The most frequent question that I am asked (by far) is: when will we be able to celebrate the Eucharist with our parishioners present? The honest answer is: I don’t know. But I can tell you that we are making progress and we are already planning for that day.
Last week our two bishops met with all of the priests working in the diocese – deanery by deanery on Zoom. Bishop McElroy told us that all of the bishops of California are meeting with one another a few times each week. As a united body, they are having discussions with the governor’s office. Locally, our Bishop is in regular contact with the officials of both counties (Imperial and San Diego). He told us that on the state level as well as the county, progress is being made toward opening our churches for Mass.
The bishop has asked each parish to come up with a pastoral plan which explains how the parish would be able to open their church for Mass. We have begun that process. The Diocese has provided us with strict directives regarding social distancing, masks, distribution of Holy Communion, sanitizing the worship space, and various other protocols. Our plan has to be developed according to those parameters.
The Bishop asked all the pastors to develop a plan and have it ready so that when the civil officials “give us the green light,” we can implement the plan. We also need to submit our parish’s plan to the Diocese.
I see these as positive signs. I don’t think it means that our church will open very soon, but it is a step in the right direction. I don’t want to engage in guessing games or try to predict the future because I don’t know any more than you do. I can assure you that the Bishop is eager to open our churches. I and my brother priests are eager to celebrate Mass with you.
But I can also assure you that we will not do that until it has been determined that it is safe. The science and the data as analyzed by our state and county leaders will be the guiding factor. Opening our churches cannot be an emotional reaction. Any decision must take into account what is best for the common good and not just an individual desire or impulse.
Let us continue to be patient. Let us exercise good judgment. Let us be obedient to laws and regulations that are intended to protect the common good. Above all, let continue to pray that a cure and a vaccine for this terrible sickness may be found.
En el Evangelio de este domingo, la promesa del Espíritu está estrechamente unida al tema del amor. De hecho, el Espíritu que el Señor promete y que viene del Padre es el Espíritu de amor; por esto los cristianos estamos llamados a dar testimonio. Un testimonio visible y convincente será ese amor mutuo que debe caracterizar a las comunidades cristianas. "Miren cómo se aman", dijeron los paganos de los primeros cristianos. ¿Pueden los nuevos paganos (los no creyentes de hoy) decir lo mismo mirando a los cristianos? ¿O El comportamiento de los cristianos es tal que les hace desconfiar del cristianismo y su insistencia en el amor? Tal vez hablamos demasiado sobre el amor, lo convertimos casi en un género literario; pero no lo vivimos sinceramente entre nosotros, divididos como estamos por prejuicios, sectarismos, diferentes guetos.
Pero el testimonio también se manifestará a través del amor sincero y desinteresado. En cada época, la Iglesia está llamada a demostrar su amor activo. En los últimos siglos se ha comprometido a salvaguardar y difundir la cultura, ha brindado asistencia a los pobres y necesitados, ha fundado hospitales, se ha encargado de la educación de las personas, ha creado los primeros servicios sociales. Hoy casi todo esto es asumido y llevado a cabo por el estado. Mientras está libre de estas tareas inmediatas, la atención de la Iglesia, no obstante, permanece siempre centrada en el hombre. El hombre, en efecto “es el primer y fundamental camino de la Iglesia” (Redemptor Hominis n. 14).
Padre Carlos
Parent Prayer
Help me Lord to find balance in my life. Help me manage my home, school, family, work, and all the other obligations within my week.
When my schedule feels overwhelming, please assure me that You are in control and give me the energy to continue through my day.
St. Pat’s 8th Graders
These are the closing weeks of the school year. St. Patrick School has done very well with its distance learning for our students.
Congratulations to the teachers as well as the students for rising to meet the challenge.
Now would usually be the time that our 8th graders would be engaging in many activities in preparation for the completion of their time as students of our school. We have had to forego many of those things. Some adapted form of graduation is still possible. We have to wait for guidance from the authorities.
