Coronavirus Update
Message from Father Nagel (Updated March 17, 2020)
Dear Parishioners and Friends,
Lenten Peace be with you! This Lent will certainly be one to remember as the world joins in solidarity to fight not only a virus, but to fight a battle between good and evil! I think we already know who will win again and thus we fight with our God and stay steadfast in faith!
As you may have heard. Today was yet another twist in the midst of this storm as the Bishops of Indiana made the very difficult decision to close all Catholic churches and chapels, as well as suspend all public Masses, ministries and devotional gatherings starting Wednesday, March 18th, until further notice. This seems contradictory to the very fabric of who we are as Church and our zeal to, “Open Wide the Doors to Christ.” However, the most important doors to continue to open will be the doors of our hearts, minds and souls to Christ!
While all public Masses are suspended, each priest will continue to offer daily Mass on behalf of the faithful locally and throughout the world. Today at the last public daily Mass for a while, I got very emotional as it just seems unimaginable to celebrate Mass without you. This is also the anniversary of my Father’s death and I was feeling especially sad. Then it hit me… we are not going to be alone or isolated as we will all join together spiritually, like the angels and saints at each Mass! That made me smile again and feel a real connection with my Dad as apart of the Communion of Saints.
Later this week, we will be inviting you to join us in a live stream of Sunday Mass from St. John’s. This will help keep us connected and praying together! We also hope to offer group chats after the Mass so that small groups of parishioners and friends can gather virtually to share insights about the readings, homily, life situations, etc. Stay tuned for more information later in the week.
Also, while all group gatherings are suspended, we also hope to offer video presentations, small group studies and other venues of staying connected to God and one another via technology. Please let us know if you have other hopes and ways we can serve one another.
We will continue to serve the poor through the Garden Door Ministry each day from 9am-5pm at our front door. If you would like to support this ministry in any way, please let me know as our homeless and poor need our support in this time as well. If you'd like to fulfill this week's challenge by donating cases of bottles water you can drop those off at the Parish Office Monday-Friday 9am-5pm. If the office is closed, water can be dropped off by the back door to the parish office that is off the parking lot. Thanks so much for your generosity to give drink to our homeless brothers and sisters in need.
Priests will also continue to hear confessions, anoint the sick and give last rites. We are still awaiting directives from the Archdiocese on how to proceed on confessions since our churches will be on lock down. Stay tuned as we learn more and please do not hesitate to call the parish office if you or someone you know needs Anointing of the Sick or Last Rites.
While some St. John’s ministry team members may work some from home, all will still be present and available to serve in anyway possible. Please let us know any needs that we may be able to help you with over these tumultuous days.
A final thought for today… this is the feast of St. Patrick and he was a great warrior for the faith. Few people have ever faced more spiritual battle in life than did St. Patrick. We are in our own spiritual battle this day! The evil one has played havoc by shutting down churches, chapels and ministries and we must fight for the hearts and souls of all people. Let us pray in these days that the faithful grow even stronger! Let us pray that the faint of faith are strengthened! Let us pray that those with no faith find God and His Holy Church! Would the battle of the coronavirus have been worth it if even one soul was saved for all eternity for God? Absolutely!
Thus, let us offer our sufferings, inconveniences, boredom, discomforts and disappointments up to God like incense rising as prayer, for these days to bring even greater glory to Him and build up the Body of Christ for the salvation of all souls. Let us take on an additional fast and pray more Rosaries and Divine Mercy Chaplets. Let us not be afraid of silence as it is in the silence of the heart that we can hear the voice of God. Let us take care of one another and seek to be Christ’s hands and feet and face and voice for others. Let us fight the good fight! Hail Mary, full of grace, punch the devil in the face! Amen!
With a Father’s Love,
Father Rick Nagel
PS. I encourage everyone to pray the St. Patrick Breastplate Prayer each day until we are all back together in our churches, chapels and community! See link below for this powerful prayer written by St. Patrick: http://www.stjohnsindy.org/st-patrick-breastplate-prayer.html
Lenten Peace be with you! This Lent will certainly be one to remember as the world joins in solidarity to fight not only a virus, but to fight a battle between good and evil! I think we already know who will win again and thus we fight with our God and stay steadfast in faith!
