The Church of St. Mary :: 201 E. Illinois Lake Forest, IL  60045
Virtual Office:  847-234-0205 :: Email:  receptionist@churchofstmary.org

From the Desk of Fr. Mark Augustine, Administrator
April 5, 2020
Palm Sunday
 
Dear Church of St. Mary,
 
As we enter into Holy Week, may we do so with our hearts and mind more attuned to the need for a Savior. Thank you to Fr. David Mowry and Deacons Jack Herrmann and Bob Thomas for leading us in worship this morning and beginning our celebration of Holy Week! For many of us the days have simply blended together, with very little distinction. Yet this week is set apart and is different and it is important for us to keep that in mind. May we truly enter into the mysteries of these holy days seeing all the more why Christ became man, and why he chose, out of love, to die for us. Focus on the mysteries of this week, rather than on all the news surrounding us. This week will be very different for all of us, yes. It will be very odd for all of us, but it still does not take away from the holiness of these days.
              
I write this letter to you today to share some important news. For the last several days I have been showing signs of having Covid-19. I am in contact with medical professionals on a daily basis who are monitoring my situation. They have told me that my symptoms are not severe enough to be hospitalized, or even to be tested currently. However, they have advised me that I should proceed as though I have contracted the virus. In order to follow these prescripts, I need to take some time for self-care and rest. I plan to do this, beginning today.

Thankfully, at least in this specific regard, the Church, Parish Center, and School buildings have been closed for the last 3 weeks, so any part of the incubation or contamination period should be safe. I have been practicing safe social distancing during this time as well. With all of this, I need to take some time to rest, so I will not be readily available for emails or phone calls for the time being. I have every confidence in our staff, who are still available, to handle many of the day-to-day needs in our current climate. The Archdiocese of Chicago and Fr. Costello, Pastor at Holy Cross Parish and our dean for the area, are in agreement about this necessary step. They have also recommended that I stop streaming Masses for the time being. While this is very difficult for me, I feel it is the right step to take for the time being. Below is a schedule of some ways to still participate in Holy Week, even if it will not be through our Facebook page. Should there be an emergency requiring a priest, please still call our emergency number at #773-682-4627 and the parish will connect you with another priest in the area will be able to respond to the need.

It is with a very heavy heart that I share this as we enter into Holy Week. As I take time to recover and hopefully be on the mend, I carry all of you in my heart. Please know our one true shepherd is Jesus Christ. Allow him to be the one who guides you. Turn to him in prayer and carry the cross with him this week. Please offer a prayer for me for a quick and full recovery, as well as for all those who are suffering, many far worse than I am. Pray especially for those in our parish who are sick, isolated, and lonely at this time. Pray for our towns which have the highest amount of confirmed cases in the entire county, for recovery for all! May Christ the Divine Physician bring healing into our world!
 
Ways to still Pray throughout Holy Week:
  • Visit churchofstmary.org for a guide to Holy Week at home with prayers for each day, from Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday.
  • Set a place aside in your house for prayer; get dressed up for Sunday Mass; take time each day to recall the redemptive acts of Christ during this sacred time; and share photos with the parish of how your family prays together!
  • Daily Masses can be found through the Archdiocese of Chicago; EWTN; Bishop Barron's wordonfire.org;  Relevant Radio with Fr. Rocky at 12:00pm daily, or a number of other websites and Facebook pages.
  • For Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil, please join Cardinal Cupich as he broadcasts from Holy Name Cathedral. Unfortunately, given the uncertainty of daily changes, a time has not yet been published. Once times for these liturgies are published, we will send out the information to you.
  • As the week progresses, the parish will inform everybody if St. Mary's will be streaming an Easter Sunday Mass. If not, we will offer several options of how to still pray the day of the Lord's Resurrection!
Yours in Christ,
 
Fr. Mark Augustine
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Enjoy!   
 
 

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