St. Joseph and Nativity of the BVM Catholic Parish Newsletter — October 2020

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Inside 2 In Difficult Times,

Let Us Ask “How Can I Give Today?”

4 Questions & Answers

About Our Annual Stewardship Renewal

5 A Most

Joyous Occasion: Our RCIA Participants Fully Enter Into the Catholic Church

6 Putting Gifts to Work 8 Adult Altar Serving

Unique Opportunity for More Active Participation in the Liturgy

St. Joseph Parish 200 Saint Joseph Drive Amherst, OH 44001 (440) 988-2848 stjosephamherst.com Nativity of the BVM Parish 333 South Lake Street South Amherst, OH 44001 (440) 986-7011 nativitysouthamherst.com

October 2020

DESPITE THE HARDSHIPS OF COVID-19, WE REMAIN CONNECTED AS A

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Faith Family

hile we have certainly faced hardships and isolation over the past several months, the COVID-19 crisis has proven to unite the faithful — throughout the country and around the world — in powerful ways.

As Diocesan Administrator Fr. Donald P. Oleksiak recently wrote, “As we endure this serious situation, we take comfort in the words of Jesus who reminds us in the Gospel of St. Matthew, ‘And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.’”

To always be with us is the promise we have in Jesus Christ. We are here for each other too, during this challenging time, at St. Joseph’s and the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

For about five years, Danielle Csanady has worked on our school and parish websites, as well as our Facebook and Twitter profiles. During the church closures in mid-March to late May, she was very busy keeping our website and social media updated with the newest information.

“When we couldn’t attend Mass, I added information on praying Mass at home and all the links for where Mass

Danielle Csanady has enjoyed her work in keeping parishioners connected to each other and the parish during the COVID-19 pandemic.

could be viewed through the diocese and various other places,” Danielle says.

With the Internet being an effective way to keep in touch with parishioners, Danielle found herself making updates multiple times per week during those months. continued on page 3

A Letter from Our Pastor

In Difficult Times, Let Us Ask Dear Members of St. Joseph and Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parishes,

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n these times, it is helpful to begin the day with the question, “How can I give today?”

As we continue to do our best to live stewardship during these difficult times, I have been thinking of ways for us all to share our Time, Talent and Treasure with our families, our parishes, our communities, and even ourselves. So, I would like to share with you my list of 10 ways to be a giver in these days that challenge us to be upbeat, or even to remain on an even keel. And, as we give effectively, we will spread and experience joy.

1. Give encouragement. Many folks are struggling as they adjust to a new normal, which keeps changing — but they are moving along, trying to do what is right and good. Encouragement helps us all to keep making good decisions and to give and find zest.

2. Give gratitude. Be grateful to God, to family and friends, and to professionals who are helping us through the pandemic. Find a way to express gratitude — maybe send a hand-written note.

3. Forgive others. We are all victims in one way or another. People who have hurt us are usually victims themselves. Holding on to the hurt or harboring resentment does no one any good. Start forgiving by praying for the one who has hurt you or a loved one.

This is a good time to mend fences by expressing care and the desire to see beyond the rift.

4. Forgive yourself. During these days, many people report that memories of their own mean, foolish and hurtful actions are flooding them with a vengeance.

If others have forgiven us, if God and the Church have forgiven us, if we would forgive someone who did to us what we cannot forgive ourselves for, well then, what good reason is there to withhold forgiving ourselves?

5. Give the gift of volunteer time. There are many needs out there for folks to share their time and talpage 2

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ents in one way or another. We know this in our Church, our neighborhoods, our places of work. In our bulletin, we regularly invite folks to volunteer, to make another person’s life healthier and safer. Seldom do we volunteer as a solitary person — we can make great friends among our fellow volunteers.

Give financial support. These, of course, are uncertain times. Many charitable organizations are offering assistance to those in need. Our Church and our parishes face the challenge of managing our budget while there are less people attending Mass and giving less of their treasure. There is a joy and a sense of peace when we give, when we trust God to provide enough for our well-being, and when we can see the good our generosity and sacrifices are accomplishing.

Give the gift of self-care. Balance exercise, healthy meals, rest, staying in touch with family and friends, intellectual stimulation, finding ways to enjoy life with virtual assistance, staying safe and keeping others safe. Find ways to enjoy nature. Self-care is important so we can be our best self in our relationships with others and as we encounter life’s challenges.

Give time to listen to God. Trust that God has words of encouragement, direction, clarification and peace for us. We pray speaking to God from our hearts, but also by listening to the Divine Message which penetrates our hearts.

Give the gift of petitionary prayer. Petitionary prayer works — the result is not always that our will is done, but petitionary prayer leads us to look for God, to trust in God, and to compassionately put those for whom we pray in the hands of God. Pe-

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“How Can I Give Today?” titionary prayer unites us with those for whom we are praying and those who are also praying. We give a great gift when we pray for someone — we have the joy of bringing our hopes to God and feeling the Divine Presence.

10. Give the gift of the desire to give. If we start every day with the desire and the question “How can I give today?” we will have a spirit of dedication and build on the joy of giving day by day as we gradually work

our way through this pandemic and all the fears, issues and problems which have surfaced.

Let us trust the joy of giving as we move forward.

Gratefully in Christ,

Fr. Timothy J. O’Connor, Pastor

We Remain Connected as a Faith Family “In normal times, I would only update once per week with the homily and other information from Father,” Danielle says.

Danielle has kept herself in tune with new ways to reach out by viewing diocesan webinars on website and social media trends. She invites parishioners to register to receive texts and emails through Flocknote by texting “SJPA” to “84576.” Our faith community also utilizes the myParish app, which includes links to the bulletins, readings, homilies, and other valuable information.

As Danielle notes, it is important to communicate with people where they are at, whether that happens to be online or by mail, and she enjoys helping to facilitate that. Her daughter, Emily, currently attends St. Joseph School, and Danielle spends part of her work time at St. Joseph School as a teacher’s aide, technology coordinator and librarian. So, she spent a lot of time coordinating technology when school closed abruptly.

“All of the teachers did a good job adjusting quickly when school closed,” she says.

Danielle is grateful to have the opportunity to send her children to St. Joseph School and she loves working there.

She has enjoyed her role in keeping everyone connected during this challenging time.

continued from front cover

“When you walk in the door, St. Joseph School feels like home,” she says. “The teachers do such a great job.”

However, as Communications Coordinator Kim Frankart points out, the pandemic has left some parishioners missing direct opportunities for fellowship, since the ministries have not been able to meet for months.

“The Bulk Mailer members are missing being able to gather to serve and share their faith,” she says. “I also have had several Sunday Counters approach me and ask when they will be able to count again.”

Kim says this just shows how important serving the Lord with the gift of time can be. She hopes parishioners will take this time to evaluate other ministries in which they may want to be involved once ministries begin again. It can also be a time for ministry leaders to evaluate their direction and goals. The following ministries are in need of a leader — Vacation Bible School and Sunday Counters at Nativity; and at St. Joseph, Church Environment, Sacristans, Cub Scouts, Eucharistic Ministers to the sick and homebound, Picnic Committee and Bulk Mailers.

Be sure to “like” our Facebook page at St. Joseph Catholic Church-Amherst and follow us on Twitter @StJosephAmherst. To register for Flocknote, text “SJPA” to “84576.” To become a ministry leader or for more information, please contact Jim Pecchio at 330-631-9948. page 3

Questions & Answers About Our ANNUAL STEWARDSHIP RENEWAL

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his has most certainly been a trying and unusual year, as we have navigated through uncharted waters. In the face of great uncertainty or difficulty, it is easy to become complacent. Yet, this is not what God calls us to do. We are called to live stewardship as a way of life — in the good, bad or uncertain times. In moments of trial, God raises up saints!

Our Stewardship Renewal reminds us that God’s gifts never stop being poured out. In turn, we never should have reason to stop thanking Him. So, let us take this Stewardship Renewal as an opportunity to strengthen our relationship with God in the midst of our rapidly changing world.

Commitment Weekend is October 10-11. Don’t forget to return your Commitment Card!

One time I turned in a card, but no one ever called me when I signed up for a ministry.

If this happened in the past, please forgive us! And don’t give up on filling out your Commitment Card! We have a very good plan to call every person interested in joining a new ministry. If for some reason the ministry leader does not call you within four weeks of turning in your card, let the parish office know.

What if I can’t fulfill my financial pledge?

While our pledge is not a “contract,” we should all make a good-faith effort to fulfill it. Of course, if your financial circumstances change — if you lose your job, for instance — then the amount of money you give the Church will change, too. Likewise if you get a raise or bonus. The biggest reason many people don’t fulfill their pledge is that they attend Mass at another parish when they go on vacation, attend a wedding, etc. If you’re out of town, just make up for the missed Sunday when you write your next check to the parish. Using your envelopes is a good way to see which Sundays you missed. page 4

Even before the crisis, I didn’t even go to Mass frequently.

Why turn in a Commitment Card?

Because this is your chance to turn over a new leaf!

Why not make a commitment to God to come to Mass every Sunday once the crisis is over, and until then, commit to viewing the Mass online each week, then write down that commitment? Even if that’s the only commitment you make, take a step forward. Jesus Himself is waiting for you!

What happens if I don’t return my Commitment Card?

We will send you a reminder letter to encourage participation. Please make every effort you can to participate.

Our Stewardship Renewal is a very important annual event in the life of our parishes. You and your family are part of what makes our parish communities great ones! Most importantly, your commitments are actually promises to Christ Himself. All of us are called to give back to God a portion of what He has given us.

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Every parish family receives a special “Stewardship Package” that further explains our parishes’ vision of stewardship.

It includes a booklet that describes every ministry in the parishes, as well as your Commitment Card.

Gratefulness HIP RE NE WAL

St. Jo se ph Pa ri sh & N at iv it y

of the BV M Pa ri sh

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A Most Joyous Occasion:

Our RCIA Participants Fully Enter Into the Catholic Church We congratulate all of our RCIA participants who fully entered into the Catholic faith on July 6.

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eace of Christ to you! It’s only taken six months or so, but I have gotten used to wearing my mask now that we are about halfway through the semester this year — at least the part of the semester that will be occurring in person. At Thanksgiving Break, I will be returning home to my family and staying home for the rest of the semester taking classes online. This is just the easiest way to transition out of school and back home, and honestly, I am not going to complain about being able to come home sooner!

A little life update on my dayto-day here at Borromeo is in order, especially now that I am really back into the swing of things. Now that I am a senior at Borromeo, it comes with a lot of extra responsibilities and activities that I can involve myself in, such as house leadership. One of those things is the creation of the house newsletter, known as the Borromeo Chuck. Its name comes from the shorthand name/nickname of our patron saint, St. Charles Borromeo.

The responsibility of editor has been passed down to trusted seniors from year to year dating back almost a decade, and it operates much like any other newsletter that you might find — like this one! The seminarians receive a week to write an article on page 6

Gifts

to Work

By NATHAN FRANKART

anything of importance that relates to the community, spiritual experience, human formation, pastoral advice, and everything in between. There are also different articles created by the editor including announcements, news stories, important information — such as the liturgy schedule — and many other essential bits of information for men to know. It is beloved by nearly everyone associated with Borromeo Seminary, so it feels a little bit daunting to be solely responsible for its creation!

And yet, there is something profoundly beautiful in creating this as a service to my brothers. I have a love of creating these things, and I believe it is a worthwhile use of my own gifts and talents for the service of others. That, in part, ties into the Borromeo theme of the year, which is contemplative leisure. We are to focus on activities or work which cultivates good fruit, like community, contemplation, knowledge, and more.

But all these pursuits must have their center in Christ, as all things must.

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ADULT ALTAR SERVING

Unique Opportunity for More Active Participation in the Liturgy

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hen she was a young girl, St. Joseph parishioner Erma Camp had always wanted to be an altar server. A that time, however, girls were not permitted to serve in this capacity.

So, when she later was asked to begin serving upon the altar as an adult, Erma jumped at the opportunity.

“It was just something I had always wanted to do,” Erma says.

“I love to be up there on the altar, assisting Father with the Mass. I just feel that it is such a gift.”

Now, more than 20 years later, Erma continues to serve faithfully along with her fellow adult servers.

Serving for funeral liturgies, the Sunday 8:30 a.m. Mass, and during summer holidays, adult servers help ensure that the liturgy runs smoothly

during times when our youth servers are unavailable.

“Nowadays, we mostly serve on Sunday and then for funerals and Holy Days,” Erma says. “Sometimes, we’ll step in for weekday Masses, as well, if there is no one there to serve. Sometimes, the kids will have testing at school or will be on a field trip and are unavailable.”

This ministry is open to any adult who is both a practicing Catholic and is willing to make a commitment. Servers are scheduled approximately four times a year, serving one month at a time. This makes remembering their assigned Sundays easy, though substitutes are available when needed.

Though the Altar Server Ministry is meant to be one of service given, continued on back cover

Parishioner Erma Camp says she loves serving the Lord as an adult altar server.

“It’s the fact that you’re that involved. You are there actively helping the priest. When you are sitting back in Mass watching, it’s different than being involved personally. You feel so much more a part of the Mass.

And as a server, you have to be aware of what is going on so that you know when you need to do things like bring Father the book or wash his hands.” — ERMA CAMP page 7

This newsletter brought to you by the Catholic Communities of:

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Address Service Requested

Fr. Tim O’Connor Serving Both Parishes Mass: Monday, 9:00 a.m. - St. Joseph Tuesday, 8:00 a.m. - Nativity of the BVM Thursday, 7:00 p.m. - St. Joseph Friday, 9:00 a.m. - St. Joseph Saturday, 4:00 p.m. - St. Joseph

5:30 p.m. - Nativity of the BVM Sunday, 8:30 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 5:00 p.m. - St. Joseph Confession at St. Joseph: Temporarily suspended due to COVID-19 precautions.

Eucharistic Adoration (Chapel) at Nativity of the BVM: Temporarily suspended due to COVID-19 precautions.

ADULT ALTAR SERVING Erma says that she ends up receiving far more in return. It elevates her liturgical experience, making her a more active participant in the Mass. It’s also enabled her to learn so much more about the liturgy itself and the rich meaning behind every ritual and action.

“It’s the fact that you’re that involved,” Erma says. “You are there actively helping the priest. When you are sitting back in Mass watching, it’s different than being involved personally. You feel so much more a part of the Mass. And as a server, you have to be aware of what is going on so that you know when

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you need to do things like bring Father the book or wash his hands.”

Erma also finds tremendous joy in assisting with funeral Masses, viewing it as a concrete way to support bereaving members.

“I think they appreciate the fact that adults are willing to be there like that,” Erma says. “We are there for the families to support them in their time of grief and assist the priest.”

Describing St. Joseph Church as her “home away from home,” Erma loves being able to give back as an adult altar server. It’s her way of pitching in — belonging to a family.

If you would like more information, or to become an adult altar server, please contact Erma Camp at 440-985-1282.