GOING BACK TO THE OLD MASS SCHEDULE AT HOLY FAMILY and the LIFTING OF COVID RESTRICTIONS and DISPENSATION FROM ATTENDING MASS AS OF JUNE 26-27:
AS OF JUNE 26-27 Archbishop Lori has asked that the parishes of the Archdiocese of Baltimore end the DISPENSATION from going to in-person Mass: That is, that Catholics will now be, as of that weekend, asked, once again, to go to Mass in-person. That request has been not in-place since the Covid crisis closed the churches in March, 2020 and was still not in-place even after churches began having in-person mass again in May or June of 2020.
The Archdiocese says: “We are lifting the dispensation of the Sunday and Holy Days Mass obligation in the Archdiocese of Baltimore, the Archdiocese of Washington, and the Dioceses of Arlington, Richmond, Wheeling-Charleston, and Wilmington and reinstating that obligation beginning on Saturday, June 26, 2021 and Sunday, June 27, 2021. We welcome and encourage the Faithful to return to full in-person participation of the Sunday Eucharist, the source and summit of our Catholic faith (cf. Code of Canon Law, canon 1246-1247 and Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 2180).
Please know that this is not an insensitive blanket lifting of the dispensation: The Archdiocese is very careful to mention that there might still be people who need to stay away from mass, and groups of people, by saying:
“This obligation does not apply to those who are ill; those who have reason to believe that they were recently exposed to the coronavirus, another serious or contagious illness; those who are confined to their home, a hospital, or nursing facility; or those with serious underlying health conditions. One should consult his or her local pastor if questions arise about the obligation to attend Mass (Canon 1245 and the Catechism of the Catholic Church n. 2181).”
So if you have a compromised health situation or are not able to come to Mass because of mobility, etc., then these are still valid reasons for not coming to in-person Mass and no one wants to press people who would be endangered by attending Mass to come to in-person services.
Following this note, we’ll look at thinking about why going to Mass in-person is part of our faith. But before that, a little bit of housekeeping just to make sure we are all on the same page here at Holy Family because we are making June 26-27 a weekend of change here at Holy Family.
***
But about this directive from the Archdiocese: It does remind us that coming to Mass is important.
And ultimately the question is: WHY did Jesus want the first disciples to GATHER for the Mass and to RECEIVE Him in the form of Bread and Wine?
And well, ultimately, the answer is that our journey of following Jesus is meant to be one that we do in the context of the Church: Where we are part of a FAMILY of faith who HELP ONE ANOTHER TO FOLLOW THE LORD. That is the larger context of why we come to mass.
But also I think that the gift of receiving Jesus in the Holy Eucharist is also one that reminds us that Jesus is CLOSE TO US when we come to Mass.
Indeed, just this past week on June 1st we had a feast day for St. Justin, Martyr (100 AD – 165 AD) who wrote the most extensively read defense of Christianity, back around 155 AD. This was delivered actually in-person to the Roman Senate, and was meant to correct misconceptions about Christianity.
Anyway, in that “Apologia of St. Justin” he described a typical Christian Sunday service (which was a mass pretty much exactly the same in format as we have today) and he reiterated that they believed that the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist when he said: “This food we call Eucharist …we do not receive these things as common bread or common drink; but as… the flesh and blood of…(our Savior) Jesus. (ch. 66).”
And as I have mentioned at times recently in homilies: That it is really significant that wherever the apostles went to share the Gospel about Jesus in the first century, they taught them to have the Mass every Sunday if not every day, and to believe in the Real Presence.
So that St. Thomas in India taught the people there this….and to this day the Indian Christians, who date from 51 AD there, have Mass every Sunday and have always believed that the bread and wine truly become Jesus’s Body and Blood at the Mass….And from the earliest days in Ethiopia (remember how St. Philip evangelized the Ethiopian in the Bible) they have believed these things, and when Mark went to Egypt he taught this, and when Barnabas went to Armenia they believed this, and when Paul went to Turkey and Greece they practiced this, and when Peter went to Italy, and James to Spain they also practiced this, etc. So that in all the places where the apostles went they had the same beliefs from the beginning, which we have to this day as Catholics: That we have Mass every Sunday (indeed every day) and we always have had a belief in the Real Presence in the Eucharist.
And, of course, if all the apostles taught and believed them, who taught the apostles this?
So it’s good to remember, first, that Jesus had taught the apostles that he wanted to be close to us in the Holy Eucharist….and get us into the car on Sundays….because you can’t get Jesus’s Body and Blood through watching a livestream. So that’s part of what the Church is after by reminding us to come to Mass if we are healthy enough to do so.
And when it comes to the experience of Mass: For me, let’s remember it’s not about being entertained in a riveted kind of way, the way we would be at a concert or a football game, but that Mass is about RESTING WITH THE LORD. It’s about having an hour on Sunday which is set up such that a. we can’t work or check our phones or facebook, etc. b. we can’t get to our to-do list and c. We really can’t do much of ANYTHING. And so, then, we are forced to look at the beautiful statues and windows and listen to the music at the Mass and to hear the words about our faith and maybe let those thoughts lead us into contemplation and RESTING with God so that we can REMEMBER that we are loved and then RECEIVE the Lord in Holy Communion.
