Dear St. Madeline Family,

“Arise - Restoring Catholic Life after the Pandemic”

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” For me, this sums up the beatitudes. One sure way to be a true child of God is to be a peacemaker, living a peace-filled life as best as you can. Spreading peace may turn hardened hearts and end tension, anger, family feuds, racism, and other disorders. Peace to all.

The beatitudes are the Gospel reading for the 23 graduates of St. James Regional Catholic School on Wednesday, June 10, 5 PM at St. Madeline Church. On behalf of Fr. Orth, Mrs. Loomis, our faculty and staff, we congratulate them and pray that God may bless them on their journey.

This Sunday is Corpus Christi Sunday, the feast of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. The Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life, and the true bread from Heaven is the nourishment that enrichens and fulfills our life. As the pandemic lifts, may more children and adults return to the sacraments to meet their Savior and Friend, Jesus.

Today, let us also pray for true peace in our hearts and in the world. Please contact me with any prayer requests, concerns, or good news.

Let us stand united in prayer and united as St. Madeline Church. God bless all.

Peace,
Fr. John Flanagan

Dear St. Madeline Family,

“Arise - Restoring Catholic Life after the Pandemic”
I feel it is best to start slowly and safely for everyone’s benefit.

“Brothers and Sisters, I for my part do not consider myself to have taken possession. Just one thing: forgetting what lies behind but straining forward to what lies ahead, I continue my pursuit toward the goal, the prize of God’s upward calling, in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3: 13-14)

As Parish and Church life begin anew, we stay focused spiritually on the ultimate prize of Jesus Christ. We will not forget the past, and we learned a few lessons, but we now forge ahead with steadfast faith. God has plans for us, and it all begins with God and the grace He freely gives us, especially in the sacraments. We trust that we have a treasure in our faith, family, and Parish family. May the grace of God bless and overwhelm us to grow stronger individually and stronger together.

Today, let us also pray that God’s grace will be enough for us. Please contact me with any prayer requests, concerns, or good news.

Editor’s note: My “daily message” is moving into the yellow phase also. At this point, weekend messages will discontinue and I will print weekday messages on certain days, but not on a daily basis due to Parish life and funerals picking up. Thank you for your pandemic listening.

Let us stand united in prayer and united as St. Madeline Church. God bless all.

Peace,
Fr. John Flanagan

Dear St. Madeline Family,

“Arise - Restoring Catholic Life after the Pandemic”
I feel it is best to start slowly and safely for everyone’s benefit.

We have been preparing, cleaning, and sanitizing Church yesterday and today. 32 pews are marked with green painter’s tape and will be available for Mass (others are neatly roped off). Wearing masks and 6 feet distancing must occur to keep everybody safe. Families do not need to distance. It will be different for sure. Again, please consider staying home if you are sick, elderly, have a health condition, or too anxious. Everyone is still dispensed from the obligation to attend and we will live stream. Be it in Church or in your homes, we will honor God on the Lord’s Day!

Here is a weekend confession schedule.
(Wear a Mask and Distancing)

Today, let us also pray that the reception of the sacraments will be a cause for joy and peace. Please contact me with any prayer requests, concerns, or good news.

Let us stand united in prayer and united as St. Madeline Church. God bless all.

Peace,
Fr. John Flanagan
 

Dear St. Madeline Family,

“Arise - Restoring Catholic Life after the Pandemic”
I feel it is best to start slowly and safely for everyone’s benefit.

 I like that today is the feast of Charles Lwanga and his Ugandan companions. As we struggle with racial tension, senseless killing on a seemingly daily basis, a pandemic, sick people and tenuous times, we need good people like Charles and his friends, Achilio, Bruno, Kizito and Mugagga and each of us to continue to strive for holiness and peace among all peoples. It takes work, but when it comes to people, it’s more than worth it. Peace be with you, our friends and enemies alike.

Church is getting reading for an anxious opening this weekend. We will have all the Masses available, and after meeting with Frs. Weber and Amal, I will post a confession schedule. Everybody must wear a mask and distance. Church looks and smells good and clean. We green-taped the pews for you to sit in and roped off the others.

Today, let us also pray for an end to illness, racism, and disrespect for life. Please contact me with any prayer requests, concerns, or good news.

Let us stand united in prayer and united as St. Madeline Church. God bless all.

Peace,
Fr. John Flanagan

Dear St. Madeline Family,

“Arise - Restoring Catholic Life after the Pandemic”
I feel it is best to start slowly and safely for everyone’s benefit.

