A Pastoral View of Our Parish
Our focus today is on our Food Pantry, Rosary Group, and Bible Studies. To “Feed the Hungry” is one of the seven Corporal Works of Mercy. Jesus said that when we feed one of the least of his brothers or sisters, we are feeding him. When the pandemic started, our parish created a Food Pantry open to any who are in need. We are feeding Jesus when we donate money or food items to the Food Pantry. Those in need of food are welcome at the Food Pantry on Thursday afternoons.
To “Pray for the Living and the Dead” is one of the seven Spiritual Works of Mercy. We have a Prayer Intentions drop box at the entrance to our parking lot where anyone, whether a parishioner or not, is welcome to write their prayer request on one of the cards and drop it into the box. On Tuesday mornings, when the Rosary Group prays for the intentions and needs of our parishioners and the broader community, they collect the cards and include those intentions in their prayers. Everyone is welcome to join the Rosary Group. During these pandemic times, the Rosary Group gathers outdoors in one of the landscaped prayer areas.
To increase our knowledge of Scripture, we have Bible Studies in Fall, Winter, and Lent. No previous Bible Study experience is necessary to benefit from these studies. Because of the pandemic, we have shifted the Bible Studies from in-person to Zoom on line. This shift has some unexpected benefits – no need to drive to church at night; no need for a sitter for the kids; relatives, friends, and college students away from home can participate; and if you can’t participate at the scheduled time, you can view a recording of the session. Each session includes a video presentation by a Biblical scholar supplemented with a short discussion led by the facilitator. Most of our Bible Studies focus on a topic rather than on a single book of the Bible. Drawing insights from passages in both the Old and New Testaments, past topics have included the Eucharist; Prayer; the Blessed Virgin; the Role of Peter; Forgiveness and
Reconciliation; and Wisdom in the Bible. Our upcoming Lenten Study will give a deeper scriptural understanding of Jesus’ Passion and Death.
Dick Schiefelbein
