KNEE REPORT #8
Latest news on my knee condition is that the latest blood tests showed that six weeks of antibiotic infusion therapy has done its job – the bacterial infection seems to be gone. All the blood work markers were not only in the normal range but very low in the normal range. This is really good news. Now I wait four more weeks to see if these numbers hold, and if they do, then a new knee replacement in August. Thanks again for your ongoing prayers and encouragement. It all helps. Thanks be to God!
BACK TO NORMAL! HOORAY!
Our St. Bernadette Parish Sunday Liturgy is returning to our pre-Covid normal celebration of the Holy Eucharist, as of this weekend. Did you notice the holy water fonts are filled again, and will be thoroughly cleaned each week hereafter? No more green dots on the pews for social distancing seating, although you are still encouraged to spread out in church, including the very front. Wearing masks is no longer required for those who are vaccinated. However, those not vaccinated are still expected to wear their mask out concern and care for yourself and others around you. The missalettes and hymnbooks are back in the pews. Now the ushers will pass the baskets through the congregation during the offertory as we used to do; no more baskets for your offering as you come into church. Then we will have an Offertory Procession with volunteers to bring up the collection basket and the bread and wine to the altar. Also we will start to have a server at every Mass, who will carry the processional cross for the entrance and the recessional, along with the lector carrying the lectionary for the reading of God’s Word.
However, Archbishop Rozanski and the national bishops have not allowed us yet to have communion of the precious Blood of Christ from the chalice.
The last 16 months have seemed interminable to most of us. Who would have imagined that something like this could have happened in our modern times? We have made it quite well up to this time here at St. Bernadette parish, but the coronavirus in its new variants continues to be a threat, unless everyone gets vaccinated who can. As your pastor, I encourage every member to help out our community by getting vaccinated so that all of us can feel more secure in the weeks and months ahead. May the Lord continue to guide and protect us! St. Bernadette Soubirous, pray for us!