Hello, dear parishioners!
It's been a while since I sent one of these out, but I am hoping to once again returning to sending them out weekly. Don't worry - your inbox won't be flooded and I will keep them to under 4 minute reads! I believe this is an important way for us to stay connected and become an ever healthier Church community.
Weekly Video Message
Parish News
New Seminarian
We are blessed to welcome the seminarian we will be hosting this year as he completes his pastoral internship year here at Sacred Heart: Cameron Degani.
The Sacred Heart Women's Group conducted an interview with him, which you can access here.
Chrism Mass
This past Monday (9/14) the Archdiocese of Santa Fe celebrated its annual Chrism Mass - a wonderful occasion for our local church. More information about what a Chrism Mass is can be found here.
Mass Capacity: 40%
We have added extra seating so that we can accommodate almost 40 more people than previously, even with the social distancing measures. That means there is a much greater chance that you will not be turned away because we have reached capacity at a Sunday Mass. Last weekend we didn't have to turn away a single person!
Religious Education
We have now had in-person religious education for two weeks, and thanks be to God and the hard work of our Director of Religious Education and her team of teachers, it has been running smoothly. If you were unable to sign up your child for religious education but would like to receive our take home packets, please contact our DRE, Lora Rodriguez, at dre@sacredheartclovis.com.
This Week's Question:
What did Jesus do between the Crucifixion and the Resurrection?
Watch the video above for the full answer, but the basic answer is that during that time, he was finally inviting into the glory of Heaven all the righteous people who had died prior to God becoming man in Jesus Christ and redeeming the world through His Passion and Death.
Basically, without Jesus Christ, there would have been no reason to hope for anything in the afterlife, no matter how we lived our lives. We would have a span of time on this earth and that would be it.
But because God loves us too much to limit our existence to just some time on this earth - in His goodness, he gave us an immortal soul made in His image and likeness!
Even better, he has invited us to much more than just a comfortable, pain-free existence after this life (most people's conception of Heaven), but into communion with Him - sharing His own life!
In His boundless generosity, God wanted to extend this possibility for eternal communion with Himself to even those who lived before Jesus Christ walked the earth (Adam and Eve, the prophets, righteous men and women, etc.). Between the crucifixion and resurrection, the Church has believed that Jesus was bringing those people who had already died into that Heavenly glory that was greater than anything they could have imagined.
Well, that's it for this week!
Please know of my continued prayers for you and please keep me in your own.
Please also share this with any parishioners who might not yet be on the list.
If you are on this list but wish to be taken off of it, please let us know.
God bless you abundantly!
Fr. Michael