We are looking forward to gathering together at St. Madeline Church this weekend. Some will gather safely there and others will safely join us from home, which is the “Domestic Church”, the Church in the home. I feel that your prayers have been powerful and heard by God, the Blessed Mother, and the saints.

Here are just a few points for this weekend's Masses:

• We will have all Masses (Saturday 4 PM and Sunday 8:30 AM, 11 AM, and 5 PM). The 4 and 8:30 will be live-streamed and the 4 will be posted and available throughout the weekend.
• The Church is being cleaned and sanitized. All papers, missals, and bulletins will be removed.
• Masks must be worn and you need to distance at least 6’ except for families. Pew will be distanced so that there will be 3 empty pews between the pew marked with “green” tape for sitting.
• Play it safe and stay home if you are anxious, sick, elderly, etc. Everyone is still dispensed from the obligation to attend Mass.
• “Sanitary Wipes” – we do have these in Church in some pews. You may bring your own or consider donating a container. If you are able, please wipe down your pew and areas that you touched.
• “Volunteers” for 3 Church entrances (main and 2 front sides). We need individuals/couples to be outside, or inside, before Mass to help people or answer questions regarding masks, pews, safety procedures. Please contact Eileen Boyle (preprus@comcast.net) or me (frjflanagan@comcast.net).

Today, let us also pray that God will swiftly answer our pleas for healing and peace. Please contact me with any prayer requests, concerns, or good news.

Let us stand united in prayer and united as St. Madeline Church. God bless all.

Peace,
Fr. John Flanagan

Dear St. Madeline Family,

“Arise - Restoring Catholic Life after the Pandemic”
I feel it is best to start slowly and safely for everyone’s benefit.

June 1 (hard to believe) is the feast of Mary, the Mother of the Church. In today’s Gospel, Jesus, on the cross, entrusts his beloved disciple, John, to his Mother. He also entrusts each of us to His Mother, Mary. Let us continue to turn to Mary in our prayers, especially the rosary.

Today, let us also pray to Mary, who is our special Mother and the Mother of the Church. Please contact me with any prayer requests, concerns, or good news.

Let us stand united in prayer and united as St. Madeline Church. God bless all.

Peace,
Fr. John Flanagan

Dear St. Madeline Family,

“Arise - Restoring Catholic Life after the Pandemic”
I feel it is best to start slowly and safely for everyone’s benefit.

“Know God, know peace. No God, no peace.” Pentecost teaches us that the fire of the Holy Spirit generates love, peace, gentleness, and kindness. The more that we know and love God, the more that we will be filled with peace and love.

 

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that,” Martin Luther King, Jr.  Allow the Holy Spirit to fill your, mind, and soul with true and lasting peace. As Catholics, allow the light to shine forth in your daily lives.

Today, let us also pray on Pentecost that the Holy Spirit will renew the face of the earth. Please contact me with any prayer requests, concerns, or good news.

Let us stand united in prayer and united as St. Madeline Church. God bless all.

Peace,
Fr. John Flanagan

Dear St. Madeline Family,

“Arise - Restoring Catholic Life after the Pandemic”
I feel it is best to start slowly and safely for everyone’s benefit.

Yesterday afternoon, I stood at the Grotto as the sky darkened. As I said my prayers to Mary, a breeze picked up and the sun became visible through the clouds. I like these moments - signs of God’s wondrous creation and, at times, a little answer to our prayers. For me, the winds symbolized this Sunday’s Pentecost feast. May the Holy Spirit grant us, the country and the world, true and lasting peace.

Today, let us also pray to Mary on this Saturday, a day she is traditionally honored. Please contact me with any prayer requests, concerns, or good news.

Let us stand united in prayer and united as St. Madeline Church. God bless all.

Peace,
Fr. John Flanagan

Dear St. Madeline Family,

“Arise - Restoring Catholic Life after the Pandemic”. I feel it is best to start slowly and safely for everyone’s benefit.

WWJD? “What would Jesus do” when public Mass starts again?

 

 

Jesus would follow all the proper directives and even wear a mask. LOL.

Surveying other dioceses that began earlier, we found that the crowd size was on the small side, which is good to begin this process. A big parish in Houston only had 80 people for one Mass. That is what I am hoping for, that we start slowly and safely, and remain healthy. Next week, I will send more specific information.

Today, let us also pray that Jesus will heal the sick and those filled with any anxiety. Please contact me with any prayer requests, concerns, or good news.

Let us stand united in prayer and united as St. Madeline Church. God bless all.

Peace,
Fr. John Flanagan