Dear Folks,

This Sunday is Ascension Sunday! Yes, He ascended on a Thursday (40 days after Easter), but the Church celebrates it today. I have often contemplated what it means that Christ gave the “power of the keys” to the Church. That the Church can really bind our conscience under pain of sin! This is because, it means that to obey the Church, is to obey Jesus Christ. So yes, if the Church cuts you slack by moving a Holy Day of Obligation to Sunday, then it is Jesus, who has granted you that dispensation. Just as it is now, Jesus (in the person of the bishop) who has granted you the dispensation from the obligation to attend Mass every Sunday and Holy Day!

Once this pandemic passes, the bishop will be obliged to restore the Sunday obligation. I know that will be a tough habit for some to resume, but essential nonetheless.

But back to the Ascension. I was contemplating this today, and an image that came to mind was ski boots. Ski boots? No, Jesus didn’t ski.

I first went skiing in seventh grade at Ski Liberty. Over the next years, even through college, I would go once a year. It always involved renting skis/boots/poles. Let me tell you, rented ski boots are the most uncomfortable footwear ever. (Ladies, please no arguments about high-heels, I will concede you that, possibility, as I could never know). The single greatest moment of relief when skiing: taking off the ill-fitting, chafing, unclean boots at the end of the day.

What does that have to do with the Ascension? How do you think that it felt for the omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent Lord of the Universe to put on our flesh? Our flesh is way too small for His omnipresence, way too limited in brain for His omniscience, and way to weak for His omnipotence. I wouldn’t ‘blame’ Him, if on resurrecting He took off our humanity like an ill-fitting pair of ski boots. But He didn’t, doesn’t, and won’t.

He took our feeble, finite, flimsy flesh and took it with Him to the right hand of the throne of God the Father! Having become one with us, He does not shake us off but has given our human nature an otherwise inconceivable dignity: union with God.I think we usually fail to grasp the significance of God becoming man. A happy and blessed Ascension Sunday to you.

Pax et bonum,

Fr. John Mosimann

The sign up for the next week’s masses can be found at the bottom of this post.  Please read the following rules before signing up:

1. PUBLIC MASSES ARE AT HOLY CROSS ACADEMY: 250 Stafford Lakes Parkway.  This is to maximize possible attendance, allow for greatest health safety, and ensure we are able to abide by the directives from the bishop and governor for re-opening.
2. MASS TIMES ARE MONDAY THRU FRIDAY 12PM, 5PM SATURDAY, 8AM, 10, 12PM , AND 2PM BI-LINGUAL ON SUNDAY.
3. DO NOT COME TO MASS IF YOU FEEL UNWELL, OR HAVE FELT UNWELL IN THE PAST 14 DAYS. Even if you think it is only allergies, you could potentially put the health of your fellow parishioners, volunteer staff, and priests at risk if you come to Mass and don’t abide by this regulation.
4. EVERYONE MUST BRING A MASK AND WEAR IT AT ALL TIMES EXCEPT WHILE RECEIVING COMMUNION.
5. IF YOU ARE FROM A REGION IN PHASE 0 (NO PUBLIC MASSES PERMITTED YET), PLEASE DO NOT SIGN UP AND COME TO PARISHES IN PHASE 1.  This would put everyone at risk.  Traveling to different region to attend Mass defeats the whole purpose of the quarantine.
6. YOU WILL BE SIGNING UP FOR a ‘BOX of SEATS’. To keep with the social distancing instructions, and in order to accommodate the largest number of people, we have divided the school gym into taped-off sections.  One Box = One Spot = ‘One Monastic Cell’ = seating for One Houshold (2, 4, or 6 chairs).  You are not required to keep social distance from the people you live with, so the boxes allow us to seat households together.  If you are coming as an individual, please don’t hesitate to sign up for one ‘box/spot’, and have your very own space.  Likewise a family of seven would need to sign up for 2 ‘boxes/spots’ (of 4 chairs each) to have sufficient chairs and safely social distance.
7. DON’T SIGN UP AND BRING FRIENDS INTO YOUR BOX.  That would violate the CDC’s social distancing guidelines.  If you don’t live in the same abode as the person, don’t bring them into your box.
8. PLEASE OBEY THE USHERS.  If the ushers give you an instruction, it is because of the governor and bishop’s guidelines that we are responsible for enforcing in order to open up.  Everyone who comes to Mass has the right to their good health and to ensure this as best we can, we enforce the best practices and rules that we sent to us by the relevant authorities.  If you cannot or choose not to abide by these rules, then please watch Mass on Facebook at home.  The dispensation from attending Mass is still in effect for all people in the Diocese of Arlington, whether your parish has re-opened or not.  The link to the FACEBOOK LIVE STREAMS IS HERE.

