4/8/2020 My Brothers and Sisters in the Risen Christ: Oh, how our Lent has changed! We began with Ash Wednesday, and I told you to look at your gifts. What is it you have to give? Who are you? Little did we realize that those are the tools that would be put into practice and help us through a most unusual time. Who would have imagined that fasting for us in Lent would mean fasting from our accustomed freedoms? Who could have known fasting would mean giving up many things we take for granted, but ordinarily would have never “given up” for Lent? On Holy Thursday, there will be no feet to wash. On Good Friday there will be no procession to kiss the cross. On Holy Saturday there will be no crowds gathered around the roaring Easter Fire. Easter Sunday morning, there will be no Easter parade of faithful people filling our churches around the globe. This year, all these things will have to take place in our hearts. Yes, we celebrate in our hearts. We know that Resurrection is coming. We do know that Hope is coming. Faith is coming, and as we adjust to whatever this unforeseen future holds, Love is coming, and it is already here. No matter where we are at; we are Church. A Church that prays and a Church that cares. Let us truly celebrate Holy Week and Easter in our Hearts. On Tuesday, April 7th, late afternoon, we received an e-mail from Bishop Pates on a few things: 1.) On Monday, Governor Pritzker along with his coronavirus task force conducted a conference call with our bishops and religious leaders of the State of Illinois. They were told church parking lot activity of any sort is banned until the stay at home directive is lifted. Bishop Pates tells us to please cancel now any church parking lot activity that may have been scheduled such as confessions, blessing of Easter food baskets, etc. The Governor emphasizes that his directive is intended to keep people at home. 2.) Bishop Pates will bless Easter baskets electronically at 9:00 a.m. on Holy Saturday. On our parish website, there is a link provided with Holy Week services with Bishop Pates. The time listed is when it will be live to watch and you can also watch it "on-demand" after its recording. Our website can be accessed at www.ctklombard.org and the Diocese of Joliet at www.dioceseofjoliet.org. 3.) If you have a landline, you most likely will be receiving a recorded message from Bishop Pates wishing you a Happy Easter, and that he/we stand with you at this difficult time. 4.) The bishops are researching the Order of Celebration for Mercy Sunday. This information will be forthcoming. THANK YOU for your continued financial support of our parish. Your on-line giving, mailing in and dropping off of envelopes is so very kind of you. We are all so very blessed here with generous support of finances and prayers. God Bless you and your loved ones this Holy Week and Easter…………Fr. Jeff .