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Sunday Mass

Msgr. Mike has recorded Mass for the Fifth Sunday in Lent. Though nothing can compare to receiving our Eucharistic Lord, we wanted to offer a few suggestions for families (especially those with children) to help you enter into the sacredness of the Mass from your home.

Create a prayer altar under your television or on the table where your computer will be. Consider adding a Crucifix or other sacred art in your prayer space. Light a candle!
Get dressed as you normally would for Mass.
Set up chairs like a pew to help you engage in the Mass vs. passively watching.
Take a few moments before the Mass begins to transition from the busyness of your home to the sacredness of Mass.
Fully participate by standing, kneeling and sitting and responding according to the rubrics of the Mass.

We've also put together a worship aid for you and your family to use as you participate in the Mass from your homes. You can download and print it by clicking the button below.

Worship Aid

How to View this Sunday's Mass:

Shrewsbury Media Connection (Channels 28 & 328) on Sunday, March 29th at 8AM, 6PM and on Thursday, April 2nd at 6PM
St. Mary's Media Ministry's YouTube Channel beginning at 8AM on Sunday, March 29th
Parish Website beginning at 8AM on Sunday March 29th
St. Mary Parish Facebook Page beginning at 8AM on Sunday, March 29th.

Send Us a Photo

Send us a photo showing how you and your family participated in this Sunday's Mass from home. Email your photo to kpaulina67@gmail.com.

Faith at Home - FORMED

Make faith at home a priority during this unprecedented time in the church due to COVID-19. FORMED provides the very best Catholic content from more than 60 organizations to help parishes, families and individuals explore their faith anywhere. Supporting thousands of movies, children’s programs, ebooks, audio, parish programs and studies direct to your browser, mobile or connected device.

Here's what you need to do to take advantage of these resources

Go to FORMED.org and click on the "Sign Up" button.
You will navigate to the next page asking how you would like to sign up. Click on the "I belong to a Parish or Organization" button.
You will navigate to the Create a New Account page. Type in "St. Mary Parish, Shrewsbury, MA" in the box, then click the Next button.
You will navigate to the Create a New Account page. Enter your name and email address, then click the Sign-Up button.
Now you are all set to use all the great programs on FORMED.org anytime by simply logging in.

If you have any questions, click the Reply button at the bottom of this email!

Sacrament of Reconciliation

DRIVE-UP CONFESSIONS on SATURDAY, MARCH 28 AND SATURDAY, APRIL 4 FROM 3:00 - 4:00 PM IN THE CHURCH PARKING LOT.

Hearing confessions in a time of pandemic is one of the great pastoral challenges we face in these days before Easter. There is a unique solution which maintains the minimum "social distance" of six feet (keeping both confessor and penitent safe) and respects the privacy of the penitent coming for confession. Here is how it works:

Fr. Javier and Msgr. Mike will be in the church parking lot seated in chairs.
The driver pulls forward and stops in a designated space six feet away, rolls down the window, turns off the engine and remains in the car.
The priest hears the person's confession, prescribes a penance, and gives absolution.
The car pulls away.
The next car, which has been waiting at a distance, then pulls forward.

This format for celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation presumes that there is only one person in the car and there is not an option for an anonymous confession.

Pray with Us!

Rosary

Elaine Ford will lead us in the Rosary this Saturday at 9:00AM. We will stream this live from our St. Mary Parish Facebook page. This week we will pray the Luminous Mysteries followed by the Divine Mercy Chaplet.

Holy Rosary Divine Mercy Chaplet

Daily Mass

Daily Mass will continue to be livestreamed Monday - Friday at 9:00 am from the St. Mary Parish Facebook page.

Resources

We continue to update the Health page on our website as the COVID-19 situation changes.
Visit the Lenten Resources page for updated resources to help you celebrate a quarantined Lent.
Visit the Mass Recordings page on our website for links to the daily and Sunday Mass recordings.
Visit the USCCB website for Resources for Catholics at Home During COVID-19

Face Masks Blessed!

A photo of Msgr. Mike blessing the sewn face masks that volunteers have been making.

How can you help

The quarter inch elastic that is used for the masks is completely sold out in the U.S. If you happen to have any in your sewing rooms or sewing kits that you would like to donate you can drop it off in the front vestibule of the Church. There will be a basket available for you to drop it in. THANK YOU to those who have already dropped off donations!