Dear Parish Family,

      Comprehension of speech is pretty much dependent on two people, the speaker and the listener.
Even if the two speak a common language, the listener may have difficulty understanding if the speaker has a heavy accent.
This dynamic comes into play in Luke’s account of Pentecost.
Filled with the Holy Spirit, the disciples were able to speak in different tongues.
This attracted people from over a dozen regions, each one able to hear them “speaking in their own tongues of the mighty acts of God”.
In order to comprehend what they were hearing, they must have overcome the difficulty of understanding someone speaking in their own language with a foreign accent.
After all, even with the disciples inside a house the crowd recognized their voices as Galilean, which we know was a distinctive accent because it had given Peter away when he denied knowing Jesus.
Yet they were still able to comprehend the meaning of their words.

      Saint Paul’s letter to the Corinthians lists some examples of the different gifts the Holy Spirit brings, including both “varieties of tongues” and “interpretation of tongues”.
Speaker and listener are each blessed by the Spirit.
May the Holy Spirit bring us insight and comprehension as we listen to the word of God.
How does the Holy Spirit help us to hear, understand and express God’s word?
Hallelujah!!

      Luzerne County turns Yellow this week-end.
To begin returning to church for mass or any type of group of activity, we will need to limit group size to the directive of no more than 75 people until we reach Green.
This is a fluid situation, being monitored closely by state officials.
The Diocese of Scranton will abide by the requirements of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and will update with each new notification according to Bishop Bambera.
The safety of our members and our whole community, along with our opportunity to move through each phase to green, depends on our diligent efforts to arrange for 6 feet physical distancing, to provide adequate protective equipment (Masks), to tend to sanitization procedures, to restrict people with symptoms, and to monitor when people have potentially been exposed to the virus.

      Our parish staff are talking about plans for safety measures, distancing, protecting the vulnerable, handling known cases/exposure, contact tracing, etc. as we look forward to the Yellow Phase moving to full opening.
We will continue to keep our Masses on line on our Facebook page till the crisis passes.
We will begin with daily masses first and then move to celebrate weekend liturgies.
Please continue to remember to drop off or send in your weekly contributions to the parish office during this time of special need.
The parish bulletins will be on line for any of you to view.
We are all in this together.
Leave no one behind.
Care for your family and neighbors in need.
Offer to go for groceries or to the pharmacy for those in need.
Check on them.
Let them know your love for them.
It’s important.

      Thank you for all you are and all you do.
God bless you and perhaps I will see you in Church soon.

Happy Pentecost,

Fr. Phi

Following Bishop Bambera’s Town Hall Meeting on Thursday, May 28, 2020, a number of questions have been raised regarding congregational singing and distributing Holy Communion on the tongue.  These clarifications and recommendations are offered to parishes to help minimize the spread of the coronavirus: 

Congregational Singing at Mass

Congregational singing at Mass is discouraged at this time so as to minimize the spread of breath droplets.  Since music is still integral to the liturgy and enhances the experience of livestream Masses, the following directives are offered to parishes:

• Parishes may still utilize a cantor and organist for Mass as long as they are at least 10 feet away from each other, the assembly, and any ministers in the sanctuary.
• Cantors should serve more as soloists rather than encouraging congregational singing.
• Advise the assembly that singing is not recommended at this point, even with a mask.
• Choirs are not permitted at this point since vigorous singing in close proximity with others increases the risk of viral spread.

Specific Recommendations for Parish Music Ministry Directors:

• Hymns and acclamations sung by the cantor at Mass should be brief so as not to prolong the liturgy: decreased Mass time equals a decreased risk of contamination.
• Consider having the cantor only sing the antiphon, a refrain, or one verse of a hymn for the Entrance, Preparation of the Gifts, and Communion.
• Acclamations sung by the cantor should have very few, if any, repeated phrases (example—using a gospel acclamation setting with three ‘Alleluias’ as opposed to one that has five or six).
• Try having the cantor introduce some hymns or acclamations that the assembly is not familiar with to minimize any congregational singing.
• Instrumental selections are also encouraged at this time, especially at the Preparation of Gifts and the Reception of Holy Communion after Mass.

Holy Communion on the Tongue

Although it is strongly discouraged, anyone who still wishes to receive Holy Communion on the tongue can be instructed to wait until the end of the Communion distribution after everyone else has received.  This will minimize the risk of spreading the virus to others, as well as allow time for the priest to sanitize his hands properly after each person who receives on the tongu