Dear Parishioner,
Please be careful. Someone has hacked into Blessed Sacrament’s email and is sending out a letter, allegedly signed by me, requesting that people purchase gift cards. This is a scam!
Twenty-five years ago, here at Blessed Sacrament, I celebrated my first Mass with Monsignor Bob O’Connor on one side of me and Father John Duffel on the other. How blessed I am to have begun this awesome ministry in such an awe-inspiring church with some amazing shepherds around me.
People keep asking when we are going to open the church for Mass for the public. Just so you know, Father D’Angelo and I celebrate Mass every day and pray for those for whom the Mass is offered. We are at least moving in the right direction. We are working out a seating plan and the dynamics of people coming in and leaving the church. We have ordered the different products we think will be needed. The greatest need is going to be ushers – to help keep people safely apart and to help manage the flow. If you would like to volunteer, please call me or Lou Dennis at the rectory. (212) 877-3111.
Everyone who comes to Mass will need to follow the new protocols and procedures set by the Archdiocese. That means that if you feel ill, or have a “slight cold, you should not come to Mass. If you are a person at risk from the Corona virus, you should not come to Mass. Every person who does attend Mass will need to sanitize their hands before and after Mass, may need to wear gloves and must wear a mask while in Church. You will also be asked not to congregate as you enter or leave the church. The Cardinal’s dispensation from the Sunday Mass obligation will remain in effect until the virus is under control. This means that you do not have to attend Mass on Sunday or at all during this time. Once the church is open to the public, choosing to attend a weekday liturgy will satisfy your weekly “Sunday obligation” during this time. We plan to continue to offer the Sunday Mass by video on the Blessed Sacrament Website.
Big thanks to Matt Collins who is keeping our Soup Kitchen functioning. Every week, Matt orders the food for the soup kitchen, makes the soup, makes the sandwiches and prepares the bags. The line gets longer every week. Thank you, Matt! Thank you all who donate to help provide supplies. How blessed we are to help ease some of the burdens of those struggling in these difficult days.
I also want to thank everyone who continues to contribute financially to our parish. Your generosity and support are greatly needed. Thanks to your continued support and the government’s PPP grant, we have not had to lay off any of our employees and are able to meet our financial commitments. We thank God for You, we thank God for ‘We Share’.
The church is open every day from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm so people may stop in and say a prayer.
Most of all I thank the people of Blessed Sacrament for your faith, your care, and your support. Please stay safe.
David Nolan