March 29, 2020

St. Peter’s Church Will Remain Closed During Holy Week

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

Peace be with you!

Our diocese has announced that all the churches will remain closed during Holy Week. All priests must follow the diocesan pastoral directive in the time of COVID-19. Therefore, there will be no public Masses in the church during Holy Week. All the faithful are encouraged to attend (watch) Mass spiritually by means of livestreamed Mass online if they can get it. But, above all, we should not give up our daily prayers in this holy season. Our faith will be strengthened by reading and meditating on the daily Mass readings; our hearts will be satisfied by spiritually receiving Holy Communion; and our family will be truly united by praying together.

The coronavirus crisis can become a grace for us if we use this time to live out our Christian life. Pope Francis encourages us to have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ in this time. Let us pray to our Lord Jesus and trust his mercy. The Lord Jesus is with us all the time and never abandons his Church. Let us pray daily in union with the Universal Church.

 I also encourage you to read Pope Francis’ whole homily before his Urbi et Orbi blessing on March 27, 2020. Our Holy Father shows us the genuine way to face this coronavirus pandemic. I would like to quote his words here as my message to you also. He says:

 Embracing his cross means finding the courage to embrace all the hardships of the present time, abandoning for a moment our eagerness for power and possessions in order to make room for the creativity that only the Spirit is capable of inspiring. It means finding the courage to create spaces where everyone can recognize that they are called, and to allow new forms of hospitality, fraternity and solidarity. By his cross we have been saved in order to embrace hope and let it strengthen and sustain all measures and all possible avenues for helping us protect ourselves and others. Embracing the Lord in order to embrace hope; that is the strength of faith, which frees us from fear and gives us hope. (Urbi et Orbi blessing on March 27, 2020)

I assure you that I keep you all in my prayers and daily Mass. May the Crucified Lord heal our wounds and comfort our hearts and bring peace to the world. Amen! Alleluia!

Peace and joy in the Lord,

Fr. Anthony Chen

Pastor at St. Peter’s International Parish