine’s “Entering the Passion of Jesus: A Beginners Guide to Holy Week.”  Zoom discussions will take place from 10-11:15 a.m. Tuesdays through March 30.
The book studies six events that occur during the Passion account and reflects on the themes of the risks that Jesus took: reputation, anger, challenge, rejection, loss of friends and temptation. The author shows how the Biblical text raises ethical and spiritual questions, prompting us to look at the risks taken in our own Christian experience. The book is available for about $13 from Amazon and other dealers.

Masses Live Streamed

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The 5 p.m. Mass on Saturday and 10 a.m.  Mass on Sunday are now live-streamed.
Here’s the link:

https://www.twitch.tv/10915spmb

However, we need to train a few more volunteers in the art of streaming. The more people to rotate into a schedule, the easier it will be to ensure its continuation without over-burdening one or two people.
The setup is simple and does not require more than a few minutes of training – and no professional background is necessary!
Interested? Let Deb in the office know at 361-3107.

Flocknotes

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Dear Brothers and Sisters
of St. Paul’s Church,

Greetings in Christ! I trust you are doing well during these challenging times.

Our Reopening Committee continues to meet regularly. At these meetings we discuss ways in which we might be able to improve our church experience, make our environment safer, and still observe all the Covid-19 protocols. Not an easy task since everything is new and there is constant change.

A few weeks ago I was able to tell you that we purchased and installed CDC recommended MERV-13 air filters. These increase the performance of our air filters and further reduce the chance of virus transmission. In addition, they protect against pollen dust, lint dust, mites, mold spores, bacteria, virus carriers, and microscopic allergens.

We will soon be installing an additional recommended air purification system for both the Church and the Hall. This systemt uses germicidal UV light rays to reduce odors, air pollutants, chemical odors, mold, bacteria and viruses. These germicidal UV light rays have been used for decades by the medical industry as a method for dependably destroying micro-organisms (germs, viruses, bacteria, gases and vapors).

In addition, we’ve also installed a hands free faucet in one of the bathrooms and are in the process of doing so in the other bathrooms. We hope to do the same with the toilets. Because of their age however, this is going to be more difficult and very expensive.

In making these changes, we hope you feel safer and ever more comfortable in your church.

Without question, the most difficult task of our Ushers and Greeters has been to tell parishioners arriving for Mass that our Church has reached its (safe distancing) capacity. This doesn’t happen every weekend, but when it does, it’s an awful experience for everyone involved, I assure you. I can’t tell you how many hours our Reopening Committee has spent seeking a solution! We still don’t have the answer, but we are proposing another alternative.

Our Committee has been experimenting with a system that will livestream the Mass into Deacon John Hall. Beginning this weekend, anyone who arrives for Mass and cannot be seated in the Church, will be invited to watch the Mass on a large screen in Deacon John Hall while seated at safe distances. We hope this will relieve some of the stress and anxiety you might feel coming to church and not being sure whether or not you can be seated.

God bless you all!

Your brother in Christ,

Fr. Sean

Mass this Weekend

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     Mass will be celebrated at 5 p.m. Saturday, February 27
and at 10 a.m. on Sunday, February 28. Seating is limited, and you will be ushered to your seat.
Everyone must wear a mask and adhere to social-distancing requirements.