St. Timothy Parish

Updated Wednesday, June 3, 2020 

Dear St. Timothy Parishioners:

Greetings to you all as we begin the month of June: significantly, at least two issues are the backdrop to our lives: the Coronavirus easing of restrictions (but still dangerous), and also the protests (and rioting).  This week too though, we are joyous at our own parish school's graduation.  

This week we are celebrating, mostly remotely of course, in creative ways.  We are able to have "car parades" to give the graduates their diploma and "graduation box" as they drove into our parking lot one-by-one today.  We have published the high schools they will be attending, all of them the best in the Los Angeles area, and most Catholic.  

On Monday of this week Archbishop Gomez hosted a webinar with the auxiliary bishops and priests.  The Archbishop spoke briefly about the tragic "killing" of Mr. George Floyd.  He then spoke about the reopening phase of our churches, which is on our minds at this time.  He stressed from the beginning that we need to go "slow" in our reopening of churches.  He said there is "no hurry or rush" to open the churches.  That the "virus is still dangerous."  At the same time we want to open the churches for prayer and the sacraments when it is safe to do so.  The precept to attend  Sunday Mass continues to be dispensed during this time. Some of our parishioners have said they still aren't comfortable returning yet.

Each parish is opening in a unique way and at different times and in different ways.  Taking these things into consideration we have decided NOT to open this weekend, June 7th, but rather aim for a "soft" opening on Corpus Christi, June 14th, which seems appropriate. We will have the time too to properly be prepared, allow more time for the virus to diminish and see "best practices" from other parishes that do open; not all are opening this weekend.
We will celebrate Mass here on our webpage, Sunday, June 7th at 10:00 a.m., as we have been doing for the last several weeks.

I do want to return to the tragic "killing of Mr. George Floyd." Archbishop Gomez and the U.S. Bishops, as well as Pope Francis, have condemned the unjustified "killing" of Mr. Floyd and the greater issue of "racism" in our country, often referred to as our country's "original sin."  Gomez quoted MLK as saying, "riots are the voice of the voiceless." Not to justify riots but to give an insight into that phenomenon.  We have to do more to improve inequality in our country and to be helpful.  Please click on these two links from the Angelus News, Archbishop Gomez: Honor George Floyd and Pope Francis calls Archbishop Gomez for more in-depth reporting about what the leaders of our church are saying about these issues. 
Blessings to all, 
Fr. Paul

Updated Saturday, May 30, 2020

Dear St. Timothy Parishioners,
 
Pentecost Sunday. Happy Birthday! The Feast of Pentecost is considered the birthday of the Church as well as the coming of the Holy Spirit. Thank God, yes pun intended, for the gift of the Holy Spirit, which invites us to the gift of “peace” as we hear in the Gospel passage for Pentecost: “Peace be with you.” Jesus says that two times in today's Gospel. In scriptural significance, repetition signifies importance. I would like to point you toward the experience of “peace” (this peace is not just the absence of war), that Jesus offers us via the Holy Spirit, which is the presence of God. 

Next week we celebrate Holy Trinity Sunday, which reminds us of the threefold gift of God to us. The founder of the Jesuits (Pope Francis is a Jesuit), St. Ignatius of Loyola, is well-known for the “Spiritual Exercises,” among other spiritual teachings. Within this body of teaching, one of the clear principles or rules for “discerning” the “spirit of light” from the “spirit of dark” is the rule of “peace.” Hopefully, we can make at least significant decisions on the basis of this rule or principle. True peace requires a whole foundation of building blocks which include the basic necessities of life, loving support, and the ability to create in accord with one's talents, abilities and means. 

You and I are blessed, more or less, with these building blocks or foundations in order to give us the ability to choose the path and road of peace. Of course, sometimes we have to “bite the bullet,” as it were, and get something done that is not fun but requires sacrifice or the like. But overall, we are always encouraged by Jesus and the Holy Spirit to choose the sometimes “straight and narrow,” which may not be the most worldly or popular way, but we believe this is the way of true and lasting integral peace in this life and the next.

I feel so bad that some individuals in our communities are so desperate (it appears) that they are getting violent and even looting. Some people have gone beyond the realm of civil protest. Maybe we can try to understand their frustration, while not excusing it. The racial element in this protest has been set off by the death of Mr. George Floyd in Minneapolis. The U.S. Catholic Bishops have issued a statement regarding that incident and racism. Please click here to read the full statement. It is being reported that "fringe groups" are infiltrating the peaceful protestors and taking advantage of the situation by stirring up chaos. This has been reported in other cities too.

Also of interest to churchgoers, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of California limiting the number of people who may attend a church service. Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the majority, wrote, among other things, that California’s restrictions “appear consistent with the free exercise clause of the First Amendment.” He rejected the claim that it is “indisputably clear” that the government limitations are unconstitutional. So, the State of California is within its legal reach to restrict church gatherings. The decision responded to an emergency appeal from South Bay United Pentecostal Church which had challenged Gov. Newsom's order limiting churches to the number of people who could attend: 100 or 25%. The Church also objected to the requirements for reopening.

Finally, there is so much information and preparation for reopening the church: please “read all about it!” in the bulletin. And that is just the beginning. During this week you will find more information coming your way, so we will keep you informed with how and when you may return to Church.

Peace to you,
Fr. Paul

If you have questions, please call the rectory at (310) 474-1216 between 11 AM - 4 PM, Monday - Friday; 1 PM - 4 PM, Saturday, and 10 AM - 12 PM, Sunday, during which times our staff will be available.

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As Catholics, we are dispensed from Mass but are still obligated to support the Church financially. Please click the link below to donate now. Other ways to donate are by sending it in via the mail or by dropping off your donation at the Rectory, using the mailbox at the front door.

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PLEASE JOIN US TO CELEBRATE 
FIRST FRIDAY & ST. TIMOTHY SCHOOL GRADUATION MASS
FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2020 AT 10:00 AM

THE MOST HOLY TRINITY
THIS WEEKEND, JUNE 7, 2020 AT 10:00 AM

ONLINE RESOURCES:

Angelus News

California Catholic Conference

Catholic Mom

Crux

The Vatican News