Nevertheless, we want to recognize the good work done by our 8th graders while at St. Pat’s School. Perhaps you have seen the signs in your neighborhood which point out that one of 8th graders lives here. Below you see Matthew Hammond on his front lawn next to the sign. If you see one of our 8th graders, congratulate them on a job well done.
Catholic Trivia”... not because they are trivial but because these might be things that not everyone knows. Test your knowledge by reading the five questions, remember your answers (or jot them down), then click the link below to find the answers.
How many days are in the liturgical season of Easter?
What feast is celebrated on the last day of the Easter season?
According to the gospel of Mark, which disciples were present on Calvary with Jesus when he died? (be careful!)
What woman has been given the title of “Apostle to the Apostles”?
For how many years has Fr. Carlos Valencia, CJM been a priest?
If you have other members of your family or your friends who would like to be on our email list, just let me know or write to Mary McLain at mmclain@stpatrickcarlsbad.comWe will be pleased to add them.
We have opened a YouTube channel where we have daily and Sunday Masses as well as Fr. Ron's new Bible Study posted for the parish called St Patrick Church Carlsbad that you can subscribe to.
I realize that some of you are experiencing budget problems of your own at this time and I am not asking to cut yourself short. But please keep in mind the needs of our parish during these uncertain times.
Those of you who use weekly offertory envelopes, please enclose your giving into the special mailing envelope that comes in your packet
Many of you pay your bills using online banking bill pay, you can choose St. Patrick Church to receive donations to Sunday Collection this way
This may also be a time to consider using Online Giving as a way of contributing to the parish during this time. https://www.osvonlinegiving.com/58
Jesus is taken up to heaven in the presence of the apostles.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 47:2-3,6-9
Sing praise to God as he mounts his throne.
Second Reading
Ephesians 1:17-23
God raised Jesus from the dead and seated him at his right hand.
Gospel Reading
Matthew 28:16-20
Jesus charges his disciples to make disciples of all nations and promises to be with them forever.
Background on the Gospel Reading
Today’s Gospel is taken from the conclusion of the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew’s Gospel quickly moves from the disciples’ discovery of Jesus’ empty tomb, to Jesus’ appearance to Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, to the commission that Jesus gives his disciples in today’s Gospel.
The Final Commission, as this Gospel is sometimes called, is given on the mountaintop. Throughout Scripture, the most important events happen on the mountaintop, and Matthew has used this motif throughout his Gospel. Earlier in Matthew’s Gospel, Peter, James, and John had seen Jesus transfigured on the mountaintop (Matthew 17:1-8). Also in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus taught the crowds from the mountaintop in what we now call the Sermon on the Mount.
Here we are told that the eleven disciples go the mountaintop in Galilee, as Jesus had instructed through Mary Magdalene and the other Mary (cf. Matthew 28:9-10). They see Jesus, and both worship and doubt at the same time. Jesus approaches them and commissions them to baptize and teach, "to make disciples of all nations." It is a task which Jesus had previously prepared his disciples for; recall that Jesus had sent the twelve apostles to preach the Kingdom of God and to heal (cf. Matthew 10:1-15). However, earlier the Twelve were sent only to the House of Israel; in this Final Commission, the eleven are told to go to "all nations." The mission of Jesus is now to be taken to all people; the task now is to baptize and to teach.
Jesus commissions his disciples to baptize in the name of the Trinity, one of the clearest attestations found in Scripture for baptism in the name of the Trinity. In the Acts of the Apostles and in the Letters of Paul, baptism is more frequently offered "in the name of Jesus."
The ending of Matthew’s Gospel can be understood as the beginning of the Church. Jesus commissions his disciples to continue to teach in his name and to bring others into the community of disciples through baptism. The Gospel ends, as it had begun, with the promise that Jesus will continue to be Emmanuel, "God with us" (cf. Matthew 1:23), for all eternity.
come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You.
Comunión Espiritual
Creo, Jesús mío,
que estás real
y verdaderamente
en el Santísimo Sacramento del Altar.
