UPDATED: 3-17-2020
Dear Friends,
As a community that has been formed by Ignatian spirituality, we are grounded in a tradition of discernment. This tradition invites each of us to take in the experiences and feelings from our daily lives and use our God-given gifts of intellect and reason to respond to the call of the Holy Spirit. We have been, and will continue to be, challenged to prayerfully consider what is happening in our city and our world, and we have the choice to respond with creativity, compassion, and hope.
This past week I have witnessed such responses. I am moved by the many volunteers who have stepped up to support outreach efforts, both within Bellarmine and the surrounding community. I have heard inspiring stories of creative social safety nets being developed to assist those most in need at this time. Our own parish staff has done a quick pivot and are working hard to identify and discover new ways to connect with you, help you connect with one another, share resources, and join together in prayer.
At the recommendation of the Governor, health officials, and the bishops of Ohio, we have made substantial changes to our parish schedules, including the suspension of all public Masses. Please continue to check http://bellarminechapel.org/covid19 for the latest updates.
First, I want to assure you that Bellarmine Chapel remains open, even as we suspend all public liturgies. The chapel will be open for private prayer throughout the day. The Cincinnati Jesuit Community will livestream a daily Mass from their private community chapel Mon-Fri at 5 PM. Bellarmine Chapel will also livestream a Sunday Mass every weekend.
In addition to these specific Masses, the work of the parish will continue. We are preparing resources for parishioners and working to support small faith sharing groups and other parish gatherings through video and teleconferencing. As we continue to work at this time, we also rely on your generosity as a parish. Sunday offertory will now be collected through our online giving channel or you can call the parish office (513-745-3398) to support Bellarmine.
Also, we are continuing to seek volunteers and ideas to help our community during this challenging time. If you can help please fill out the volunteer form on our website or if you find yourself in need right now please fill out the assistance-needed form on our website, or reach out to any of the parish staff so that we can help.
There will be a lot of noise and anxiety in the next few weeks and months, but there will also be the calm, constant, and steady voice of God. Even in the midst of increasingly intrusive changes to our daily lives, all of us can continue to help each other pay attention to God’s voice amidst the noise. I am reminded of what I put in our Lenten reflection email this past Sunday. Mr. Rogers famously noted that in times of crisis, he would remember something his mother told him:
“Always look for the helpers,” she’d tell me. “There’s always someone who is trying to help.” I did, and I came to see that the world is full of doctors and nurses, police and firemen, volunteers, neighbors, and friends who are ready to jump in to help when things go wrong.
Please take some time to watch for the helpers. We will follow them and together we will hear the calm, constant, and steady voice of God.
Together in prayer,
Fr. Eric
Dear Friends,
As a community that has been formed by Ignatian spirituality, we are grounded in a tradition of discernment. This tradition invites each of us to take in the experiences and feelings from our daily lives and use our God-given gifts of intellect and reason to respond to the call of the Holy Spirit. We have been, and will continue to be, challenged to prayerfully consider what is happening in our city and our world, and we have the choice to respond with creativity, compassion, and hope.
This past week I have witnessed such responses. I am moved by the many volunteers who have stepped up to support outreach efforts, both within Bellarmine and the surrounding community. I have heard inspiring stories of creative social safety nets being developed to assist those most in need at this time. Our own parish staff has done a quick pivot and are working hard to identify and discover new ways to connect with you, help you connect with one another, share resources, and join together in prayer.
At the recommendation of the Governor, health officials, and the bishops of Ohio, we have made substantial changes to our parish schedules, including the suspension of all public Masses. Please continue to check http://bellarminechapel.org/covid19 for the latest updates.
First, I want to assure you that Bellarmine Chapel remains open, even as we suspend all public liturgies. The chapel will be open for private prayer throughout the day. The Cincinnati Jesuit Community will livestream a daily Mass from their private community chapel Mon-Fri at 5 PM. Bellarmine Chapel will also livestream a Sunday Mass every weekend.
In addition to these specific Masses, the work of the parish will continue. We are preparing resources for parishioners and working to support small faith sharing groups and other parish gatherings through video and teleconferencing. As we continue to work at this time, we also rely on your generosity as a parish. Sunday offertory will now be collected through our online giving channel or you can call the parish office (513-745-3398) to support Bellarmine.
Also, we are continuing to seek volunteers and ideas to help our community during this challenging time. If you can help please fill out the volunteer form on our website or if you find yourself in need right now please fill out the assistance-needed form on our website, or reach out to any of the parish staff so that we can help.
There will be a lot of noise and anxiety in the next few weeks and months, but there will also be the calm, constant, and steady voice of God. Even in the midst of increasingly intrusive changes to our daily lives, all of us can continue to help each other pay attention to God’s voice amidst the noise. I am reminded of what I put in our Lenten reflection email this past Sunday. Mr. Rogers famously noted that in times of crisis, he would remember something his mother told him:
“Always look for the helpers,” she’d tell me. “There’s always someone who is trying to help.” I did, and I came to see that the world is full of doctors and nurses, police and firemen, volunteers, neighbors, and friends who are ready to jump in to help when things go wrong.
Please take some time to watch for the helpers. We will follow them and together we will hear the calm, constant, and steady voice of God.
Together in prayer,
Fr. Eric
| Letter to the Parish - Coronavirus Update 3/17/2020 |