News

 
 
 
 Dear Parishioners of St. Bede the Venerable,
  
 I pray this email finds you well and at peace with God. This is what our hearts long for, “peace” with God, not in the modern mundane sense of peace which focuses on the absence of conflict, but rather the “peace or Shalom” of the Chosen People which signifies a living, breathing, right relationship with God that communicates at every living moment holiness to the believer. Only when we live experiencing this peace with God do we bear abundant fruit that lasts forever! This is the lightheartedness of Saints, the joy of prophets even in suffering and the strength of Christ before his accusers and enemies. We, as believers participate this peace with God when we are responding to the age old Covenant call from the Lord, “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened by life, and I will refresh you!" (cf. Matthew 11:28) That response is rooted and has its permanent foundation on earth and in heaven in the participation in the celebration of Sunday Mass. When we respond to the Lord’s invitation to worship on Sunday we fulfill our reason for existing. We become more fully alive as human beings when we present our lives and hearts to God and bless Him for the gifts of life. He, in His superabundant love and mercy in turn blesses us with the  supreme gift of His very Being, His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity, what we refer to as the Holy Eucharist. If we faithfully worship the Lord every Sunday, He will faithfully bless us and lead us through this life into the ever verdant pastures of paradise. 
  
 I need not remind you that we have been profoundly tested in this truth of faith these last 15 months. I have prayed that what we have suffered has only served to strengthen or renew or restore your faith in Christ. In response to the Covid-19 crisis, Archbishop Thomas Rodi gave a dispensation for all persons from attending Sunday Mass in order to allow for people to exercise their conscience and make prudent decisions with regards to their personal health and for their loved ones. Thankfully, the prognosis of the crisis has led to the lifting of many of the regulations that have governed us over the past 15 months. Therefore, Archbishop Thomas Rodi has lifted the dispensation from the obligation to attend Mass effective this Saturday, May 29, 2021. However, as is always the case with regards to our faith, anyone unable to physically come to church, or whose health would be endangered by attendance at Mass, or anyone caring for someone whose health would be endangered, does not need to attend Mass. Please feel free to contact me, your Pastor, for clarifications or for reassurances with regards to your personal situation. The last thing I want you to experience is guilt or shame for your decisions with regards to your self and your family. 
  
 My appeal to all of you is to not absent yourself from Mass unless it is imperative to your health or your family’s health and well-being. I pray that is a rare exception. I beseech you to pray over my reflection on why we should always long to be in God’s presence and to open your hearts to the gift of God’s grace and hear His Word, “Come to me….”
  
 In closing, I do not intend to stop live-streaming the Sunday Mass. I believe we have shut-ins who can now benefit from at least visually connecting with their family of faith through our ability to livestream. This may be the means through which they remain connected to their faith family. We love you and want to maintain that connection. What have ceased as of Sunday, May 23rd is the distribution of Holy Communion outside of Mass on Sunday. Please contact me (Fr. Alex) directly to discuss your situation and for making arrangements to receive Holy Communion on Sundays.
  
 I remain humbly your Pastor and pray always that I might be a better one than I have been in the past. 
  
 Rev. Alejandro Valladares
 Pastor
  
 Queridos Parroquianos de St. Bede the Venerable,
  
 Rezo que este correo electrónico los encuentre bien y en la paz con Dios. Esto es lo que nuestros corazones anhelan, “paz” con Dios, no en el sentido mundano y moderno de la paz que se enfoca en la ausencia de conflicto, sino mas bien la “paz o Shalom” del Pueblo Elegido que significa una relación viva, que respira y correcta con Dios que comunica en cada momento vivo la santidad al creyente.  ¡Solo cuando vivimos experimentando esta paz con Dios producimos abundante frutos que duran para siempre!  Esto es la alegría de los Santos, el gozo de los profetas incluso en el sufrimiento, y la fuerza de Cristo ante sus acusadores y enemigos. Nosotros, como creyentes participamos en esta paz con Dios cuando respondemos a la llamada de la antigua Alianza con el Señor, ¡“Vengan a mi todos lo que están fatigados y agobiados, y yo los aliviare”! (cf. Mateo 11:28) Esta respuesta está enraizada y tiene su fundamento permanente en la tierra y en el cielo, en la participación en la celebración de la Misa Dominical.  Cuando respondemos a la invitación del Señor a adorar los domingos satisfacemos nuestra razón de existir.  Nos volvemos más plenamente vivos como seres humanos cuando presentamos nuestras vidas y corazones a Dios y lo bendecimos por los dones de la vida.  Él, en Su superabundante amor y misericordia, a su vez, nos bendice con el regalo supremo de Su propio Ser, Su Cuerpo, Sangre, Alma y Divinidad, a lo que nos referimos como la Santa Eucaristía.  Si adoramos fielmente al Señor cada domingo, Él nos bendecirá fielmente y nos guiará a través de esta vida hacia la eterna pradera verde del paraíso.     
  
 No necesito recordarles que hemos sido examinados profundamente en esta verdad de fe estos últimos 15 meses. He orado para que lo que hemos sufrido haya servido para fortalecer o renovar o restaurar nuestra fe en Cristo. En respuesta a la crisis del Covid-19, el Arzobispo Thomas Rodi concedió una dispensa a todas las personas de asistir a la Misa Dominical con el fin de permitir a las personas a ejercitar su consciencia y tomar la decisión prudente con respeto a su salud personal y la de sus seres queridos. Afortunadamente, el pronóstico de la crisis nos ha llevado al levantamiento de muchas de las regulaciones que nos han regido en los últimos 15 meses.  Por lo tanto, el Arzobispo Thomas Rodi ha levantado la dispensa de la obligación de asistir a la Misa efectivamente desde este sábado 29 de mayo de 2021. Sin embargo, como siempre es el caso con nuestra fe, cualquier persona que físicamente no pueda asistir a la iglesia, o cuya salud se vea amenazada por asistir a la Misa, o cualquier persona que cuide de alguien cuya salud este en peligro, no necesita asistir a la Misa.  Por favor no dude en comunicarse conmigo, tu Párroco, para clarificaciones o para asegurarse sobre su situación personal. Lo último que quiero es que usted sienta culpa o vergüenza por sus decisiones sobre usted y su familia.        
  
 Mi suplica para todos ustedes es que no se ausente de la Misa al menos que sea imperativo para su salud o la salud y el bienestar de su familia.   Rezo para que sea una rara excepción.  Les ruego  a que oren sobre mi reflexión sobre por qué siempre debemos anhelar estar en la presencia de Dios y abrir nuestros corazones a los dones de la gracia de Dios y a escuchar Sus Palabras, “Vengan a mí…”.
  
 Para concluir, no tengo la intención de dejar de transmitir en vivo la Misa Dominical. Creo que tenemos personas que no pueden salir de sus casas que se benefician de por lo menos poder conectarse visualmente con su familia de fe a través de la habilidad de la transmisión en vivo.  Este puede ser el medio por el cual se mantienen conectados con su familia de fe.  Te amamos y queremos mantener esa conexión.  Lo que ha cesado desde el domingo 23 de mayo fue la distribución de la Sagrada Comunión fuera de la Misa los domingos.  Por favor contáctame (Padre Alex) directamente para discutir su situación y para hacer los arreglos para recibir la Sagrada Comunión los domingos.
   
 Sigo siendo humildemente su Párroco y oro siempre para que pueda ser mejor de lo que he sido en el pasado.
  
 Rev. Alejandro Valladares
 Párroco 
  
 

Dear Parishioners of St Bede:

God was with Israel when they had no Temple, no place to worship. God was with Church during the Bubonic plague. God was with Fr Seelos in New Orleans when he died ministering to the people during the Yellow Fever epidemic. God is with us now. We are trying to prevent a tragedy from happening! That is why the Church has taken these serious measures. This Lenten fast is unlike any we have ever experienced. It will pass! Fr Nicholas and I will be praying for all of you. Please pray with us. Tomorrow Fr Nicholas will live stream a Mass at 9am and it will remain posted on Facebook for you to go to spiritual communion. I will also celebrate Mass at a later time for your intentions. We will do this daily and Sunday. Mass will be lifted up to God for all of you and your intentions.

If you or a family member becomes seriously ill, call Me or Fr Nicholas and we will come and anoint. If you are seriously ill in hospital, you must ask hospital to let us come and visit you and you or a family member must contact us to let us know. We cannot enter a Nursing home or senior assisted living unless someone is in danger of death and we must be informed to come and visit.

Moreover, we will be posting a new confession schedule soon. The Church will be open from 9am to 430pm for private individual prayer each day.

Please follow the CDC directives. We have to do our part to end this quickly. At present, there are 4 cases between Elmore and Montgomery County. May we do our part with God’s grace to assist us to keep that number low!

I love all of you and am here if you need me. We are with you and together experiencing this heart wrenching crisis together in Christ!

Sincerely in Christ,

Fr Alex Valladares, Pastor

March 17, 2020. Feast of St Patrick

The surrender prayer is available
here.

I am petitioning once again all parishioners to please update their contact information for our files, I especially ask you for an email address, phone number and residence address. This facilitates my ability to contact you and visit you most especially at a time you will need a priest. We do not give out information to any institutions or persons. …….read more