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Fr. Don's Weekly Letter ~ 3 October 2021
Dear Good People of Saint Bernadette,
This week Bishop Burbidge announced a new Strategic Plan for the Diocese which identifies our needs and establishes goals that will unite us. It is a result of extensive consultation with clergy, religious and laity over the past 11 months, with 26 focus groups and three surveys. Thousands of responses were received from parishioners across the Diocese.
With this input were established six focus areas, or pillars, and five corresponding goals for each, a total of 30. These goals are applicable at the diocesan, parish, family and individual levels. In the coming months they will be developed an action plan to implement them.
It is Bishop's hope that through these goals we will be united as a Diocese in a common focus of ministry that glorifies God and makes known the presence of his Kingdom on earth.
Vision: The Catholic Diocese of Arlington will glorify God by living the Gospel of Jesus Christ through reverent worship, loving evangelization, and committed charity to all.
Mission: In communion with the universal Church, we strive to be disciples of Jesus Christ by proclaiming the Kingdom of God in both Word and Sacrament throughout the Diocese, and by working together in the service of charity and mercy so that all may know the joy of the Gospel.
Pillars:
1. Revitalize evangelization and faith formation. We will empowerparishes to foster a culture of encounter that joyfully attracts people to the Life of Christ and the beauty of his Church.
2. Cultivate authentic discipleship in Christ. We will inspire and form parishioners to follow Jesus and the teachings of his Church so they actively engage in her apostolic mission.
3. Invigorate Catholic education for all. We will nurture students spiritually, intellectually and humanly so they can go out into theculture and positively transform it for the glory of God.
4. Strengthen parish and family life. We will build vibrant parish communities where people are welcomed and moved to engage in the sacramental and communal life of the Church.
5. Foster one communion of many cultures. We will foster understanding, respect and appreciation for the different cultural expressions of Catholicism so as to live as the one Body of Christ.
6. Deepen our commitment to charitable works. We will proclaim the Lord’s call to serve the poor so all are inspired to participate in theWorks of Mercy.
Each has five goals which may be found at the first link you will find on the diocesan website, www.arlingtondiocese.org.
The Lord be with you.
Streaming Masses and Announcements for the week of 26 September 2021
STREAMING SUNDAY AND WEEKDAY MASSES
Today's Live-Streamed Mass
Worship Aid for the 26th Sunday of Ordinary Time
Inviting all high school teens 9-12th grade to our Youth Ministry Kick-Off, next weekend, 26 September in the back parking lot behid the school. Join us for a cookout, games and fellowship. Parents are invited to stay for a brief talk discussion on how to make the program more effective and engaging for our young people. The kickoff follows the 5pm Sunday Mass - please join us.
Please plan to join Christ Church and other area houses of worship to purchase, pack and distribute 165k life-changing meals. In the midst of much change, we want to continue be a shining light for the world’s most vulnerable. See today’s bulletin or speak to a representative after all Masses this weekend for more information or signup here.
The second collection next weekend is for Parish Facilities and Maintenance. Thank you for your generosity. The Confirmation Retreat for those to be confirmed in November will take place virtually on Saturday morning, October 9. Sunday, October 3 is Respect Life Sunday. Join over 1,500 communities across North America as we participate in the 34th annual Life Chain, praying and quietly standing for the lives lost to abortion. LIFE CHAIN - a public witness to the sanctity of human life! We will form a chain along Franconia Road from 2:30-3:30pm. Our parish is assigned to gather in front of Key Middle School. Signs will be provided. Based on updated guidance released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), we recommend that everyone, including individuals fully vaccinated against COVID-19, wear a mask in public indoor settings.
Fr. Don's Weekly Letter ~ 26 September 2021
Dear Good People of Saint Bernadette,
Having just turned 60 last week, I wouldn't recommend it.
I vividly remember my dad turning 60 and I cried for a while. You know, one foot on the banana peel. Of course, he lived a while beyond, but to this 30 year-old at the time, it seemed o-l-d.
One weird effect of the experience is to now realize that I am pretty much as old as everyone else. People whom I believed quite older than I, I learn they are in their 60s. It is an eye opener. It has its good effect, too, because now I suddenly feel like the field has leveled and I might look up to myself as much as I look up to others. It's may take a while getting used to the idea. Please be patient while I settle back into the sixties.
There is a cute picture below of our preK kids singing happy birthday to me last week. They put these yard letters up and then made 60 birthday candles and held them up. Thanks to many of you for your well wishes and gifts, and cakes, and handmade cards, and even mangoes. You made it a great birthday.
I also wanted to mention this week that despite our best efforts we still have 7 religious education classes that just won't happen because we don't have teachers. We will have no choice but to simply ask these families to home school using our program materials. It is a failure to these kids.
The one thing most important to any group–not to mention a Church– is to pass on what you have received to the next generation. Our Tradition, our faith is so profound and beautiful! I realize that probably most parents just don't have the time or bandwidth, or conviction to take on this role as teacher of the faith for their own children, but in 26 years I've never seen classes canceled this late in the year. We are failing as a parish family. This is not something that you can read about in a book and make it mean anything. The practice of religion is passed from heart to heart by loving parents. If not, then hopefully by loving parishioners.
The Lord be with you.
Streaming Masses and Announcements for the week of 19 September 2021
RESERVATIONS ARE NO LONGER REQUIRED
Please see the COVID Response and Guide on the left for NEW COVID Protocols issued by the Bishop are effective Friday, 28 May 2021
STREAMING SUNDAY AND WEEKDAY MASSES
Today's Live-Streamed Mass
Worship Aid for the 25th Sunday of Ordinary Time Join us for Taizé Prayer, Monday, September 20, at 8pm. Come pray for Christian unity in our community and in the world. All Christians are warmly invited; invite your friends! Inviting all high school teens 9-12th grade to our Youth Ministry Kick-Off, next weekend, 26 September in the back parking lot behid the school. Join us for a cookout, games and fellowship. Parents are invited to stay for a brief talk discussion on how to make the program more effective and engaging for our young people. The kickoff follows the 5pm Sunday Mass - please join us.
Please plan to join Christ Church and other area houses of worship to purchase, pack and distribute 165k life-changing meals. In the midst of much change, we want to continue be a shining light for the world’s most vulnerable. See today’s bulletin or speak to a representative after all Masses this weekend for more information or signup here.
The second collection next weekend is for those impacted in the devestating earthquake in Haiti. Thank you for your generosity. The Confirmation Retreat for those to be confirmed in November will take place virtually on Saturday morning, October 9. Sunday, October 3 is Respect Life Sunday. Join over 1,500 communities across North America as we participate in the 34th annual Life Chain, praying and quietly standing for the lives lost to abortion. LIFE CHAIN - a public witness to the sanctity of human life! We will form a chain along Franconia Road from 2:30-3:30pm. Our parish is assigned to gather in front of Key Middle School. Signs will be provided. Based on updated guidance released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), we recommend that everyone, including individuals fully vaccinated against COVID-19, wear a mask in public indoor settings.
Fr. Don's Weekly Letter ~ 19 September 2021
Dear Good People of Saint Bernadette,
By now it has probably become obvious that we don't have the traffic control we formerly enjoyed at the entrance to our parish. In the past we paid overtime to off-duty police officers to help everyone safely on and off the property. Weekend Masses and, particularly, morning and afternoon school carpool have become a challenge.
At present, Fairfax County is down about 140 police officers and the police force is already called upon to work a lot of overtime. We submit our requests each month, and hope that officers will sign up, but lately this hasn't been happening. There doesn't seem to be a solution right now, but we are still looking into it.
Fairfax County does not allow non-officers to be deputized for traffic control and, as quickly as traffic goes past on the Old Keene Mill Speedway, I would not put anyone in such an unsafe situation. We have gone to the county a couple of times asking about the possibility of paying for a traffic light, but we have been told we are too close to the intersection at Daventry to add another light, and it would have to be approved by VDOT, who will not approve it.
For the time being, we can only ask everyone to be especially careful, particularly when leaving the parking lot and turning left onto the Speedway. Several times I have had a very close call when, watching cars coming from both directions, suddenly an eastbound car turns left into the property. Please, be careful. Turn right when leaving as much as you can.
Speaking about being careful, I wanted to thank everyone for continuing to be careful for each other. In many ways it seems that some people have relaxed their guard, but the more I am around families with children who do not yet have the benefit of a vaccine, I am reminded that the situation is just as real as it ever was, maybe even more now as the virus evolves. On behalf of those parents who are concerned, I want to offer a continued message of encouragement to exercise caution. Whatever we can do to keep the children safe we must do, and care for each other.
We have this sign in the staff break room which in the beginning I thought was a little preachy. It is a nice way to say "clean up after your mess," a message you usually see in break rooms in offices everywhere. But this one quotes Mother Teresa. It says something like 'don't wash the plate because it is dirty, or because you are supposed to. Wash the plate because you love the person who will use it next.' It came to mean something a little different to me during this time of pandemic. I hope we have learned simple ways to be more conscious of each other, ways which we can be helpful and supportive, basic ways of caring for others in our lives which help them and also make us better people. Simple tools which have made others' path a little easier, perhaps, which 'pay forward' the inspiration of how we can make our world a little kinder. I hope we never lose these insights as we move back into "ordinary" time.
The Lord be with you.
Streaming Masses and Announcements for the week of 12 September 2021
RESERVATIONS ARE NO LONGER REQUIRED
Please see the COVID Response and Guide on the left for NEW COVID Protocols issued by the Bishop are effective Friday, 28 May 2021
STREAMING SUNDAY AND WEEKDAY MASSES
Today's Live-Streamed Mass
Worship Aid for the 24th Sunday of Ordinary Time Last to call for those interested in becoming Catholic either by Baptism or Profession of Faith. If you or someone you know are seeking answers and might be thinking about joining the Catholic Church, please contact the parish office to register. The Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults begins tomorrow, Monday, 13 September.
There are several changes to this month’s youth ministry calendar and Confirmation retreat dates. Please see today’s bulletin announcements for more information.
Ladies, please join us for our first meeting of the Saint Bernadette's Women's group this year. Last year we met several times online, and it was obvious that we need to stay connected during these difficult times! Our first meeting of the year will be tomorrow, Monday, 13 September at 7pm in the school cafeteria. For more information, contact Barbara Dalmut - bdalmut@gmail.com
Please plan to join Christ Church and other area houses of worship to purchase, pack and distribute 165k life-changing meals. In the midst of much change, we want to continue be a shining light for the world’s most vulnerable. See today’s bulletin or speak to a representative after all Masses this weekend for more information or signup here.
The second collection next weekend is for Parish Facilities and Maintenance. Thank you for your generosity. Join us next week for the Taizé Prayer Service September, Monday, September 20 at 8pm. Come pray for Christian unity in our community and in the world. All Christians are warmly invited; invite your friends! We will formally take up a second collection in two weeks in support of those impacted by the earthquake in Haiti. If you would like to provide financial assistance, please make checks payable to The Catholic Diocese of Arlington, with Haiti Earthquake Disaster in the memo line.
Based on updated guidance released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), we recommend that everyone, including individuals fully vaccinated against COVID-19, wear a mask in public indoor settings.
Fr. Don's Weekly Letter ~ 12 September 2021
The Lord be with you.
Streaming Masses and Announcements for the week of 5 September 2021
RESERVATIONS ARE NO LONGER REQUIRED
Please see the COVID Response and Guide on the left for NEW COVID Protocols issued by the Bishop are effective Friday, 28 May 2021
STREAMING SUNDAY AND WEEKDAY MASSES
Today's Live-Streamed Mass
Worship Aid for the 23rd Sunday of Ordinary Time The second collection next weekend is for Religious Education. Thank you for your generosity.
We welcome all who might be discerning becoming Catholic either by Baptism or Profession of Faith. If you or someone you know are seeking answers and might be thinking about joining the Catholic Church, please contact the parish office to register. The Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults begins Monday 13 September.
There are several changes to this month’s youth ministry calendar and Confirmation retreat dates. Please see today’s bulletin announcements for more information.
We are still in need of volunteers for Religious Education classes this fall. Catechists and Aides are needed for both Sunday and Monday Sessions. Training, materials, and support is provided. Please contact Lynn Jones at the parish offices for details.
We will formally take up a second collection the weekend of 26 September to provide support to those impacted by the earthquake in Haiti on 14 August. If you would like to provide financial assistance in advance of the collection, please make checks payable to The Catholic Diocese of Arlington, with Haiti Earthquake Disaster in the memo line.
