THE GOOD NEWS LETTER APRIL 24, 2020 MESSAGE FROM BISHOP WHEN DO WE REOPEN OUR DOHERTY CHURCHES? When the stay-at-home restrictions begin to lift, we Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ, will follow diocesan guidelines for reopening our We are facing difficult times. I understand churches. We do not yet have dates on when that some of what you’re each going through. For will occur, so even if the restrictions begin to lift on example, I haven’t been able to visit with my own May 1st, we may not yet be back in the pews. But mother since Christmas and her building has been on when we do reconvene, as we are all so anxiously lockdown for the last month. Each time I speak to a awaiting, more direction will be placed on healthcare. new person, clergy member, or business employer, I As you undoubtedly have heard many times by now, hear about the daunting circumstances that so many the following guidelines are recommended from the experience. People hunger to get back into church. CDC to help prevent the spread of germs: Decisions about Masses and sacraments are complex. o Stay home when sick. The recommended time I ask for your continued patience. frame is to stay home until fever free for at Our diocesan office of communications least 24 hours. continues to update information regarding news, o Avoid touching eyes, mouth, or nose with livestreamed Masses, prayer opportunities and unwashed hands. catechetical ideas for families on our website: o Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects https://dol-in.org/covid-19-updates. I will be and surfaces in the home/work place. celebrating Mass at Church of the Blessed Sacrament o Cover a cough or sneeze with a tissue. If one on Mother’s Day, May 10 at 8 a.m. Eastern time. is not available, cover cough or sneeze with This Mass will be livestreamed through the parish the inside of your elbow. Immediately dispose website: of used tissues. http://churchoftheblessedsacrament.yourstreamlive.c We hope by following these, we will help to keep om/ each other healthy and safe. We may be keeping to our shelters, but we can be united in Christ. We might be alone in our praying, but it brings us into a communion with the whole church. If you think that current events are JOIN TOGETHER IN PRAYER shocking and confusing, think about the Apostles – We need to join together in prayer, asking the their friend was killed and now he eats and talks with Lord, out of His Merciful love, to intervene and bring them. Into whatever disorientation we might be an end to this pandemic, heal those who are afflicted, feeling, invite the Risen Lord into our company – he and give all Christians the grace and courage to reach enters our space saying to us “Peace be with you.” out during this time of fear and anxiety, ministering And on our Lord’s behalf, I also wish you peace. the peace that comes from a deep relationship with In Christ’s peace, the Lord to those who are suffering from the virus or Most Reverend Timothy Doherty Bishop of succumbing to the growing fear. Lafayette-in-Indiana May the Lord bless all of you, along with (See this week’s The Catholic Moment for more from your dear families and loved ones, as we walk Bishop Doherty) forward together, in faith. We must remember that the Lord is Kind and Merciful. Praying, reading His word and reflecting upon it, will help us all to stay strong and be more fruitful as He uses us to show His kindness and mercy to others during this trying time. MARY BY many OTHER NAMES ROSARY PRAYER PROGRAM May is the month of Mary. How many names for Mary do you know? How does Mary get all these TO HELP new MOMS names? How Many of these do you use to invokes Throughout the month of May, in honor of Mary help through intercession? Take some time Mary and mother’s everywhere, we are asking each day of May to learn about a new title for Mary. parishioners to pray the rosary and keep track of each The internet is a great source to find not only names, one prayed. As we are not able to gather for Mass, or but reasons for the names and pictures of Mary from Mother’s Day celebrations, or other, this year we will art and apparitions. join in prayer through the holy rosary. Weekly, or at Mary is known by many different titles (Blessed the end of the month contact Diana with the total Mother, Madonna, Our Lady), epithets (Star of the number of times you prayed the rosary and a Sea, Queen of Heaven, Cause of Our Joy), donation for each one will be made to the Helping invocations (Theotokos, Panagia, Mother of Mercy) Hands Pregnancy Care Center in Montpelier for St. and other names. All of these titles refer to the same John’s and the Portland Pregnancy Care Center for individual named Mary, the mother of Jesus St. Mary’s. The prayer intentions can be for COVID- Christ and are used variably by Roman Catholics, and 19, to end abortion, personal intentions, or any other religions. purpose. Just keep track of your numbers and let us Many of the titles given to Mary are dogmatic in pass the power of prayer along. nature. Other titles are poetic and have lesser or no canonical status, but form part of popular piety. Yet more titles refer to depictions of Mary in the history of art. PLENARY INDULGENCE FOR There are several explanations of the significance of ROSARY the relatively large number of titles given to During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Church, Mary. Some titles grew due to geographic and through Pope Francis, grants a plenary indulgence to cultural reasons, e.g., through the veneration of all those who are suffering from the coronavirus, to specific icons. Others were related to Marian healthcare workers who are treating those affected, apparitions. and to all the lay faithful. In order to obtain the Mary's help is sought for a large spectrum of human plenary indulgence, Catholics must have the will to needs in varied situations. This led to the formulation fulfill the usual conditions as soon as possible and do of many of her titles (good counsel, Help of the Sick, one of the following spiritual acts: etc.). Moreover, meditations and devotions on the For those suffering from the coronavirus & different aspects of the Virgin Mary's role within the healthcare workers treating them: life of Jesus led to additional titles, such as Our Lady Attend Mass (even if this is only possible through of Sorrows. Still further titles have been derived video streaming). from dogmas and doctrines, such as, the Immaculate Pray the Rosary. Conception. --wikipedia.org Pray the Stations of the Cross. Here are just a few: Our Lady of the Rosary If Mass, Rosary, or Stations of the Cross is not The Blessed Virgin Mary in Nazareth possible, pray the Apostles’ Creed, an Our Father, Our Lady of Guadalupe and a Hail Mary. Our Lady of Perpetual Help For the rest of the lay faithful: Our Lady of Knock Visit the Blessed Sacrament. Our Lady of Lourdes Read the Bible for at least half an hour. Our Lady of Fatima Pray the Rosary. Our Lady of Mount Carmel Pray the Stations of the Cross. Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. Our Lady of Grace The spiritual act must be offered for the The Immaculate Heart of Mary following intentions: the end of the pandemic, relief Our Lady of Victory for those afflicted, and eternal salvation for those Our Lady Queen of Angels whom the Lord has called to himself. Our Lady of Loreto Alleluia is Our Song The season before Easter signifies the troubles of the life we live here and now, while Easter and the season following it are a foretaste and promise of the joy that will be ours in the future. Easter points to something we do not yet possess. This is why we keep the season before the feast with fasting and prayer; but when the fast has ended we devote these present In the words of the ancient hymn of the Early days to praise. This is the meaning of the Alleluia we Church, Christ has risen from the dead, trampling on sing. :: St. Augustine, Expositions on the Psalms death by death, and on those of the Tombs, lavishing I've seen a number of people comment that, life. In the words of Saint Augustine, "We are an with Lent marked by the anxiety, disruptions, and Easter people, and Alleluia is our song!" isolation of the COVID-19 crisis, Easter felt like a Celebrate! And remember, Easter is more than a goal or deadline to make. And now that we've entered day - it's the way. Easter is more than a day; it is into the blessed season of Christ's resurrection they a season. More importantly, it is a Way. A Way of don't know what to do! living our lives differently now in Him. This is something I'm sure many of us are In fact, the Easter celebration is eight days long wrestling with -- how can we be an "Alleluia people" (Octave of Easter) and opens into an entire Liturgical at this time? Season. We will celebrate Easter for fifty days until One suggestion is to look for ways to help.