God bless you!! Fr. Andy, Feast of the Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ, June 6, 2021
AS OF JUNE 26-27 Archbishop Lori has asked that the parishes of the Archdiocese of Baltimore end the DISPENSATION from going to in-person Mass: That is, that Catholics will now be, as of that weekend, asked, once again, to go to Mass in-person. That request has been not in-place since the Covid crisis closed the churches in March, 2020 and was still not in-place even after churches began having in-person mass again in May or June of 2020.
The Archdiocese says: “We are lifting the dispensation of the Sunday and Holy Days Mass obligation in the Archdiocese of Baltimore, the Archdiocese of Washington, and the Dioceses of Arlington, Richmond, Wheeling-Charleston, and Wilmington and reinstating that obligation beginning on Saturday, June 26, 2021 and Sunday, June 27, 2021. We welcome and encourage the Faithful to return to full in-person participation of the Sunday Eucharist, the source and summit of our Catholic faith (cf. Code of Canon Law, canon 1246-1247 and Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 2180).
Please know that this is not an insensitive blanket lifting of the dispensation: The Archdiocese is very careful to mention that there might still be people who need to stay away from mass, and groups of people, by saying:
“This obligation does not apply to those who are ill; those who have reason to believe that they were recently exposed to the coronavirus, another serious or contagious illness; those who are confined to their home, a hospital, or nursing facility; or those with serious underlying health conditions. One should consult his or her local pastor if questions arise about the obligation to attend Mass (Canon 1245 and the Catechism of the Catholic Church n. 2181).”
So if you have a compromised health situation or are not able to come to Mass because of mobility, etc., then these are still valid reasons for not coming to in-person Mass and no one wants to press people who would be endangered by attending Mass to come to in-person services.
Following this note, we’ll look at thinking about why going to Mass in-person is part of our faith. But before that, a little bit of housekeeping just to make sure we are all on the same page here at Holy Family because we are making June 26-27 a weekend of change here at Holy Family.
- As of the masses on on June 26 – 27 all the Archdiocese of Baltimore now will ask all Catholics to once again go to weekend Masses in-person rather than on-line unless there are health considerations to consider.
- Also, as of the June 26-27 weekend we'll go back to 100% occupancy at Mass at Holy Family and across the Archdiocese – no more taped-off pews or 3 foot social distancing between individuals or groups.
a. If you want to continue to wear a mask that is your choice, but you won’t be required to do so. But that if you have not been vaccinated, we encourage you to wear a mask at Mass. And we will still make masks available at the entrances to the church.
b. We still won’t offer Holy Communion under both forms so we still won’t offer the Precious Blood to the congregation.
c. We still WON’T shake hands at the Sign of Peace.
d. We will will have hand sanitizer which we will ask those giving out communion to use whenever people are receiving on the tongue.
e. We will go back to the normal communion patterns in the church (two communion stations in the center aisle and one each for the far left and far right banks.) And everyone will come up to communion at the same time (i.e. – two lines down the center aisle.)
f. We would go back to regular collections with baskets during Mass.
3. As of the June 26-27 weekend we go back to the OLD MASS SCHEDULE: 5pm on Saturday and on Sun at 7:45am, 9:15am and 11am on Sundays. The confession schedule will remain the same: 5pm on Wednesdays and 330-445p on Saturdays.
a. We will discontinue all hall Masses AND the outdoor Mass as of June 26-27 weekend (that is: The last hall and outdoor Masses will be June 19-20.) On pastoral council and on staff we discussed having monthly outside Masses in the fall and spring. This is something that will need to be discussed at a later time. We know people have liked those Masses.
4. As of the July 3-4 weekend we’ll go back to LIVESTREAMING THE 11am Mass on Sundays (NOT the 5pm on Saturday nights) and the daily Masses at 9am Tuesday through Friday.
5. As of June 26-27 weekend our Adoration Oratory will go back to completely normal operations for adorants to go to the chapel when they choose. We will also end the ADORATION WINDOW as of June 25.
***
But about this directive from the Archdiocese: It does remind us that coming to Mass is important.
And ultimately the question is: WHY did Jesus want the first disciples to GATHER for the Mass and to RECEIVE Him in the form of Bread and Wine?
And well, ultimately, the answer is that our journey of following Jesus is meant to be one that we do in the context of the Church: Where we are part of a FAMILY of faith who HELP ONE ANOTHER TO FOLLOW THE LORD. That is the larger context of why we come to mass.
But also I think that the gift of receiving Jesus in the Holy Eucharist is also one that reminds us that Jesus is CLOSE TO US when we come to Mass.
Indeed, just this past week on June 1st we had a feast day for St. Justin, Martyr (100 AD – 165 AD) who wrote the most extensively read defense of Christianity, back around 155 AD. This was delivered actually in-person to the Roman Senate, and was meant to correct misconceptions about Christianity.
