As I mentioned the other day, we are moving closer to that day when we will be able to celebrate the Eucharist together in our parish. Even though we do not know yet when it will be, we are busy making plans to ensure the health, safety and respect of all who choose to attend. I will begin today to share a few thoughts with you about the next phase as we anticipate it.
While there are conflicting governmental claims about the legal requirements for reopening our Masses at this time, our bishop has not yet specified a date on which Masses in Catholic churches will begin. Of course, we will wait for his signal to begin and it will not be this weekend.
First of all, and very importantly, even after we begin celebrating public Masses at St. Patrick’s, you are still dispensed from the usual Catholic obligation to come to Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation. Bishop McElroy has granted this dispensation to the whole Diocese until further notice.
To go a step further, if you are ever experiencing any of the symptoms (fever, shortness of breath, cough, body ache, etc.) you should not come to church. To do so puts other people at risk. I would go so far as to say that it is careless and irresponsible.
If you are in a high risk group because of age or an existing health condition, you should not come to church. Even if you are just afraid or concerned about being in a crowd of people, you need not come to church. Some people may opt to come to Mass on a weekday when there are fewer people in attendance.
Bottom line: just because the church will be open for Mass does not mean that you have to attend. We will continue to provide recorded Masses on our YouTube channel with links on our website. For some people, that may continue to be your preferred way to join in the Mass.
For those who choose to come to Mass at the parish, there will be changes in the way that celebrate Mass to ensure the health and well-being of our parishioners and clergy. I will start to explain a few of them next week.
As always, please be careful where you go and what you do. Take care of yourself.
It was five years ago that our Holy Father Pope Francis published his encyclical Laudato si'. In this letter, he exhorted all people to show greater care for the Earth, Our Common Home. On this fifth anniversary, it is good to be reminded of his message to reflect more deeply on it.
You can hear the words of Pope Francis in a short video link marking the fifth anniversary. You can also download a prayer that he composed. You can use it privately as well as pray it as a family.
In the coming weeks, short excerpts or summaries of Laudato Si will be included in this newsletter. Reading and discussing this important theme will help each of us deepen our concern for our “common home” and commit ourselves to greater action on behalf of God’s creation.
Men’s Bible Study
The St. Patrick's Men's Bible study invites you to join us (via WebEx, phone or computer) for a Lectio Divina format reflection of the coming Sunday's gospel. We are men of one accord who enjoy sharing our faith. We pray together and share what words in the gospel we feel the Holy Spirit is drawing us to ponder more deeply. Meetings are at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesdays. Lectio Divina is a traditional exercise with a long history of success for participants willing to open their hearts to God's Holy Word. To join or with further questions, contact Scott Jawor at: sjawor@roadrunner.com
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.
Who was the first non-Italian pope of the 20th century?
How long are Catholics supposed to fast before receiving Holy Communion?
What is the newest Marian feast day established by Pope Francis and observed on the Monday after Pentecost?
What does the acronym IHS stand for?
What do the initials CJM mean after the names of Fr. Ron, Fr. Carlos, Fr. Bill and Fr. Ben?
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
A Message from Fr. Carlos
Profetas del amor…
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
From the Office of Bilingual Catechesis and Family Ministry
Letter to our First Communion Children
We started this school year, with the anticipation of your encounter with Jesus in the Eucharist. We all know that Jesus is always with us, but we also know that His presence through the Consecrated Bread and Wine is very special for us. Today, you are ready to receive it!
You did a GREAT job getting ready for that special moment. Your journey started in our classrooms with the support of your parents and catechists, but during the semester we were forced to change to home study due to the pandemic, which did not allow us to celebrate your Sacrament on the date that it was scheduled. I am writing to you today to encourage you not to lose hope. Jesus is patiently waiting for that special moment. Until that day comes, He will continue walking with you and your family.
You have learned that there are many ways to discover Him, through the love of the people around you, through the Creation, and through his Words that we found in the Bible. So even if you have completed the curriculum of classes, it is very important to keep Jesus in your daily life. This will make your First Holy Communion one of the most special days in your life, as you will become closer than ever to your friend, Jesus Christ.
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.
Online Giving users - set up your Sunday Donation here
You can also make donations using your smart phone when you download the Online Giving app in the Apple or Android stores.
If you are not a regular financial supporter of St. Patrick Church, please consider making a donation by using Online Giving.
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:
