Dear Parishioners and Friends of Saint Mary Parish,

This weekend, May 30-31, we will “re-open our Parish” to Saturday/Sunday Masses. We begin this reopening on a special, powerful and meaningful feast: The Feast of Pentecost, the Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles, also called the Birthday (Beginning) of the Church. After this long quarantine we are at a “new beginning” of our Parish and its spiritual life. The Holy Spirit, sent by the Lord Jesus, is with us as we start the “baby steps” to begin to walk and re-open our Parish. I invite you to read this letter closely because although everyone is invited, there are many, many of you who should remain at home for health and safety reasons.

This Sunday is Pentecost Sunday, a very important Feast Day in our Church Faith and Tradition. The gospel account of the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles is a great symbol of how the Holy Spirit will open wide the horizons of our minds and hearts. The power of the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, is unequaled in power in everyone's life.

Dear Parishioners and Friends of Saint Mary Parish,

On this past Monday we all greeted with joy the announcement of the Governor that our churches may now re-open. Because we all kept the principle of concern for others and then ourselves, our observance of quarantine and use of masks have allowed him to declare that we now begin re-opening by careful, cautious and deliberate steps which keep everyone safe and well. The Covid-19 virus has not gone away, but instead it has been curbed by everyone’s cooperation. We need to continue all these steps and procedures as we re-open our churches. We must begin by carefully preparing and then cooperating to keep everyone safe. Indeed the vulnerable and the elderly still need “to stay safer at home.” Cardinal Sean continues the dispensation for everyone who is older or has health conditions to miss Mass.

We need to remember that when we read from the Gospel of John, such as this weekend, we are reading a scripture passage which is written after a long time of reflection and living experience. John wrote his Gospel sometime between 90 A.D. and 100 A.D. In art John is symbolized as an eagle, mainly because he soars so high in his thoughts, expressions, and meaning. His Gospel begins with the eloquent words: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God …". We recognize that these starting words of John actually match up in theme and expression to the very first words of the Bible in the Book of Genesis. We discover in John that this special "Word" who was in the beginning with God, now begins his journey home to God. The journey of Jesus from Galilee to Jerusalem is the journey of the Word made flesh returning home by his Death and Resurrection.

The Gospel writer John in today's selected passage tells us that Jesus promises the Spirit. This promise is made during the very long talk that John has Jesus give at the Last Supper. The believers of then would have realized that John had assembled a whole series of quotes of Jesus and had made them prominent by placing them all together at the Last Supper. By John doing this, he is telling us to pay strict and close attention to all these words and quotes. He realizes that the various meanings of these words take power after the Death and Resurrection of Jesus. Indeed, John is the only Gospel writer who tells us the very important teachings and sayings which Jesus gave at the Last Supper. We know that the Apostles had heard these words, but that they needed a great deal of time to ponder and come to understand them. Do not forget that John says at the end of his Gospel that he has only written down so much of what Jesus said as there would not be enough books available for him to write into record all that Jesus said.

Dear Parishioners and Friends of Saint Mary Parish,

In listening to Governor Baker we can all start to prepare ourselves for the “re-opening” of our previous lives. To be sure it is still a little distant, but it seems to be in sight. We are still called to remember and value “the common good” as we are getting poised to start again. Letting up now would be a great mistake. We need, as Saint Paul says, “stay the course and finish the race”.For most of us our faith has allowed us to meet each day and deal with whatever has been the difficulties or problems. Remembering the grace that faith gives to us to be strong and hopeful helps us to deal with Isolation, fear or worry. We are always blessed by the Lord and surrounded by his light and grace.

When I drive down Union Street to where it meets King Street, when I am stopped at the lights, I can see a big construction site just beyond the lights. In a sense I look forward to checking up on it each time I come to the lights. I get to see the progress of it all. I note how it has taken many steps and many different construction trades to build it. Of course, it starts with the General Contractor who has to put it all together. He/They are the ones who have to get the site surveyed correctly, the hole dug for the foundation, and then the forms built and poured for it all. Framers, insulators, plumbers, electricians, insulators, and all sorts of tradespeople and craftspeople have to work on this project. Lots and lots of building supplies are needed. Whether it is a big building or a house, each requires a lot of tradespeople and craftspeople and also supplies and materials. Are you aware that today's readings actually show us a similar construction plan for the church?

Dear Parishioners and Friends of Saint Mary,

As the days lengthen with the beauty of the sunlight and warmth, most of us are desiring to gather with family and friends on weekends to enjoy their love and friendship, but it is still not yet possible. The outside temperature has started to warm u during the day, but still it is cool enough to dampen about of the desire for the outdoors. The wheel of life and time continues to turn and we know that this Sunday, May 10, 2020 is Mother’s Day. On this day we honor all those who cared for us as our Mothers. This is the wonderful remembrance day of “Mother’s Day.” Also, hidden a little bit in our unconscious is that this is the season for First Communion’s, Weddings and Graduations.

During these weeks that all of us are trying to cooperate as closely as possible with the Directives of “stay at home” and “social distancing”, our daily life can get a little too close and people can get a little too sensitive. Usually behavior that can be let go can sometimes, can become a major irritant. The friction of being together so much and not having our regular life can cause all sorts of problems. We can forget about the larger common good and go back to the regular narcissistic orientated culture that we had lived in and functioned in each day “What is best for me is really best for everyone.”

Dear Parishioners and Friends of Saint Mary Parish,

I remember the great Polio Epidemic of the mid-nineteen fifties. My memory is that of a little boy who really did not understand a lot about it. As I recall we were delayed from returning to school in September and ended up spending a few more weeks at my Grandmother’s house in Scituate. We also learned new and important rules about hygiene. We were told never to use anyone else’s used silverware, never drink from some else’s glass or cup or never eat from their plate. We also were told never drink from a public water (“bub-lah”). We all remember some of the young people who contracted polio and had to use iron lungs for a long time.

The last two months have certainly altered our perceptions and understandings about our daily world and life. It appears that whatever people were seeking and whatever things people thought were foundational or essential to life have certainly changed or been shifted. The closedown of our daily life as we know it and the imposing of "social distancing" have caused many people to ponder in positive and also negative ways the meaning of their lives, what their past has been, and also what their future may be like. These past months have allowed and sometimes forced people to ask about "who and what really matters in life." Before all this, many people had been traveling along just presuming everything which we have was good and everything we desired was even better.

Dear Parishioners and Friends of Saint Mary's,

We are now two weeks after Easter and coming to the wonderful days when there is long hours of sunlight and hopefully, after all it is New England, of warmer days. Last Saturday reminded us of how quickly weather can change in New England, real snow on the ground in the middle of April, and then the next day sunlight and almost warmth in the air. Although most of us do not admit easily change, especially rapid change and the accompanying confusion is upsetting. When we lose the ritual and rhythms of our life, we often get confused, angry or lost.

It is certainly very strange to be writing about the Sunday after Easter when in a certain sense there has been no Easter Celebration here at Saint Mary's. The intense days of Holy Week from Palm Sunday through the Easter Vigil and on to Easter Sunday have not taken place as they usually do. Gathering in front of the flat screen to unite ourselves in prayer with either Cardinal Seán at our Cathedral in Boston or with Pope Francis in Saint Peter's Square in Rome may help our inner being and spiritual self, but it simply does not take the place of physically coming to our holy ground and lifting up our hearts and souls to our God who has loved us.

Dear Parishioners and Friends of Saint Mary Parish,

Growing up in Roslindale on my street there were 4 churches within a five minute walk of my home. Almost across the street was the United Methodist Church and just 4 houses up from us was Sacred Heart (Catholic) Church. On Easter Sunday, I could hear the bells from both. The Methodist Church played “Let the holy anthems rise” and the Catholic Sacred Heart played “Jesus Christ is risen today.” Both hymns are great expressions of faith in the Risen Lord. I must confess I have always liked the “Let the holy anthems rise” much better, though I like both. I think it is because of the melody of the hymn. At Mass a lot of our music which we sang was the atonal plain chant. The tonal flatness of chant may be soothing, but overtime it can make go everything flat. Regular music (polyphony) was for entrance and recessional hymns most of the time. Music is said to be able to express what is in one’s soul. Certainly the various tones and rhythms of modern music can accomplish this. Gregorian Chant which seems to come from Asian chanting can calm the heart and comfort the spirit, but it does not seem to make one come alive. Here at Saint Mary’s the blending of these two styles of music under the direction of our most talented and capable Music Director Terry Kerr allows all of us to have a stilled heart and an alive spirit.

Who could have imagined in their wildest dreams — even writers of high tech futuristic space alien dramas could not have foreseen — that we would not be gathering in our holy sanctuary at Saint Mary's Franklin to proclaim and sing Alleluia! on this Easter Sunday 2020. Or that the most beautiful service of Holy Thursday when we remember the Institution of our most precious and sacred gift of the Holy Eucharist would come and go this year only by watching it on TV. I have always treasured the Stations of the Cross of Good Friday. To me, they speak much more than the Evening Service. I feel the loss of this beautiful devotional celebration this year very deeply. For those who attend the elaborate ritual of the Easter Vigil which is celebrated with Fire, Water and Word, it must still the heart to miss those deeply spiritual ceremonies in our church.

Dear Parishioners and Friends of Saint Mary's,

This evening we begin the Solemn Celebration of the "Sacred Triduum," which means we gather to celebrate Holy Thursday and the Institution of the Holy Eucharist, Good Friday and the Lord' Death, and also on Saturday evening the Easter Vigil and on Sunday Easter Mass, both which proclaim with great joy that Christ is risen from the dead.

Certainly this year Palm Sunday 2020, which is the portal to all of Holy Week and the Great Easter Celebration, has taken on a strange way. We are not able to gather in our holy church and hear the proclamation of Our Lord's triumphant entrance into Jerusalem. We are not able to listen with our hearts to the stirring words of the Passion and Death of Jesus as proclaimed at the time of the Gospel Passion Narrative. At best we can listen with devotion and participate with our hearts as the Great Services of Holy Week take place on the Catholic Channel. This year we join with millions of others throughout the world in a very different way. We shall be using TV as the substitute for our local parish church. Passion Sunday introduces us to the Great Week—Holy Week. Nonetheless, we are followers of Jesus Christ and his Way and this coming week we will with fidelity and devotion remember the great story of the reality of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Media, even the advanced media of today, is not a substitute for physical presence and contact. We know that, as much as we Skype or Facetime our family and friends, we still yearn to see them face to face and to hug them closely.

Dear Parishioners and Friends of Saint Mary's,

During the Virtual Retreat offered by Cardinal Seán, he spoke of the inspiring hymn "All I ask of you is forever to remember me as loving you."

This hymn, which we often sing with passion, will have great meaning if we launch our new-style Holy Week 2020 with remembering how the Lord Jesus has loved us. In the good times, in the bad times, in the lost times, in the scary times, and actually in all times the Lord has always loved us and surrounded us with his grace. This week as we are able to watch on the Catholic Channel on our cable system or via the website catholictv.org, we will be celebrating in faith how the Lord has loved us. We remember and celebrate that he has lived, died, and risen from the dead for each and every one of us.