Distance Learning...Distance Praying...Distance Serving...Still Connected at St. Mary's

We remain a community that is spiritually united together though we are physically apart. Our parish staff members are working remotely from home and spending some time at the Pastoral Center and we are all finding new ways to stay connected.

We Are United in Prayer!

Through Facebook we have been able to livestream daily Mass with Fr. Javier & Msgr. Mike.  We've been recording Sunday Masses and posting them online as well as sending them to Shrewsbury Media to televise.   Families are participating in Masses from their homes and sharing photos.   Over  80 parishioners registered to pray over a 24 hour period from their homes for an end to the coronavirus pandemic, the healing of the sick, the salvation of the dead and the protection of healthcare workers and those who keep the necessities of life flowing in our nation and throughout the world.   Some provided photos of their prayer space in their homes.    Several  Light of the  World  prayer groups are regularly connecting on Zoom to pray together.  Rosary  Group  member,  Elaine Ford, leads us in the Rosary on Saturday mornings on Facebook Live.
 

Our Ministries are Active!

Our  Music Ministry members,  E rin  Connelly & Rick Vacca participate in our Sunday Mass recordings.   Lectors Nancy Hughes, Jack Collins, Marti Page, Thomas Pitney, Greg Morelli, Elaine Ford, Susan Zybert, Michele Murray, Dan Malo, Ellen O'Connor volunteered to serve at during the Holy Week and continue to serve at our Daily and Sunday Masses.  Our  Social Justice, Finance and Pastoral Council  Ministries are staying connected with Zoom meetings.  Our  Art & Environment Ministry members,  Lisa Ferguson &  Marie Cicuto, decorated the empty church so that parishioners could see the church decorated as it always is during Holy Week & Easter.

Outreach Continues!

Volunteers have continued to sew and coordinate delivery of facemasks to help slow the spread of COVID-19 and conserve PPE used by healthcare workers.   We still have been able to serve meals at the Mustard Seed!  Over   20 parishioners  donated  food and made sandwiches needed to prepare 125 bagged lunches and dropped them off in the parish parking lot for delivery to the Mustard Seed.   Fr. Javier  is one of nineteen priests in the diocese who have been trained to be designated ministers to the sick.  This ministry allows Fr. Javier and the trained priests to provide the sacraments to those who are sick.  Though we are not able to visit parishioners at this time,  Msgr. Mike, Fr. Javier and  Vi Jefferson  continue to call the homebound weekly and send cards and the bulletin to their homes.   Bridgid Rubin and  Terry Waite are coordinating volunteers for our upcoming week (April 19, 26) to support the homeless families through the Interfaith Hospitality Network.  Gift cards donated by parishioners have been delivered to St. Anne’s. Food Pantry.  25 parishioners have volunteered to help shop for seniors and the homebound that cannot go out.
 

Learning Continues!

Students from St. Mary School have been participating in distance learning since March 17th.  Teachers are connecting with their students online utilizing Zoom for classroom meetings and through email.  The school community stays connected through prayer with a different school family offering the morning prayer each day through an online video.  With only a few weeks remaining for CCD classes, books and material have been provided for parents to finish the year of faith formation at home.   Kathy Canfield has provided some media resources for families as well as suggestions for service.