Anyway, in that “Apologia of St. Justin” he described a typical Christian Sunday service (which was a mass pretty much exactly the same in format as we have today) and he reiterated that they believed that the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist when he said: “This food we call Eucharist …we do not receive these things as common bread or common drink; but as… the flesh and blood of…(our Savior) Jesus. (ch. 66).”
And as I have mentioned at times recently in homilies: That it is really significant that wherever the apostles went to share the Gospel about Jesus in the first century, they taught them to have the Mass every Sunday if not every day, and to believe in the Real Presence.
So that St. Thomas in India taught the people there this….and to this day the Indian Christians, who date from 51 AD there, have Mass every Sunday and have always believed that the bread and wine truly become Jesus’s Body and Blood at the Mass….And from the earliest days in Ethiopia (remember how St. Philip evangelized the Ethiopian in the Bible) they have believed these things, and when Mark went to Egypt he taught this, and when Barnabas went to Armenia they believed this, and when Paul went to Turkey and Greece they practiced this, and when Peter went to Italy, and James to Spain they also practiced this, etc. So that in all the places where the apostles went they had the same beliefs from the beginning, which we have to this day as Catholics: That we have Mass every Sunday (indeed every day) and we always have had a belief in the Real Presence in the Eucharist.
And, of course, if all the apostles taught and believed them, who taught the apostles this?
So it’s good to remember, first, that Jesus had taught the apostles that he wanted to be close to us in the Holy Eucharist….and get us into the car on Sundays….because you can’t get Jesus’s Body and Blood through watching a livestream. So that’s part of what the Church is after by reminding us to come to Mass if we are healthy enough to do so.
And when it comes to the experience of Mass: For me, let’s remember it’s not about being entertained in a riveted kind of way, the way we would be at a concert or a football game, but that Mass is about RESTING WITH THE LORD. It’s about having an hour on Sunday which is set up such that a. we can’t work or check our phones or facebook, etc. b. we can’t get to our to-do list and c. We really can’t do much of ANYTHING. And so, then, we are forced to look at the beautiful statues and windows and listen to the music at the Mass and to hear the words about our faith and maybe let those thoughts lead us into contemplation and RESTING with God so that we can REMEMBER that we are loved and then RECEIVE the Lord in Holy Communion.
God bless you!! Fr. Andy, Feast of the Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ, June 6, 2021
HOLY FAMILY CHURCH
MASS SCHEDULE
Daily Masses: 9am in the church Tuesday through Friday (these are live-streamed)
NOTE: THERE WILL BE COMMUNION SERVICES AT 9AM ON TUESDAY, JUNE 22ND AND WEDNESDAY, JUNE 23RD (THESE WILL NOT BE LIVE-STREAMED). MASS WILL RESUME ON THURSDAY, JUNE 24TH AND FRIDAY, JUNE 25TH.
MASS SCHEDULE
Daily Masses: 9am in the church Tuesday through Friday (these are live-streamed)
NOTE: THERE WILL BE COMMUNION SERVICES AT 9AM ON TUESDAY, JUNE 22ND AND WEDNESDAY, JUNE 23RD (THESE WILL NOT BE LIVE-STREAMED). MASS WILL RESUME ON THURSDAY, JUNE 24TH AND FRIDAY, JUNE 25TH.
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JUNE 19-20, 2021
Saturday, 3:30pm Confessions - Church Saturday, 5pm Mass - Church Only Sunday, 8:45am Mass - Church & Unity Hall Sunday, 11:15am Mass - Church & Outside (weather permitting) |
NOTE: UPCOMING SCHEDULE
June 19 only ONE Mass at 5pm on Saturday, in the church. All confessions will be in the confessional in the Church on Wednesdays at 5pm AND Saturdays at 3:30pm. Starting June 25-26 weekend we will go back to our Pre-Covid Mass schedule - Saturday 5pm Mass, Sunday Masses - 7:45am, 9:15am, 11am all in the Church. There will no Outdoor Masses at this time. |
Fiscal 2020 Financial Report
“This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.” Are you being chosen by Christ to pour out your life’s work for souls with Him as a priest? Contact your parish priest or deacon, or call Fr. Steven Roth at 410-547-5426 or email at sroth@archbalt.org.
Archbishop Lori has declared this the Year of the Eucharist which begins June 6. Formed has a lot of beautiful resources and studies on the Eucharist. A great series to look at is called "Presence". Click the Formed Icon to preview this great study.
GET CONNECTED: New Holy Family App and Flocknote are now available to download for iPhone, Android smart phones, tablets and iPads. Text to the number 84576 using our parish’s unique Text-to-Join keyword, HFCCD.
Flocknote is the day-to-day direct communication hub. The parish app is a great way to get news from the diocese, get daily readings, important parish messages, set reminders for Mass and Confession, etc.
We hope that our new App & Flocknote will be tools for fostering stronger parish life at Holy Family and better engage the New Evangelization.
Flocknote is the day-to-day direct communication hub. The parish app is a great way to get news from the diocese, get daily readings, important parish messages, set reminders for Mass and Confession, etc.
We hope that our new App & Flocknote will be tools for fostering stronger parish life at Holy Family and better engage the New Evangelization.