I am happy to share the good news with you that more people are returning to our parish for the celebration of Mass. As you know, we count the number of people at every weekend Mass. Since last June there has been a slow but steady increase. In January we had about 1,100 attending per weekend. In February it increased to about 1,200 and then up to 1,350 per weekend in March. Following Easter and the warmer weather, our attendance in April has risen to almost 1,700 per weekend. Now that is a resurrection!
I am also sure that you heard that the state is no longer restricting indoor attendance for houses of worship. In one way, that is also good news. However, our increased attendance presents us with a dilemma. It is still recommended by the CDC and required by our Bishop that we maintain social distance of 6 feet between persons who are not living in the same household. Following that guideline, our church can accommodate 200 persons (more or less).
With our increased weekend attendance, four of our weekend Masses regularly have more than 200 participants. The other three are generally below the 200 threshold. Therefore, in addition to 7:00 pm on Saturday and 7:30 am on Sunday, we can now add 5:00 pm on Sunday to those Masses that will be celebrated inside the church. This will be effective the weekend of May1-2. The other Masses – 4:30 pm on Saturday, and 9:00 am, 11:00 am and 1:00 pm on Sundays – will remain outside on the covered court of the school. Congregational singing is encouraged at our outdoor Masses but in the church music will be provided by our cantor and musicians.
We will continue to monitor the attendance as we move forward. We will make adjustments as the situation warrants. As I have said so many times, my goal is to enable as many people as possible to attend Mass and to provide a safe environment in which to do that. We have never limited attendance by a reservation system and we have never had to turn people away.
You will notice a few additional small changes that restore a few things that we have had to forego. But, whether inside or outside, masks must still be worn by all, social distancing will be observed, and Holy Communion can be received only in the hand.
Thanks to all of our ministers who have been so generous with their time and our priests and deacons who have been flexible and accommodating. Most of all, thanks to all of our parishioners for your patience and understanding.
We are pleased that, in addition to Masses on Saturday at 7:00 pm (Spanish) and Sunday at 7:30 am (English), now the Sunday Mass at 5:00 pm (English) will be held in the church beginning May 2. Here are a few things to remember if you choose to attend one of these Masses in church:
Everyone enters by the main doors (center) and everyone needs to wear a mask over their nose and mouth. Face masks and hand sanitizer are available on the table on the patio.
Social distancing must be observed. In order to do this, every other pew has been marked off and is not to be used. Social distancing of 6 feet applies to those who do not live in the same household.
The pews in the front of our church are quite short but can accommodate a small family or a couple individuals. The pews closer to the back are very long. People need to occupy the middle of those pews as well as the ends. Please be considerate of others and move into the pew or be ready to stand up to allow others to move into the pew. Our ministers of hospitality will try to help with that.
We ask that you do not gather in the area around the baptismal font. That area needs to remain clear of people. If you need to stand, do it along the back walls of the church and remain 6 feet away from people not from your household.
If you choose to stand outside on the patio during Mass, you must observe social distancing and do not stand in the doorways or block the doorways.
The children’s chapel (cry room) will remain closed.
The Sign of Peace remains “touchless.”
Holy Communion will be distributed only in the hand (not on your tongue). The ministers will bring Communion to you in your pew. Just wait there for someone to come to you.
We remind you not to leave the church until the Mass is ended.
Congregational singing is not permitted in the church. Instrumental music and a cantor will offer music to enhance a prayerful atmosphere. However, you areencouraged to join in the usual spoken responses of the Mass.
At the end of the Mass, you are asked to be seated and wait for your pew to be dismissed. Ministers of hospitality will begin with the last pews and move forward.
Thank you for your cooperation in making our Masses prayerful and keeping our environment as safe as possible.
Ministry to the Sick
During the last year, our ministry to the sick has been limited due to the exercise of caution concerning the spread of covid-19. Now that more people are getting vaccinated and some restrictions are easing, we can more easily reach out to the sick, those in hospitals and the homebound.
Most hospitals and nursing homes are allowing our priests to enter. If someone you know is sick in the hospital, nursing home or confined to their home, our priests can bring them the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick. Call the parish office to contact Fr. Ben or one of our other priests.
Those who would like one of our Ministers of the Eucharist to bring Communion to them at home, please contact the parish office to schedule a visit. It is desirable but not required that the sick person has been vaccinated.
Any of our Eucharistic Ministers to the Sick who have been inactive during the Covid outbreak, you may resume your visitation of the sick, if you have been vaccinated. For further information, contact Jayce at the parish office.
The King of Love My Shepherd Is
This traditional Christian hymn based on Psalm 23, the great 'Shepherd Psalm', was written by H.W. Baker and is sung throughout the world. The song's beautiful melody and harmonies accentuate the words of the Psalm perfectly. This rendition was recorded live at St. Francis de Sales Church in Ajax, Ontario, Canada.
It is a long tradition in the Church that each week the Holy Father gives a catechesis on a topic he has chosen. Pope Francis is currently giving a series of talks on the topic of prayer. On Wednesday April 14, the Holy Father gave a talk entitled “The Church, Teacher of Prayer.” It is not long and you may find it interesting.
Anti-Asian hate crimes are on the rise in the United States. In San Francisco, the home to a large Asian population, Archbishop Salvatore Joseph Cordileone gave this homily during a prayer service for peace at the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption on April 10. Archbishop Cordileone is a native of San Diego.
"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.
What is the Code of Canon Law and when was it written?
How is the date of Easter determined in the Roman or Western Church?
Why do Orthodox or Eastern Christians have a different date for Easter?
On what day this year will Roman Catholics celebrate Pentecost?
What does the Catechism of the Catholic Church [CCC] say about capital punishment?
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.
Peter announces an act of healing in the name of Jesus Christ.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 118:1,8-9,21-23,26,28,29
A prayer of thanksgiving to God for his kindness
Second Reading
1 John 3:1-2
God revealed his love for us by calling us children of God.
Gospel Reading
John 10:11-18
Jesus says that he is the good shepherd who knows his sheep.
Background on the Gospel Reading
The fourth Sunday of Easter is also called Good Shepherd Sunday. In each of the three lectionary cycles, our Gospel is taken from the 10th chapter of the Gospel of John. In Cycle B, we hear the middle verses of this chapter. Unless we consider this chapter in the greater context of John’s Gospel, we will miss the radical nature of the statement Jesus makes when he declares himself to be the Good Shepherd.
This chapter of John’s Gospel follows Jesus’ healing of the man born blind and the rejection of this miracle by the Jewish leaders who question Jesus’ authority to heal. Jesus responds to this challenge by calling himself the Good Shepherd. He is criticizing the leadership of the Pharisees and the other Jewish leaders. The Pharisees and other Jewish leaders are so angry that they attempt to stone and arrest Jesus (see John 10:31,39). This controversy with the religious leaders continues until Jesus’ death.
In the portion of the chapter that we hear proclaimed today, Jesus describes his relationship with his followers as similar to the relationship between a good shepherd and his sheep. As a good shepherd will risk and lay down his life in order to protect his sheep, Jesus willingly sacrifices himself for the sake of his sheep. Jesus contrasts the actions of the good shepherd with the actions of the hired shepherd who abandons the sheep in the face of danger. In the verses following Jesus' teaching, we learn that the Pharisees and the other religious leaders understand that Jesus is referring to them when he describes the hired shepherds.
The concern of a good shepherd for his sheep is part of the shepherd’s job. Jesus says, however, that the actions of the good shepherd are based upon the relationship that develops between the shepherd and the sheep. This is at the heart of the difference between the good shepherd and the hired shepherd. The good shepherd knows the sheep and therefore acts out of love. For the Good Shepherd, this is never simply part of a job; this love-in-action is integral to his identity.
As with so much of John’s Gospel, one hears in this passage John’s particular focus on Christology. As the sheep are known by the Good Shepherd, the Father knows Jesus and Jesus knows the Father. There is an essential unity between the Father and the Son. The freedom with which Jesus acts when he lays down his life is rooted in the unity that he shares with his Father.
In this context, Jesus also refers to others with whom he shares a relationship. By this reference, John probably understands the eventual inclusion of the Gentiles in the Christian community. Our modern ears hear this as a reference to Christian unity. The work of ecumenism is to restore unity among all Christians so that we form one flock under one shepherd, as God desires.
Mother’s Day is May 9. A special envelope was included in your envelope packet for April-May 2021. You can use this envelope to request prayers at our Mother’s Day Masses as well as additional Masses during the year. Any envelopes we receive will be placed on the altar during the month of May. These Masses will be in memory of deceased mothers or in honor of our living mothers. Simply write their names on the envelope, include an offering of any amount, and place it in our collection basket. If you did not receive the envelope or misplaced it, you can simply write the names of those to be remembered on a plain white envelope.
Diacono Miguel Enriquez
“Yo soy el Buen Pastor…conozco mis ovejas y ellas me conocen…escuchan mi voz.”
La imagen de Jesús, el Buen Pastor, el que reconoce sus ovejas y sus ovejas lo reconocen a él, es una imagen bastante poderosa para mí, una imagen que me trae paz y confort. Me da la seguridad que Jesús esta a mi lado y yo al lado de él; la confianza que no importa lo que venga hacia mí, lo venceré porque soy yo una de las ovejas del rebaño de Jesús. En el Evangelio de este domingo, escuchamos que Jesús dice, “ellas (sus ovejas) escucharán mi voz.” ¿Cómo se oye la voz de Jesús? ¿Podemos identificar la voz de Jesús en medio de todo el ruido que nos rodea (el ruido en nuestras mente y corazón)? El reto para todos es mantenernos libres de todas esas distracciones que nos impiden escuchar su voz, y no dejarnos llevar por otras voces, esas voces que nos mienten, que dividen, y que han causado dolor a nosotros mismos y a nuestras familias. ¿Cuáles voces escucho? ¿Escucho la voz de Jesús, el Buen Pastor?
