Dear Parishioners and Friends of Historic Saint Paul Parish,
I have many things to report to you to keep our communication up to date and transparent.
BUILDINGS: CHURCH, BROSSART & AVE
To keep everyone safe – parishioners and staff – we have had the locks to the church building, Brossart House, and the Ave Maria Building changed. We had no idea who had keys to these buildings and, thus, could not require accountability. Now every key has a number and a careful log kept regarding why a person has a key. If issued a key, one will understand the expectations for care of the building when using the key. Keys will be issued only if necessary and usually for a temporary period. Presently, only a few staff have keys in order to safeguard the church from becoming a place wherein the COVID-19 virus is spread. No keys will be issued to any parishioner until after the threat of COVID-19 has passed.
Brossart House, too, needs to be secure, as does the Ave Maria building and keys will not be issued, except to staff, for any of these buildings until the threat of the virus has passed
We are in unprecedented times and my obligation, as your pastor, is to safeguard the flock entrusted to my care. I take that obligation seriously.
We are in discussion with the company that cleans the church building to make sure their cleaning complies with directives issued to keep those using the buildings safe from the virus. This is an ever-changing situation and I will keep you informed regarding specifics.
BROADCAST MASSES AND DEVOTIONS
You may wonder about the video recording of Masses and Devotions; we comply with social distancing and safety protocols while engaging in this ministerial outreach. Daniel Cooper and Patrick Mason are responsible for video and editing; they are present as am I for the Mass in English. They are also present with me and Deacon Ramon for Mass in Spanish. These are broadcast from the living room turned chapel at Brossart House.
The May Devotion was broadcast from the Our Lady of Guadalupe side altar in the church building. Daniel was responsible for videography, Sister Clara shared the reflection, and JR was on the loft providing music and song. All protocols for social distancing were observed.
Our Mother’s Day Rosary, Crowning, and Devotion will be broadcast at 12 noon on Mother’s Day and remain online for the duration of May. It can be accessed via the Facebook feed on our parish website or via Facebook at these links https://saintpaul.cdlex.org/ or https://www.facebook.com/stpaullex/ Again, Daniel is responsible for videography, JR ministers from the loft, I preside, and Ginny Ramsey delivers the reflection – all of us safeguarding the other and abiding by social distancing protocols.
OPENING UP CHURCHES FOR WORSHIP
You may have heard the Governor state that as of May 20 places of worship are among those places that may open while abiding by strict guidelines. That does NOT mean that Historic Saint Paul Church will open the following Sunday. We have no idea when we might open and how that opening will look. There is still so much more to be determined by the Diocese first who will issue initial guidelines for the parishes and institutions and then we will discern their application at the parish level. To that end, and so that any decisions we make might be competent, JR is putting together a St. Paul COVID-19 Response Team made up of medical professionals who will advise us as we make decisions regarding how and when we will offer Mass with a congregation present in the church building.
Again, I have an obligation to safeguard every person - parishioners and visitors - from the possibility of contracting COVID-19 from symptomatic or asymptomatic persons while attending worship or on our campus and I take that responsibility seriously. In fact, your parish leadership all take that responsibility seriously.
PARISH OFFERTORY
If you can go online and make a commitment for your weekly offering it would help us tremendously. https://saintpaul.cdlex.org/onlinegiving You can also contact your bank and do a monthly or weekly draft/direct deposit that is sent directly from your account, just like how you pay your bills online. These are the best ways to share with your parish and are the safest ways. We need your help to bridge the gap that is left because of our inability to gather in-pew. I know these days are tough and if you have lost your job or cannot make ends meet, please disregard this plea. But, if God has blessed you with enough – or more than enough – please consider sharing enough - or more than enough - with your parish during these rough times for all of us. To those who have and continue to respond so generously to our parish needs, I offer my heartfelt gratitude.
OPEN DOOR LUNCH HOUR
Inspired by the Gospel mandate to serve those in need, we have continued our lunch sharing during the pandemic. More than 400 lunches were served last month with proper social distancing and protocols observed. For many sisters and brothers, this is a blessing and it our opportunity to give them each day their daily bread, just as Jesus asked. If you can help by sharing food or funds, the bulletin will fill you in regarding how.
CATHOLIC ACTION CENTER NEEDS
Ginny Ramsey tells us that there is a great need for coffee for both the elderly sisters and brothers in isolation at Cliffview and the residents at the Lexington location. COVID-19 precautions prohibit personal delivery of coffee (or anything) to the door at the Catholic Action Center. If you would like to be part of our social outreach ministry at Historic St. Paul and provide coffee for our sisters and brothers at CAC, please place an order through Amazon and have it sent directly from Amazon to The Catholic Action Center, 1055 Industry Road, Lexington, KY, 40505.
WEEKLY BULLETIN
Our weekly bulletin is online. You can access it via our website or at http://discovermass.com/church/st-paul-lexington-ky/#bulletins You can sign up and have it delivered right to your email inbox every week. Even when we can get together in person, the electronic distribution of the bulletin will be the safest way to get the weekly parish news. I write a weekly note as does Sister Clara. If you haven’t been reading our bulletin, please do.
ENDEAVORS ON HOLD
In order to safeguard the health of all involved we have put on hold two major endeavors. The organ restoration for which a friend of the parish left us a sizeable amount to accomplish is put on hold until diocesan and civic protocols deem it safe to resume. Our Stations of the Cross restoration and installation of Station lighting is also put on hold until the same protocols deem it safe to resume. I will keep you abreast of any changes.
CONFIRMATION, FIRST COMMUNION, FUNERALS, WEDDINGS, ETC.
No Funeral Masses take place in the church while social distancing is in effect. Graveside services are held with no more than 10 people present including the priest or deacon. Weddings have been postponed. First Communion, Confirmation, and the sacraments of initiation for the Elect who were to be welcomed into the Church at the Easter Vigil are all postponed and no decisions regarding when these may take place have been made.
COMMUNITY GARDEN LAND
The small plot of land given us several years ago by Juan Ortega that was used as a community garden is in the process of, hopefully, being sold. The garden was vandalized, and we discerned it was to difficult to maintain a watchful eye on it being so far from our campus. We will use part of the money for our share of the Habitat for Humanity build if it sells. I’ll share more as the process unfolds.
I hope that you are staying healthy at home and that you know your parish staff cares deeply for your wellbeing – physical, mental and spiritual. If we can do anything for you, please call us. While our office is necessarily closed, Lynn our Office Manager is working hard remotely and is virtually present to serve us.
Please remember us in your daily prayers – and please remember your daily prayers! Especially this month, try to pray the Rosary every day, or at least a decade.
In corde Iesu,
Fr. Richard Watson
Pastor