PALM SUNDAY

Pick-Up

Palms will be available outside St. Mark Chapel doors and the main entrance of the Church
on Palm Sunday from 9am – 4pm and Monday, April 6 from 7am – 3pm.

With serious concern for the spread of the Coronavirus we ask that you keep social distancing rules and take turns picking up palms.
Hand sanitizer will be available before taking your palms, and the palms you touch are the palms you take.

Also available will be the white book for Easter, a “Stay in Touch” media information flier, and an offertory envelope that you are asked to put into the mail.

 Welcome to St. Rita Virtual Mass
for Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord
Fr. Burchell presiding
We are so glad that you could celebrate with us!

Click the play button below to begin

Please join our St. Rita Community virtually on-line Monday, April 5 to celebrate a St. Rita School Children's Mass
Fr. Burchell presiding

 My Dear Friends,

This will be a very different Holy Week for all of us.  Sunday, if you are healthy and want palms, we ask that you use your discretion, there will be palms at the doors of the church from 9am – 4pm and Monday from 7am – 3pm.  We do plan on putting all of our Holy Week Services on-line; Holy Thursday’s Mass of the Lord’s Supper, Good Friday Noon Stations / Good Friday’s celebration of the Lord’s Passion, and Easter Sunday Mass.  Please share the on-line information with your family and friends.

In these troubled times, please take the time to pray and reflect on what we are truly celebrating in this most Holy Week to come.  God’s Word comforts and at the same time challenges us in our discipleship. 

I know I speak for the entire Pastoral Staff in saying how concerned we are about our parishioners.  You are remembered every day in our Masses and prayers.  In turn, I wish to thank you for your concern and support.  Many folks have contacted me asking if there was something they could do.  And to this I say, Pray!   St. Rocco is the patron saint of plagues.  Let us pray to St Rocco for intercession.

Most of you are aware that Governor DeWine has asked us to remain in shutdown through April.  The Diocese has asked all churches to follow this recommendation and has suspended Mass through May 3rd.  As hard as this is for all of us, it is also the wisest thing to do for all of us.  Stay healthy!

The lockdown of our churches has adversely affected our cash flow…there is little.   If you would like to help in these difficult times, please sign up right away for Faith Direct, automatic giving.  Go to our website at www.stritaparish.com and at the bottom of the page choose FaithDirect!  Our expenses, like yours, continue.  As I say this, I know that some of you are in a position where you can’t help.  My heart goes out to you.

Beginning as of Holy Thursday our parish office will not be staffed by a secretary.  All calls to the parish office will be monitored every hour from a remote location.  Know that we will respond to all calls within the hour! 

Going back to prayer.  Sometimes when one is on retreat, they are given a prayer partner and the prayer partners lift one another up in prayer. Traditionally, Catholic Churches ring the Angelis bells at 6:00 a.m., 12 noon, and 6:00 p.m. to call everyone to prayer.  So, I ask that as we pray for you, wherever you are at Noon each day, that you become a prayer partner; pause and pray for your family, your parish family of St. Rita, and those being affected by the coronavirus.  God bless us all and keep us safe!

Have a blessed Holy Week.
Fr. Richard Burchell

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