Dear IHM Parishioners and Friends,

This is Father Dan writing to you on this rainy day.  You may have heard this weekend that on Saturday morning, using a home test kit, I was surprised to test positive for Covid.  My case has been pretty mild—sinus-related issues and a low fever, such that I felt sick but not extremely so—now getting better, so that I’m feeling closer to normal.  Thank you for your prayers!

Fr. Marco is away right now visiting his family, which has protected him from catching it from me, but also posed the immediate challenge of finding priests to cover our Masses.  I am grateful to

• Fr. Martino Choi and Fr. Paul Nguyen for celebrating our Sunday Masses and hearing confessions

• Deacon Juan for leading a Communion service Monday morning

• Fr. David Beaubien for hearing confessions Monday evening during the Mass with healing prayers

Looking ahead,

• Fr. Ken Gill will celebrate today’s 5:30 Mass

• Fr. Ryan Pineda will celebrate the Wednesday 9 a.m. Mass.

• Fr. Marco will celebrate the Thursday 5:30 Mass if his flights are all on time.  (In case they are not, we will have a deacon ready to lead a Communion service.)

I am following CDC guidelines:  for me, today is Day 4 of five days of isolating; and this will be followed by five more days of isolating except for situations in which I can wear a mask at all times, with Day 10 being Memorial Day.  So I will not be celebrating public Masses during this period, although you will probably see me walking around this coming weekend, masked!  (Fr. Marco and I will also figure out how to stay separate from each other during this period.  He and all staff members except one have tested negative; that one staff member is also isolating at this time and also getting better.)

Let us continue to pray for each other, as we continue to love and serve the Lord and one another, even during these challenging times!

Yours in Christ,
Father Dan