For the week of Sunday, January 17, 2021
Dear Friends:
As I've mentioned before here, Pope Francis has rightly observed that a crisis like a global pandemic reveals a lot to us about ourselves. Most recently there's been a public discussion about who gets first dibs on the vaccines newly available for COVID-19, and the news isn't all good. The fact is that not all of us will be on the priority list, so who ought to be? The answer to that question discloses a lot about how and why we value some forms of human life over others, and that is directly relevant to the gospel. (For the record, I have neither been tested nor vaccinated.)
Some say that prisoners, for example, should not be first in line because they have committed crimes. Others say that some of the most vulnerable elderly should not be on top of the list because they will probably die soon anyway. Both are cynical and non-Christian dispositions, in my opinion. I would think that those first to receive the vaccines should be those who are most reasonably at risk of being exposed to the virus, wherever and whatever their condition. The idea that one's age or moral history should exclude them from treatment is repugnant to me. There is a great deal of "me first!" involved in the debate here, and that should be a sobering thought. Whatever Jesus left us as a legacy by His life and words, it was not "me first."
You may want to know that several priests of our archdiocese have tested positive for the virus over the past many weeks and have had to be quarantined. Gratefully, all have recovered. I suppose a case could be made that pastors should step to the front of the line for vaccines because they regularly are in contact with dozens of people each week with whom they do not live. Somehow, I can't see Jesus doing that "me first" thing, though. It's contrary to what I understand to be Christian faith. A true concern for the common good, which is an eminently Catholic conviction, ought to guide our decision making here. No one person "deserves" a fast-track vaccine because of who or how they are, without consideration of how we all are together.
The nagging, relentless demand of the gospel is that life is not all about ME. I hope and wish that we can keep that in mind as we move through this difficult and stressful time of pandemic. The only person whom I personally know who has been vaccinated is my brother-in-law, who is an emergency room physician at St. Francis Hospital in Shakopee and who is in constant contact with COVID-19. That's as it should be. I can wait.
Fr. Mike Byron
CLICK ON IMAGE BELOW FOR A VIDEO MESSAGE FROM FR. MIKE
PARKING LOT MASS PARKING CREW NEEDED
We are developing a crew of people to assist people in getting parked for our Parking Lot Mass each Sunday at Door #4. We will begin this Sunday, January 17. The time commitment is two hours on Sundays. If you are interested in hearing more about this, please contact Sally Bergum at the parish office at sbergum@paxchristi.com or 952-405-7229.
JOIN US FOR PRAYER AND WORSHIP
PLEASE NOTE THESE MASS UPDATES
While we pray for an end to the pandemic, its rising rates of exposure and infection in Minnesota have caused us to apply some incremental changes to our gatherings. Until further notice:
- The weekday Masses will have a limit of 15 people.
- The Sunday 9:00am Mass will have a limit of 75 people.
- You will notice that the Mass RSVP page looks different. While we are using a different platform, the essential nature of the sign-ups remains unchanged, with the exception that if a Mass is listed as “full” or at capacity, you will have the capability to place yourself on a “waiting list” and will be notified if spots become available due to cancellations.
- You are urged to attend virtually on the Live Stream at 5:00pm on Saturdays - CLICK HERE, view it on the archive anytime after, or attend the noon Parking Lot Mass on Sundays.
- If you need to come to the parish office, please call 952-941-3150 to notify us of the time you will be coming. If at all possible, please try to come to the parish between the hours of 8:00am-noon, Monday thru Friday.
- We want to assure you that we continue taking all precautions to keep our building sanitized and safe. Your cooperation in doing your part to curb the spread of COVID-19 is vital to all for our well-being and health.
Preregistration is required for Mass on site. Use links below.
WEEKDAY MASS
Tuesdays ~ 8:30am on site CLICK TO REGISTER 15 max
Wednesdays ~ 8:30am on site CLICK TO REGISTER 15 max
Fridays ~ 8:30am on site CLICK TO REGISTER 15 max
Wednesdays ~ 8:30am on site CLICK TO REGISTER 15 max
Fridays ~ 8:30am on site CLICK TO REGISTER 15 max
WEEKEND MASS
Saturdays ~ 5:00pm Live Stream CLICK TO VIEW
Sundays ~ 9:00am on site CLICK TO REGISTER 75 max
Sundays ~ 12:00pm Parking Lot Mass CLICK FOR DETAILS
Sundays ~ 9:00am on site CLICK TO REGISTER 75 max
Sundays ~ 12:00pm Parking Lot Mass CLICK FOR DETAILS
RECONCILIATION
Fr. Mike will hear confessions at 4:00pm each Saturday inside near door #1. Those who wish to celebrate this sacrament can park near door #1, wait for the person who is celebrating the sacrament to be finished, and then come forward to receive the sacrament. Please wear a mask.
COVID-19 UPDATES
CLICK HERE to view schedules, updates, and resources during COVID-19.
