The first ever St. John's Herald, a long-anticipated newsletter to communicate and stay connected with our Parish Family to share updates in the quickest way possible has been released. If we have an email address on file for you, you should see it in your email inbox soon! We also want to share the remote & online services we are able to offer this Lenten Season & beyond. Though we must remain physically closed, and COVID-19 may be affecting HOW we worship, connect & help our community - we don't have to let it stop WHAT we are doing... we need God and each other more than ever in this moment. We invite you to read on to see how you can join in & celebrate how strong we are as a Parish Family! ❤️

ST. JOHN'S HERALD

St. John's would like to shout out a huge THANK YOU to Babcia's Kitchen and Deb's Delights for sponsoring a drive-thru style pierogi sale last weekend!  And Thank You to all of our wonderful parishioners who took advantage of the convenience and purchased pierogis and other products.  We received a donation of $820.00 for all of your efforts! We can accomplish amazing things even during the difficult times if we all work together for God's good.  Please continue to show your support of Babcia's Pierogi & Deb's Delights. 

Our Pastoral Council is forming a St. John's Helpline so people who need help or have a question can contact the hotline (which is Pat Heslin) and help will be provided. Please call (716) 937-9293 (Pat Heslin) and she will get the information to someone who can help. Jennifer LeRoy, Stephanie Genco, Margaret Trembley, Pat Heslin, Everett Boone, and their team have come up with this terrific outreach plan. 

Our Pastoral Council is also making home care comfort kits to go home to shut-ins and those who request them with things such as: 
     Masks (paper or handmade for our seniors or any parishioner in need)
     Gloves
     Antiseptic wipes
     Hand sanitizer
     Granola bars (or other individually labeled healthy snacks)
     Crossword (or other) Puzzle/Activity books
     Chocolate or hard candy
     Rosaries (provided by Pam Turton and team)
**We also will include a card from children if we can get the kiddos to make some!
Any donations can be placed in the foyer in labeled bins. Thank you! We will then have one person sanitize all collected and make care packages and we hope to get them into the hands of those in need.

Spring Sweepstakes:  The Sweepstakes drawing that was to be held at the Parish Spring Dance on April 25th has been rescheduled to May 30th due to the ongoing Coronavirus outbreak. You can still send in your ticket and money to the rectory to make sure you have a chance to win some CASH!

Parish Town Hall Meeting:  Our scheduled Town Hall Meeting has been postponed.  We will publish the new date when known. 

Stations of the Cross:  We will not have Stations of the Cross at this time.  Please take the time to pray, reflect and be with your loved ones. Living Stations has also been canceled.

Bulletin:  During this time without Mass, we will not be printing out any bulletins until Easter.  

Masses and Sanctuary Light:  We will not be taking Mass requests for public Masses at this time.  Fr. Jim Walter is graciously offering Masses at his private residence for those with scheduled intentions at this time. If you would like to reschedule a Mass, please contact the Rectory to change the date.  

Tax Letters:  If you have not received your tax letter yet, please contact the rectory at 937-6959 and we will happily send it out to you.

Easter Flowers: Easter Flowers for the Altar are a tradition at St. John’s for remembering your deceased loved ones. If you would like to donate, please include $10 and the name of your loved one (typed or printed) in an envelope, which may be mailed or delivered to the rectory by Friday, April 12. (For office recording purposes, please also include your name and, if known, your parish envelope number. The names will be listed in the Easter bulletin and put on the website.

We are all on an emotional roller coaster. We are rightfully worried about the coronavirus and its impact on our family and ourselves, on our jobs and our future. Every time there is a new press conference, there seems to be more to worry about. In Italy, according to the Italian Conference of Bishops, 60 priests have died of the coronavirus. That is staggering. And the numbers of those stricken and dying increase exponentially every day. That brings us to our knees. After we pray, we realize that we must trust in Jesus who promises that the Father who created us loves us without exception, that His Spirit will be with us always, and that Jesus Himself is the way, the truth and the life.  We see that good people are working hard   taking care of the sick, finding cures and ultimately an immunization all of which is hopeful. And then we watch the news again and worry some more. It is a relentless emotional roller coaster, no matter how hard we try.

To make matters worse, most of us are cooped up at home with a lot of time to think and worry. Some are in situations where they are alone and no one can visit them. Fear and isolation are two very difficult emotional states to overcome. Others are overwhelmed by the constant presence of everyone we live with home all the time. As we reach the fifth Sunday of Lent, we find our Lenten journey so much different than when we started.  The readings, today, however give us the nourishment we need in the present circumstances in which we live. For your reference, the daily readings are available on the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Website: http://usccb.org/bible/readings/033020.cfm.

Our readings today focus on that which we celebrate on Easter: Resurrection. In the first reading (Ezekiel 37:12-14) the Old Testament prophet anticipates the day when the Lord God will “open your graves and have you rise from them.” In the Old Testament, the idea of Heaven and Resurrection evolve over time. By the last books of the Hebrew Scriptures, the Jews have begun to believe in life after death, in heaven, and in the idea of resurrection so humanity were ready for Jesus’ appearance on earth. In the second reading (Romans 8:8-11) St. Paul reminds us that those who are “in Christ,” that is those who believe, are infused with life in our mortal bodies through the Holy Spirit. God who raised Jesus from the dead will raise us from the dead into Eternal life.

The Gospel (John 11:1-45) is the compelling story of “the raising of Lazarus.” The drama around the ultimate outcome of Lazarus being brought back to life is described in detail through the emotions and reactions of all the main characters and the people around them. Martha’s outcry is the climax of emotions: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” So, the presumption was that Jesus had abandoned them or didn’t care despite the warnings that Lazarus was near death. We may be feeling a bit this way ourselves. “God, if you were here, all these people wouldn’t be sick and dying!”  Jesus said: “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live.” God does not will the virus nor the consequences, He wills our life. This is a thought worth reflecting on.

Merciful Father, you gave us shepherds as successors of the apostles to guide and govern your church.
We implore your Holy Spirit to guide the selection process as a new bishop is chosen to lead our diocese.
May he be a pastor filled with holiness and compassion who will foster healing and a greater love of your name.
Allow our hearts to be open to the candidate of your choosing so that, together as disciples of Jesus, we may continue to build your kingdom.   Amen.

 "Let us ask God to help us set out on a path of true conversion. Let us leave behind our selfishness and self-absorption, and turn to Jesus’ Pasch. Let us stand beside our brothers and sisters in need, sharing our spiritual and material goods with them. In this way, by concretely welcoming Christ’s victory over sin and death into our lives, we will also radiate its transforming power to all of creation."                                                                 Pope Francis, October 4, 2018