Based on updated guidance released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), we recommend that everyone, including individuals fully vaccinated against COVID-19, wear a mask in public indoor settings.
Parish offices will be closed on Monday, Sept. 6th in observance of Labor Day Holiday.
Fr. Don's Weekly Letter ~ 5 September 2021
Dear Good People of Saint Bernadette,
There was a reading at a weekday Mass last week and it stayed with me. We find ourselves in very challenging times—even if our world had to only deal with two or three of the profound tragedies causing so much suffering. The Haiti earthquake, hundreds of thousands of acres on fire in the west, the largest hurricanes to make landfall and most extreme weather in all of recorded history. All around the world autocrats are subjugating peoples and obscuring truth and justice. Floods and famines. Wealthy people are getting wealthier faster than ever before and poverty is overwhelming. Oh, and good old global pandemic continues just as strong as when it was at its worst.
Not that you aren't aware of all of this already (I hope I'm not the bearer of bad news), but it seems to be the shadow in the background of life these days, and I have encountered many people who are weary and worried about losing hope.
Remember the thing about shadows. They can't exist in light unless I have introduced something in the room which blocks the light and casts the shadow. Remember the light in Jesus' face at the transfiguration on Mount Tabor? That light emanates from you as well, and you must remember it when you encounter darkness.
The reading was from St. Paul's letter to the people of Thessaloniki. He says, "Concerning times and seasons, brothers and sisters, you have no need for anything to be written to you. For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief at night. When people are saying, “Peace and security,” then sudden disaster comes upon them, like labor pains upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
"But you, brothers and sisters, you are not in darkness, for that day to overtake you like a thief. For all of you are children of the light and children of the day. We are not of the night or of darkness. Therefore, let us not sleep as the rest do..."
Children of the light, of day. The Gospel that same day was about the power and authority with which Jesus spoke, astonishing the people. The power of his word was able to drive out evil, quiet storms, and at the same time quietly call each of us to himself.
When confronted with the uncertainty and worry of today, always remember the power and authority with which you have been reborn. With faith the size of a mustard seed—can I really command that mountain to be uprooted and cast into the sea? Have I ever really tried?
One thing I do know—God hasn't filled us with good gifts and then put us out in the street where it's every-man-for-himself. He has called us together because the power of the One flows through all of us and we have our identity because we are together. Last week: Be doers of the word and not just hearers! Let us help each other recall that power.
The Lord be with you.
Streaming Mass and Announcements for the Week of 29 August 2021
RESERVATIONS ARE NO LONGER REQUIRED
Please see the COVID Response and Guide on the left for NEW COVID Protocols issued by the Bishop are effective Friday, 28 May 2021
STREAMING SUNDAY AND WEEKDAY MASSES
Today's Live-Streamed Mass
Worship Aid for the 22nd Sunday of Ordinary Time Religious Education Registration is open on the parish website. Please tell your friends! We need everyone to be registered ASAP to help us plan for the fall. Classes begin Sunday, 19 September. Registration closes 31 August. It’s time to start thinking about RCIA. The Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults begins September 13 and we welcome all who are interested in learning more about our Catholic Faith. If you or someone you know are seeking answers and might be thinking about joining the Catholic Church, call and register for the process in the parish office.
All our Saint Bernadette choirs are welcoming new members. We have choirs for singers of all ages, including three adult choirs in English and Spanish, Children’s Choir for 1st through 6th grade and, starting this fall, the re-launch of our Youth Choir for 7th through 12th grade. For more information see stbernpar.org/praying/music-ministry or contact Director of Music Ministries David Mathers at 703-451-8575 x112 or dmathers@stbernpar.org We will formally take up a second collection the weekend of 26 September to provide support to those impacted by the earthquake in Haiti on 14 August. If you would like to provide financial assistance in advance of the collection, please make checks payable to The Catholic Diocese of Arlington, with Haiti Earthquake Disaster in the memo line. Checks can be mailed directly to the following address: Catholic Diocese of Arlington, PO Box 1960, Merrifield, VA 22116-1960 Based on updated guidance released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) last week, we recommend that everyone, including individuals fully vaccinated against COVID-19, wear a mask in public indoor settings.