The Link To Sign Up to attend Mass in Person is HERE

There is yet another scam email claiming to be from Fr. Mosimann.  The scammers have created a ‘frmosimann’ gmail account and even added a picture, so it looks like it is from him.  Please please please remember that any email that is one line saying “I need a favor” or asking for money or gift cards is 100% always fake.  No clergy will ever send emails like this.  If you ever get an email and are even a little unsure, just call the office to check.

Live Streaming of Daily Mass and devotionals is happening on Facebook! Please click the following link to go to https://whttps://www.facebook.com/pg/stmaryfred/videos/?ref=page_internalww.facebook.com/stmaryfred/ to watch our current or past live streams of Mass, the rosary, and the Divine Mercy chaplet!  You are not required to create a Facebook Account to watch, just follow the link! The schedule is as follows:

 

Dear Folks,

It is with great joy that I can confirm that Bishop Burbidge, in accordance with the Governor’s Phase 1 re-opening plan, has permitted St. Mary to hold public Masses again starting Friday, May 15th! Sign-up via the links below is mandatory to attend all Masses. The Mass schedule (all Masses at Holy Cross Academy , 250 Stafford Lakes Parkway 22406) will be Monday through Friday at 12pm, Saturday 5pm, Sunday 8am, 10am, 12pm, 2pm Bi-Lingual. 

Please remember the bishop has dispensed the faithful from their obligation to attend Mass, and that dispensation will remain in effect for the foreseeable future.  That means absolutely no one HAS to attend Mass.  St. Mary will continue our live streaming schedule.  You can watch our livestream HERE.

Having said that, there will be some very important changes for Phase 1:

1. Masses will be in the gymnasium at our parish school: Holy Cross Academy.Entrance will be from the back of the building via the courtyard and exit will be out the front.
2. SPACE IS LIMITED. You MUST sign-up for the Mass you will attend via https://signup.com/go/XnhxTux If you are not signed up you will not be allowed to attend.  Family names & seats requested will be checked at the door.  Chairs are grouped in 2, 4, and 6 clusters so that families can sit together.  Chairs cannot be moved around in the gym.
3. You MUST wear a mask at all times. If you are unable or unwilling to abide by these rules, please watch Mass at home on the live stream
4. You MUST follow all instructions from the volunteers and staff. If you are unable or unwilling to abide by these rules, please watch Mass at home on the live stream
5. Please minimize entrance in and out of the building and any walking around.No socializing inside the building and refrain from using the restroom, emergencies only please.
6. Follow the arrows on the floor and respect the taped boundaries.
7. Please Do Not Attend Mass if you:

• Have felt unwell or had a fever in the past 14 days
• Have lung, heart, or diabetes issues
• Are immune compromised
• Are a caretaker, or live with someone with the above conditions.
• Especially encouraged to stay at home:
  • all children under the age of reason, especially those that will struggle to socially distance.
  • all persons over 65 years old,  all have been dispensed from Mass.

I understand how difficult it has been for you to have been deprived of the Eucharist months now, and how eagerly you have anticipated our return to public Masses.  Many of you will have tears of joy when you are able to receive Our Lord again!  Please know our priests have been praying for you every day, and eagerly await the opportunity to celebrate Mass together again.

 

Pax,

Fr. Mosimann

(Please note, the size of boxes is the maximum allowed in the box, not the minimum.  If there are only boxes of four left, and there are less than four in your family, sign up for the box of four anyway.)

 

 SIGN UP FOR MASSES HERE