I am getting away for a few days to help the second hand golf ball business down near Branson, Missouri this week. We will have regular Mass on Monday and then com- munion services for the rest of the week.
Some of you have asked whether or not we will restart the 8:15 Mass when school re- starts. Obviously, we will have Masses with our school children when they are in school. It is an integral part of a Catholic education. However, an All-School Mass may prove a bit more daunting as we deal with the Covid-19 virus and social distanc- ing. As of this moment (things have a tendency to change in 2020), we are hoping to have two Masses with our school children a week, but no indoor All-School Masses as we did on Fridays. Mrs. Galluzzo and I have considered the possibility of an outside All School Mass where our students would be able to distance easily. But nothing has been set in stone…yet.
We also will be welcoming a “new” priest, Fr. Jim French, newly retired. Fun fact: Fr. French celebrated his First Mass here at Holy Redeemer! I want to reiterate that Fr. French is in residence and is retired. When I was approached with the possibility of his coming, I thought about how I would want to be treated if I were retired. Two things came to mind. First, I would still want to be needed and wanted. I would want to feel like I was a part of the parish. Second, I would want to still call my own shots. If I didn’t want to do something, I wouldn’t have to do it. We are still working things out, but what I think this means practically is that Fr. French would be willing to cele- brate Mass, hear confessions and do an occasional baptism. He would not asked to be part of any meetings, if he didn’t want to be. (Do you begin to see how this works?) So although we have not made any firm decisions, there is a strong possibility that the second daily Mass will resume in the fall.
Finally, congratulations to our second group of First Communicants who will be receiv- ing the Sacrament of the Eucharist this Sunday afternoon. As I have mentioned many times, this is a special group of students (both our day school students and our PSR students). They have been very patient and it will be great to celebrate this them this weekend!
Father Kevin