Te amo sobre todas las cosas
y deseo vivamente recibirte
dentro de mi alma,
pero no pudiendo hacerlo
ahora sacramentalmente,
ven al menos
espiritualmente a mi corazón.
Y como si ya te hubiese recibido,
te abrazo y me uno del todo a Ti.
Señor, no permitas que jamás me aparte de Ti. Amen
From the Religious Education Office
Recently, we asked Fr. Ben for a short prayer that he could suggest to moms, dads, and grandparents of all walks of life as they - every day anew – keep balancing many responsibilities caring for their families. Here is his response:
Every morning when I wake up, I say,
"I adore you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I adore you in your great mystery of Unity and Trinity. I adore you in your great love that unites you.
And I pray to you, all the angels and saints, that you unite my heart with yours so that I may praise and glorify God worthily in spite of all my weaknesses and failings.
Then I thank God for the good night of sleep; I thank God for the new day that He gives me.
I thank God for all the gifts that He gives me: the gift of my life; the gift of my good health; the gift of my family; the gift of my faith; the gift of my vocation; the gift of the Eudist family to which I belong.
I thank God for the numberless times He has forgiven my sins; I thank God for having used me for all these years (61) to share His forgiveness with His people.
I'm not sure that this would help the parents, but, for me, their prayer must always begin by praising and thanking God, like the Jewish prayers. I want to believe that most parents do.
And I want to believe that they can use their own simple and ordinary words to thank and praise God. And, then, they ask God for His help in fulfilling their vocation as spouses and as parents.
Let’s continue to lift each other up as we unite in faith, hope, and love as a
parish community.
United in prayer,
Margit Dornisch
Middle School Students
Dear Families,
We hope you and your loved ones are doing well and staying healthy.
As we all know, our Parish Community is longing to gather again in person and worship together soon. While we are unable to do so, for the protection and well-being of us all at this time, we hope to see our youth gathered together, even if just virtually.
In the hope of building community, we’d like to invite any of our 6th - 8th grade middle school students from any school for an opportunity of prayer and fellowship this upcoming Thursday , May 21st from 6-7pm via Zoom. If you are interested in having your young person participate, please email me: jtejeda@stpatrickcarlsbad.com and I will be more than happy to follow up with you and give you the information needed to log on.
Please let me know if you have any questions. United in prayer.
Yours in Christ,
Jocelyn Tejeda
Estudiantes de secundaria de 6º a 8º grado
Queridas familias,
Esperamos que usted y sus seres queridos estén bien y se mantengan seguros y saludables.
Como todos sabemos, nuestra comunidad parroquial anhela reunirse nuevamente en persona para rezar y adorar juntos. Desafortunadamente, no podemos hacerlo ahora por la protección y el bienestar de todos nosotros en este momento, pero esperamos poder reunir a nuestros jóvenes, incluso si solo es virtualmente.
Con la esperanza de construir un poco de comunidad, nos gustaría invitar a todos nuestros estudiantes de secundaria de 6º a 8º grado a una oportunidad de oración este próximo jueves 21 de mayo de 6 a 7 p.m. a través de Zoom. Si sus jóvenes están interesados, por favor mándenme un correo electrónico: jtejeda@stpatrickcarlsbad.com, y con mucho gusto les mandare la información para registrarse.
Por favor de contactarme si tienen preguntas. Unidos en oración.
The church is open for private prayer every day from 7:00am - 11:00am, however the Chapel of Our Lady of Guadalupe is closed, masks please
The Parish Office will be closed until further notice, but you can call to leave a message: 760.729.2866
During this time of inactivity, we will use our parish email system to communicate with parishioners to offer spiritual reflections and make announcements.
In case of an emergency, you can always reach us by phone. We will be checking regularly for messages and respond as soon as possible. If need be, the answering service can get in touch with one of our priests quickly.
If you know someone who does not receive our emails, please forward this to them, or have them reply to this message.
To email a priest at St. Patrick Church click the link below:
