MOVING FORWARD NEWS

Dear Family and Friends of Our Lady of the Lake,

This is yet another LONG email with a LOT of important information. Please read it carefully. Thank you.

I write to inform you that our Bishop, Robert Guglielmone, after consulting with the College of Consultors and with their full consent (I am a member of the College) has decided that all public gatherings and Masses will be suspended until further notice. This means that there will be no public celebrations for Palm Sunday, Holy Week and Easter Sunday and beyond. It is hoped that we will be able to celebrate Pentecost together.

While I am deeply saddened that we will not be celebrating the Easter Festival together in person I know that this is a necessary and prudent step. During this time be assured that we, your parish leadership team, are continuing to work from the parish offices and from home and are accessible by email and by calling our individual telephone extensions (see below).

Some important changes/notes regarding this most recent decision of the bishop:

  • Fr. Dennis will no longer be hearing confessions by appointment. There will not be drive-through confessions or any other opportunity until this crisis ends. The Holy Father, Pope Francis, has granted special indulgences for the faithful during this time. Please see: Vatican Decree and On the Sacrament of Reconciliation

  • Fr. Dennis will only administer sacraments in extreme circumstances where there is a possibility of death. This includes the anointing of the sick, confessions, and viaticum (last rites). As always you may reach Fr. Dennis directly on his cell phone: 843.834.5447

  • It is hoped that at the end of this crisis permission will be given to grant general absolution to all the faithful at the first public Masses to be held. At this time the faithful will be invited to make a perfect act of contrition and to return to the Sacrament of Confession as they normally would do at their first opportunity in the weeks and months to follow so as to not overwhelm the priest.

  • There will be NO PALMS blessed or available for distribution for Palm Sunday.

While we may not be gathering for worship or classes, we remain united as a parish family. We are going to be reaching out to all registered families by phone and will be asking for your help in updating our parish database. We will be asking what neighborhood you live in so that we can establish neighborhood "Captains" that can help look out for one another where we live. Please be cooperative in this effort .

Here is a list of things you can do to stay in touch with, and continue to support us at Our Lady of the Lake:




  • Sign up for Constant Contact at: HERE. This will keep you in touch with the parish (Fr. Dennis' emails, Weekend Reminder emails, among many others!)

  • Call the parish office between 9am and 1pm Monday through Friday to update your contact information in our parish database!


  • Visit the church between the hours of 7am and 7pm to pray before the Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle! (Praying before the Blessed Sacrament in the Tabernacle or in a Monstrance is the same. Both are equally blessed opportunities to spend an hour with the Lord!!)

  • Pray the Prayer of Spiritual Communion found at the end of this email!

Here is an updated list of links that you may want to use during the Covid-19 protocols to expand your opportunities to grow in your faith:








  • FORMED resources through our parish subscription! Formed is a “Catholic Netflix” that has many great movies, podcasts, scripture study resources for Catholics. Our parish has already paid for a subscription to the service and is available to all parishioners. Type in our parish zip code 29036 to register!

  • Magnificat Looking for the Daily Mass Reading, additional prayers or a daily meditation? The Magnificat is a wonderful resource for Catholics and is making their subscription-based online service available, in the midst of this crisis, for FREE.




While we understand this is a difficult and uncertain time for all of us we do need your monetary support to continue to pay the parish's bills and keep the lights on. Please consider signing up for  Online Giving  as our parish relies on the weekly offertory to cover our operating expenses. Envelopes with a check can also be mailed to the parish office: 195 Amicks Ferry Road, Chapin, SC 29036 (Please note the change in address from our former PO BOX to our street address!)

The pledge weekend for the Bicentennial Campaign will now take place at the end of of this crisis. Hopefully by then life will soon return back to "normal". Please continue to pray for the success of our Bicentennial Campaign. We are now at 82% of our goal of $680,000 with $562,000 pledged! More pledges are being received weekly. Thank you!!

The Diocesan   College of Consultors will meet by phone on Monday, March 30, and regularly thereafter throughout this crisis.

Here is Bishop Guglielmone's letter to the faithful of the Diocese.
Fr. Dennis' comments are in RED .
 
Dear My Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Over the last 10 days, we have all experienced new challenges in our day-to-day life. The advent of COVID-19 has caused a great deal of pain and anguish as we adapt to this new normal. To ensure the protection of the Catholic faithful and the community as a whole, I have decided along with the recommendation of the College of Consultors to suspend all Masses until further notice. I am in full agreement with the bishop's decision.

However, we will continue to livestream Masses, including those that will be offered during Holy Week and Easter Sunday. Our Lady of the Lake is exploring how we may be able to livestream Masses. We do not want to take this step unless we can do so effectively and in keeping with the high dignity of the Mass. It may be beyond our capabilities at this time.

This is a serious virus that continues to spread across our state that we must take seriously. By continuing our efforts to bring Mass into people’s homes, we can safeguard everyone’s health while still providing the faithful an opportunity to participate in Holy Week and Easter Sunday Masses. I know this is difficult news to hear during this challenging time. Please, be sure to take all necessary precautions for the safety of you and your family!

The Diocese will livestream Holy Week and Easter Sunday Masses from the Chapel of the Holy Family at our Pastoral Center during the following days and times at  facebook.com/DioceseChas  and  YouTube.com/DioceseChas :

Palm Sunday, April 5
  • Mass in English at 11:00 a.m.
  • Mass in Spanish at 12:30 p.m.
 Monday, April 6
  • Mass at 8:30 a.m.
Tuesday, April 7
  • Chrism Mass at 11:00 a.m.
 Wednesday, April 8 
  • Mass at 8:30 a.m.
 Holy Thursday, April 9
  • Liturgy of the Lord’s Supper at 8:00 p.m.
 Good Friday, April 10
  • Liturgy at 3:00 p.m.
Easter Vigil, April 11
  • Mass at 8:00 p.m.
 Easter Sunday, April 12
  • Mass in English at 11:00 a.m.
  • Mass in Spanish at 12:30 p.m.

Additionally, all the faithful are dispensed from Fast and Abstinence for the duration of Lent, except for Good Friday. As all the faithful are experiencing a fast from the Eucharist during this time this is a prudent action.

During this time of great uncertainty, we pray that the Church in its response will provide comfort to those isolated in their homes and away from their loved ones. Our parish will be reaching out to all registered households by phone with the help of the Women's and Men's Club. Please let the volunteers know if you have any needs that the parish can assist in resolving.

We will update our special COVID-19 webpage on the diocesan website as needed. I also ask that you stay in touch with your parish by following their social media pages.

My dear friends, this is a time where our beliefs are an asset and a true blessing. We need look no further than the Resurrection to find the ultimate story of faith, hope and love. May we all continue to invite Christ into our hearts, even as they ache. Take this remaining time in Lent to embrace the works of mercy with zeal. Practice a spirit of gratitude and generosity to others, albeit remotely. Remain hopeful, pray unceasingly, and be assured of my prayers for you and your families.

In the Lord’s Peace,


+Robert E. Guglielmone
Bishop of Charleston

Here is how you may reach the parish staff by email or direct office phone:

 
Please continue to take this opportunity to step aside from our usual routines to spend more time with the Lord in prayer. I hope you will use some of this down time as UP time by reading Scripture, praying the Rosary or Divine Chaplet, watching religious programming on EWTN or on the FORMED platform. Let us pray for all who have been struck by Covid-19, their caretakers, our religious and civil authorities, and for one another.

Prayers and blessing to all!

Fr. Dennis
Prayer of Spiritual Communion:
My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the Most Holy Sacrament. 
I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. 
Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, 
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. Amen