REGULAR CONTRIBUTIONS
Thank you for your continued generosity!
Week of December 27 139,055
Budget 98,000
Variance 41,055
Week of January 3 46,507
Budget 55,000
Variance (8,493)
YTD Actual 1,299,325
YTD Budget 1,304,000
YTD Variance (4,675)
Thanks to your incredibly generous December giving, we have nearly eliminated our budget deficit that accumulated during the first five months of our fiscal year. Your generosity will enable us to maintain our building, staff and ministries until the day when we can all celebrate together again in our sanctuary. Thank you!
CLICK HERE for online giving.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
CLICK HERE for all upcoming events and registration.
VIRTUAL BIBLE STUDY
Gospel of Mark Part Two; $20 per person
Two five-week options:
- Mondays beginning January 18, 10:00–11:30am
- Wednesdays beginning January 20, 6:30–8:00pm
Thought to be the earliest of the four Gospels, the Gospel of Mark is a fast-moving, vivid account of the ministry, suffering, and death of Jesus. Enter into a rich encounter with this preacher, wonder-worker, and messiah, whose very life delivered an urgent message about repentance, transformation, and the reality of suffering in the life of a disciple. This four-week study covers Mark 9:33–16:20, including Jesus' entry into Jerusalem and the events of His passion, death, and resurrection. Weekly discussions will take place using Zoom. In addition, all participants will receive access to a bible commentary, study and reflection questions, prayers, and additional online lectures. CLICK HERE to register online.
WINTER VIRTUAL BOOK CLUB
Sacred Fire by Fr. Ron Rolheiser
Two nine-week options:
Two nine-week options:
- Mondays beginning January 25, 6:30–8:00pm
- Tuesdays beginning January 26, 9:00–10:30am
Fr. Ronald Rolheiser offers readers a way toward an accessible and penetrating adult Christian spirituality. Rolheiser asks: "What lies beyond the essentials, the basics? Where do we go once some of the basic questions in our lives have been answered, or at least brought to enough peace that our focus can shift away from ourselves to others? Where do we go once the basic question in life becomes: How can I give my life away more purely and more meaningfully?" The intent of this book is to try to address exactly those questions: How can we live less self-centered, more mature lives? What constitutes deep maturity and how do we reach that place? And what constitutes a more adult, Christian discipleship? What constitutes a truly mature following of Jesus? Discussions will take place virtually using Zoom. There is no fee but participants are responsible for obtaining their own copy of the book. CLICK HERE to register online.
MOM'S ROCK
Thursday, January 28, 8:00pm, via Zoom
Come join us once a month at Mom's ROCK as we meet virtually on Thursday evenings to gather, pray, seek fellowship, and discuss God’s work in our lives as caregivers and friends. Come for one session or come for all! All are welcome. Free of charge. Registration required - CLICK HERE.
Pax Christi Justice Speaker Series
With Jonathan Stegall and Zola Richardson
Wednesday, February 10, 7:00pm, via Zoom
Join us for the second Justice Speakers event of the year as we welcome Jonathan Stegall (he, him) and Zola Richardson (she, they) from Reclaim the Block. Our focus this year is on racial justice. In this session, we will hear from these local organizers about re-imagining public safety. There is no fee for this event, but registration is required to receive the Zoom info - CLICK HERE.
PAX CHRISTI'S LITURGICAL ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY PROJECT - PAPER CRANES
A Prayer for Hope, Healing, and World Peace
In this country, at the time of this writing, we have lost 320,000 people to the COVID virus here in the United States, to say nothing of the thousands of individuals that are struggling from the after-effects of this unknown virus. Worldwide, there have been over 1.7M deaths in less than one year. Along with the social unrest that our country is experiencing, start in our Nation's Captial last Wednesday, we are all searching for peace and hope.
Looking to a symbol of peace and hope, we can go back 75 years to early August of 1945, when the United States dropped two Atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan. In a matter of 3 days, two major cities were devastated leaving survivors to bear the long-lasting effects of burns, radiation, severe injuries, and illness resulting from these tragedies. History tells us that on those two dates, over 220,000 people died from the ravishing attacks on the thriving industrial cities, to say nothing of the long term lingering health effects it caused.
However, out of those disastrous days, a beautiful young woman who was affected by the radioactive fallout was joined by her friends to create one thousand paper cranes, believing if she made a thousand cranes, she would be healed of her resulting leukemia. She was not healed but the legend of the paper crane lives on yet today in her memory.
Those paper cranes created 75 years ago by that beautiful young lady, who believed she could be healed, has made a lasting memorial legacy that has gone down in history. Yes, our lives have been drastically changed within the last 8 months, but we too might believe in the beautiful paper cranes that just may heal us as well as our world, today.
You will notice paper cranes added to the Pax Christi Sanctuary as we continue to pray for ourselves, our families, our community, and our world. Please feel free to make and bring your own to add to this community-wide expression of prayer for hope, healing, and world peace.
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