As you may have heard. Today was yet another twist in the midst of this storm as the Bishops of Indiana made the very difficult decision to close all Catholic churches and chapels, as well as suspend all public Masses, ministries and devotional gatherings starting Wednesday, March 18th, until further notice. This seems contradictory to the very fabric of who we are as Church and our zeal to, “Open Wide the Doors to Christ.” However, the most important doors to continue to open will be the doors of our hearts, minds and souls to Christ!
While all public Masses are suspended, each priest will continue to offer daily Mass on behalf of the faithful locally and throughout the world. Today at the last public daily Mass for a while, I got very emotional as it just seems unimaginable to celebrate Mass without you. This is also the anniversary of my Father’s death and I was feeling especially sad. Then it hit me… we are not going to be alone or isolated as we will all join together spiritually, like the angels and saints at each Mass! That made me smile again and feel a real connection with my Dad as apart of the Communion of Saints.
Later this week, we will be inviting you to join us in a live stream of Sunday Mass from St. John’s. This will help keep us connected and praying together! We also hope to offer group chats after the Mass so that small groups of parishioners and friends can gather virtually to share insights about the readings, homily, life situations, etc. Stay tuned for more information later in the week.
Also, while all group gatherings are suspended, we also hope to offer video presentations, small group studies and other venues of staying connected to God and one another via technology. Please let us know if you have other hopes and ways we can serve one another.
We will continue to serve the poor through the Garden Door Ministry each day from 9am-5pm at our front door. If you would like to support this ministry in any way, please let me know as our homeless and poor need our support in this time as well. If you'd like to fulfill this week's challenge by donating cases of bottles water you can drop those off at the Parish Office Monday-Friday 9am-5pm. If the office is closed, water can be dropped off by the back door to the parish office that is off the parking lot. Thanks so much for your generosity to give drink to our homeless brothers and sisters in need.
Priests will also continue to hear confessions, anoint the sick and give last rites. We are still awaiting directives from the Archdiocese on how to proceed on confessions since our churches will be on lock down. Stay tuned as we learn more and please do not hesitate to call the parish office if you or someone you know needs Anointing of the Sick or Last Rites.
While some St. John’s ministry team members may work some from home, all will still be present and available to serve in anyway possible. Please let us know any needs that we may be able to help you with over these tumultuous days.
A final thought for today… this is the feast of St. Patrick and he was a great warrior for the faith. Few people have ever faced more spiritual battle in life than did St. Patrick. We are in our own spiritual battle this day! The evil one has played havoc by shutting down churches, chapels and ministries and we must fight for the hearts and souls of all people. Let us pray in these days that the faithful grow even stronger! Let us pray that the faint of faith are strengthened! Let us pray that those with no faith find God and His Holy Church! Would the battle of the coronavirus have been worth it if even one soul was saved for all eternity for God? Absolutely!
Thus, let us offer our sufferings, inconveniences, boredom, discomforts and disappointments up to God like incense rising as prayer, for these days to bring even greater glory to Him and build up the Body of Christ for the salvation of all souls. Let us take on an additional fast and pray more Rosaries and Divine Mercy Chaplets. Let us not be afraid of silence as it is in the silence of the heart that we can hear the voice of God. Let us take care of one another and seek to be Christ’s hands and feet and face and voice for others. Let us fight the good fight! Hail Mary, full of grace, punch the devil in the face! Amen!
With a Father’s Love,
Father Rick Nagel
PS. I encourage everyone to pray the St. Patrick Breastplate Prayer each day until we are all back together in our churches, chapels and community! See link below for this powerful prayer written by St. Patrick: http://www.stjohnsindy.org/st-patrick-breastplate-prayer.html
Stay updated with latest information on St. John Activities:
http://www.stjohnsindy.org/
Stay updated with latest information from the Archdiocese:
https://www.archindy.org/worship/coronavirus2020-closures.html
Statement from Archbishop Thompson regarding Sacrament of Reconciliation:
Click Here for Statement
http://www.stjohnsindy.org/
Stay updated with latest information from the Archdiocese:
https://www.archindy.org/worship/coronavirus2020-closures.html
Statement from Archbishop Thompson regarding Sacrament of Reconciliation:
Click Here for Statement