Dear Parishioners of St. Peter Claver Church,
To date, we still have to celebrate the weekend Masses, Weddings, Baptisms and Funerals outdoors only. There is no indication that we are going to return inside the Church soon. In the meantime, we need to change the time of our evening masses on Saturdays and Sundays from 7:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. due to the sun setting earlier and the day getting shorter. This change of time on Saturday and Sunday Masses to 6:00 p.m. is temporary because as we all know Daylight Saving Time is coming the first weekend of November. If we are still doing outdoor Masses then we will make adjustments again.
Starting this Labor Day weekend, September 6th, we are going to provide Drive-Through Communion for those who could not come for our outdoor Masses, but are able to join in the live-streaming of the Mass Sunday morning. After you or your family finished celebrating the virtual Mass at home we invite you to drive yourself or your whole family to the Church parking lot to receive the Eucharist while inside the car as you drive through at the designated stations. We ask that you enter from Cochran Street into the parking lot and to follow in line to receive Communion, then exit through Stow Street. Collection baskets will be stationed along the drive way so that you can drop in your Sunday offering to support our Church’s needs. We will do the Drive-Through Communion every Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. until further notice.
Wednesday, September 9, 2020 is the Feast Day of our Parish Patron Saint, Saint Peter Claver, and we are planning to make this day special for our community. We will begin the day by celebrating an outdoor mass at 7:30 a.m. which will also be live-streamed. Then at 6:00 p.m. we invite you to a Prayer Service for Peace and Healing through the intercession of St. Peter Claver which will take place at the Church Plaza. The Conference of the Catholic Bishops of United States recommended that this Prayer Service for Peace and Healing to end Racism is to be observed on September 9 at all parishes around the country. Here in our parish we will include in our Prayer Service the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Benediction to complete a Holy Hour Devotion. Please come and pray with us in solidarity with the rest of the Catholics around the country to ask God, our Father, to put an end to the virus of Racism.
I just want you to know that you and your family are always in my prayers and thoughts. I continually express my gratitude to all of you for your generous support to our parish community through your prayers and giving of your time, talent and treasure. I believe that our parish will be able to handle the difficulties and challenges of this pandemic situation because I have so many good people like you who are willing to help in time of need.
May the God of all goodness and source of all blessings bestow upon you and your family the abundance of His grace, to fill your hearts with joy, and keep you from all harm especially from the threat of this coronavirus. Amen.
Peace,
Fr. Riz