Por favor haga clic en los videos indicado. Espero que les ayude en sus momentos de reflexión.
Detente
Hablemos del
Buen Pastor
MENTAL HEALTH CORNER
COMPRENDIENDO EL SUICIDIO
Lorena Ramírez
Hechos Sobre El Suicidio
El 90% de las personas que se suicidan padecen uno o más trastornos psiquiátricos.
La mayoría de los suicidios son el resultado de un trastorno mental no tratado, no surge solo de un evento estresante; sin embargo, los factores estresantes importantes de la vida pueden desencadenar los pensamientos suicidas.
Suele acompañar a la depresión, aunque puede coexistir con otras condiciones mentales.
Puede ser recurrente y penetrante.
La investigaciones nos muestran que en nuestra vida:
♣ El 20% de nosotros experimentará un suicidio dentro de nuestra familia.
♣ El 60% conocerá personalmente a alguien que muere por suicidio.
♣ Preguntarle a una persona deprimida sobre el suicidio no la llevará a cometer suicidio.
♣ Las tasas más altas de suicidio se registran en la primavera, el más bajo es durante las vacaciones.
Señales de Advertencia (Alerta)
Amenazar con suicidarse, expresar ideas suicidas o mencionar el tema del suicidio.
Desarrollar un plan de suicidio específico.
Regalar posesiones preciadas, arreglar asuntos.
Cambios de comportamiento (bajo rendimiento laboral o escolar)
Signos de depresión: estado de ánimo triste, pérdida de placer, cambios en el sueño o en los hábitos alimenticios, irritabilidad, agitación, sentimientos de fracaso o vergüenza.
Expresiones de desesperanza e impotencia.
Incremento en el uso de alcohol o drogas
Comportamiento riesgoso (sexo inseguro, carreras o agresión)
Aislamiento social.
Escribir o dibujar sobre el suicidio o la muerte.
Depresión: La depresión no tratada es la principal causa de suicidio.
Signos de depresión:
• Estado de ánimo triste que dura dos semanas o más.
• Pérdida de placer
• Sensación de desesperanza e impotencia
• Pérdida o aumento de peso significativo.
• Falta de concentración
• Cambios en los hábitos alimenticios o de sueño.
• Sentirse inútil.
La depresión puede afectar a personas de todas las edades y, a menudo, no se reconoce. La depresión se puede tratar con medicamentos y psicoterapia.
Como Ayudar
Exprese su preocupación por los factores que ha observado. Sea empático, no juzgue y demuestre que le importa.
Acepte los sentimientos de la persona tal como son. No intente animarlo con declaraciones positivas y poco realistas.
Pregunte directamente sobre sus pensamientos suicidas, "¿está pensando en suicidarse?"
Tome en serio los pensamientos y sentimientos suicidas. Cuatro de cada cinco personas que mueren por suicidio dan señales de advertencia.
Pregúntele si ha desarrollado un plan de suicidio. La presencia de un plan bien desarrollado indica un mayor riesgo de suicidio.
Retire de forma segura los medios letales de suicidio de la persona y ayude a encontrar alternativas al suicidio.
Hágale saber que esos sentimientos suicidas son temporales, que la depresión se puede tratar y que los problemas se pueden resolver.
Nunca acepte mantener en secreto los pensamientos suicidas serios. Informe a familiares y amigos.
Llame al 911 o al Suicide Prevention Center si el suicidio es inminente.
Recursos en el Condado de San Diego
911 PERT (Equipo de respuesta a emergencias psiquiátricas) - Diga, "Tengo una Emergencia Psiquiátrica" o bien "Necesito el equipo PERT".
Línea nacional de prevención del suicidio: 800-273-8255 - 7/24.
Línea de Acceso y Crisis de San Diego: (888) 724-7240 / Horario: 24 horas al día, 7 días a la semana.
Sobrevivientes de pérdida por suicidio (SOSL): 619-482-0297
Programa de Prevención del Suicidio Yellow Ribbon San Diego: 760-635-5904
Fundación Estadounidense para la Prevención del Suicidio (AFSP) - Capítulo de San Diego: 855-869-2377
Línea de ayuda para jóvenes -Tu Vida, tu Voz: 800-448-3000
Línea para Adolescentes: 800-852-8336
Unidad de Detección de Emergencia (ESU): 619-421-6900: para niños y adolescentes menores de 18 años que están experimentando una emergencia o crisis de salud mental.
Línea de Crisis para Veteranos: 800-273-8255.
Referencia:
Semana Nacional de Prevención del Suicidio: Sensibilización. Publicado en septiembre de 2014 por Jamie Becker. Extraído el 14/4/21 de National Suicide Prevention Week: Raising Awareness – LHSFNA.
The Baa Baa Song
Listen to this children’s song that speaks of Jesus as the Good Shepherd. Do you know a young person you want to share it with?
Our parish offices are now open, Monday through Friday, 8:30am to 12:30pm and 1:30 to 4:30pm
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- 760-729-2866.
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:
