News - March 2020 RSS Feed

Dear Parishioners of St. Mary’s,   We hope that this letter finds you well.  You and your loved ones are in our prayers each day during this difficult time. We are writing to you about prayer in this time of pandemic. Bishop McManus has asked that each parish in our diocese take one day - one 24 hour period - during which,  from home, one or more of our parishioners would pray 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.   

The Covid-19 Pandemic continues to impact every aspect of our daily lives. The uncertainty of when life will return to normal can be overwhelming and even frightening. We long to return to our familiar routines at home, at work and in the community.

Hearing confessions in a time of pandemic is one of the great pastoral challenges we face in these days before Easter.  There is a unique solution which maintains the minimum "social distance" of six feet (keeping both confessor and penitent safe) and respects the privacy of the penitent coming for confession. Here is how it works...

Parishioner, Nancy Hughes has been coordinating and working with over 30 sewers in the parish and Shrewsbury community to sew face masks to help alleviate the national shortage in medical-grade protective gear that medical workers are facing. T

When we were in the seminary, none of us could have dreamed that we would one day be faced with the situation we are in today with no public celebrations of the Liturgy, including Sunday Mass and all our other gatherings being cancelled.

On Wednesday, 18th, March  Phil Lemieux, Jen Smith, and Martha Serafin's high school religious education classes were scheduled to cook and serve a meal at the Mustard Seed.  Due to the COVID 19 restrictions students were no longer able to gather together to cook the meal.

Join us for Mass at St. Mary's on Facebook, Flocknote, Parish Website and Shrewsbury Channel 28.  During these days when we are prevented from celebrating Mass together, Father Javier will celebrate Mass on Wednesday and Friday mornings at 9:00am live streaming from St. Mary's Parish Facebook page ( @StMarysShrewsburyMA).  Msgr. Mike will celebrate Mass for the 4th Sunday of Lent on video which will be posted to the parish website ( stmarysparish.org/massrecordings) and Channel 28 or 328 on your television this Sunday.  Let us remain united in prayer during these days when we are separated from one another.

My dear friends in Christ, As we confront almost hourly news reports about rising cases of Coronavirus, additional measures to restrict exposures to the threat of this insidious virus, and concerns about our own health and the wellbeing of our loved ones, we can become very anxious.  

In cooperation with Governor Baker's announcements yesterday, the Diocese of Worcester has issued the following statement by Bishop Robert J. McManus, Bishop of Worcester:

St. Mary Parish is committed to the health and well-being of the entire community. We are closely monitoring the Coronavirus (COVID-19) situation and following the recommended course of actions from state, local, and government authorities as well as the recommendations of Bishop McManus. 

What a great turnout and a wonderful community event at our 10th Annual Lenten Fish Fry last night! We served 876 people this year!! Thank you to Bob Terry for coordinating this wonderful event and the over 100 volunteers who pitched in before, during and after the Fish Fry this year!