May 31st, 2020
We had, as they say in the business, a soft opening. That was good.
We had tiny crowds at 5 pm and 11 am, decent crowds at 7:30 and 9. No one was turned away. No one forgot a mask. Once again, if you are afraid of coming, please feel free to stay home and watch on YouTube. But, also don’t be hesitant about coming to Mass either. We actually have room for a few more. And we are taking proper precautions, unlike the Lake of the Ozarks.
To be totally honest, I have been on “Team Breakout” for awhile. This virus is not going away any time soon and cocooning in our homes (as restful as that was at times) cannot go on for another eight months. We need to learn how to manage it, and manage it safely. That didn’t happen in some places in Missouri and it was quite irresponsible. Here are three thoughts on the matter.
1.) This isn’t your parents’ flu virus. The initial word about Covid-19 is that it was a new strain of the flu. Nothing to worry about. This was not the case. When the NBA, the NHL and MLB all cancelled, I knew we had problems. It is very contagious and it affects people in wildly different ways. For some it is a mild inconvenience, for others it is a death sentence. That fact alone makes for a lot of trouble.
2.) We have to learn to respect it and manage it. I think that the Archdiocese has done a pretty good job of recognizing that this was a bigger problem than was originally broadcast. We cancelled public Masses early on, even during the holiest of seasons. It was, looking back in retrospect, the exact right thing to do. At the time, it was bold. Opening back up for public Masses, we are using the best scientific and medical facts to make sure that everyone is safe. (I abhor the phony “religion vs. science” dialectic that pervades our culture.)
3.) The Church’s response to this pandemic is part of our Pro-Life stance. The bishops of Washington State, the first to suspend public Masses, said in a letter that this closing was not out of fear but out of respect for human life. Here at Holy Redeemer, as I have stated many times, your health and welfare are my top priority. So that’s why we wear masks. That’s why we sanitize high traffic places. That’s why we social distance.
With all of your cooperation and with the grace of the Holy Spirit, we will make it through this amazing time.
Father Kevin
Read more articles from Fr. Kevin
May 24th, 2020
Well, it’s good to be back. Let’s not mess it up. As I mentioned, there will be rules. The most controversial, and this was set by the government and not by me, was that we have to limit the number of people who are actually in church. The rule is 10% of your maximum capacity for a building over 10,000 square [...]
May 17th, 2020
On May 8, Archbishop Carlson announced that public Masses may resume beginning Monday, May 18th. It is up to the individual pastors whether or not to reinstate them. I have chosen to go ahead and begin. That being said, let me be as straightforward as possible: the health and welfare of the parishion-ers of Holy Redeemer is utmost in my mind [...]
May 10th, 2020
I hope that before our quarantine ends that you have read at least one good book. I finished mine last Saturday. It was called All the Light We Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr. It was excellent. It won the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the 2015 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction. Without giving too much of the plot [...]
May 3rd, 2020
So how do you plan when you are not quite sure how the next month will play out? Well, you do your best. Here are a couple of things to consider: FIRST COMMUNION. Last Sunday afternoon should have been first communion. It was a BEA-U-TIFUL day, perfect for that celebration. Unfortunately, our nasty little friend Covid 19 spoiled the party. Mrs. [...]
Check out the other great things happening at Holy Redeemer
Holy Week Schedule
Blessed palms will be available for pick up in Church and on the front steps of Church starting Sunday 4/5/20. Please stop by for a few minutes of quiet prayer and maintain [...]
Holy Redeemer Fish Fry–Cancelled!
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Such an awesome annual event! Thank you to everyone who makes this possible. Thank you to Vic Lewchenko for the wonderful photos. [...]
2019 Christmas Tree Lot
What a great success the 2019 Christmas tree lot was. Thank you to all who volunteered and the many that came out and purchased a tree! Thank you to Vic Lewchenko for the wonderful [...]
2019 Mass and Picnic
What a great success the 2019 picnic and outdoor mass was. Thank you to all who volunteered and made this day possible! What a blessing you all are! Thank you to Vic Lewchenko for [...]
HOLY REDEEMER MASS SCHEDULE
Saturday: 5:00 p.m.
Sunday: 7:30, 9:00 and 11:00 a.m.
Weekday: M-F 6:15 & 8:15 AM (September-May)
M-F 6:15 & 8:00 AM (June-August)