Blessed Sacrament Parish – May 31, 2020

We, Blessed Sacrament Parish, Are a Christ-Centered Community,

Committed to Worship the Father, Committed to Respond to the Spirit’s Gifts,

Committed to Loving Service to All God’s People

Nosotros, la Parroquia del Santísimo Sacramento, Somos una Comunidad Centrada en Cristo,

Comprometidos a Adorar al Padre, Comprometidos a Responder a los Dones del Espíritu Santo,

Comprometidos en el Servicio Amoroso a Todo el Pueblo de Dios

Our first (limited seating) public Mass is scheduled for this Sunday, May 31st at 10:00am.

Please keep these things in mind:

The obligation to attend Sunday Mass is still suspended by our Bishop.

You can view all Masses listed below on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BSCWV/

You can also view the Sunday Mass directly on our parish website: blessedsacramentwv.org.

Worship aids for each Mass will be sent by separate emails.

Mass Schedule

Day Date Time Intention

Sunday 5/31 10:00am + Bunny Crockett by Jerry & Jane Roy

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday 6/3 12noon + Carless Williams by Ro DeBias

Thursday 6/4 12noon + Stan & Jean McKinney by Natalie Zellers

Friday 6/5 12noon + Gary Sutton by Ro DeBias

Saturday

Sunday 6/7 10:00am + Eleanor Henson by Jerry & Jane Roy

Would you like to schedule a Mass intention?

Please send a list to Natalie at BlessedSac@suddenlinkmail.com or USPS mail to

Blessed Sacrament, 305 E St., So. Charleston, 25303.

Donations are welcome but not required. You can mail a donation to us at the same address.

We can notify someone about the upcoming Mass intention if you share their name with us.

(If the person to be notified is not a parishioner, please include his/her address.)

We can also provide a beautiful greeting card for you to send.

Pray They Rest in Peace

Johnny Mathis, brother of Ron Mathis

Mary Casey, sister of Rose Casey

We Remember in Our Prayers

Barbara Baldy, Patrick Burriss, Susan Churchill, Elizabeth Coleman, Matthew Crabtree, Rhonda Crede, Karol Dunford,

Joe Eisel, Janine Estep, Marietta Fenton, Rose Finch, Patty Geissinger, Joe Gregg, Kathleen Groom, John Hanna,

Ann Henderson, John & Claire Johnson, Mary Katherine Lingsch, Bob Lucas, Louann Lynch-Kelley, Alec Mansfield,

Mike McCready, Mary Ann Shear, Nicholas Taylor, Sandy Wheeler, and Lily Woolwine.

Important Notes

In-person individual Confessions are available by appointment only.

Contact Fr. John at 304-377-3560 or snowman25303@hotmail.com

To visit the Blessed Sacrament

You are always welcome to sit under the canopy of our 4th Ave front entrance

where you can see the tabernacle and sanctuary lamp through the clear window 24/7.

This Week at Blessed Sacrament Parish

All ZOOM gatherings are open only to specific parishioners who have indicated their interest

and who have received a personal email with connection information – so let us know if YOU want "in".

Day Date Time Event Location

Sat 5/30 9:00am Men's Bible Study Group ZOOM

Sun 5/31 10:00am Mass

facebook.com/BSCWV/

blessedsacramentwv.org

Parish Hall – limited seating

Mon 6/1 7:00pm RCIA ZOOM

Tue 6/2

Wed 6/3 10:00am Bible Study – Old Testament ZOOM

12:00noon Mass facebook.com/BSCWV/

1:00pm Bible Study – Job ZOOM

7:00pm Bible Study – Sunday Readings ZOOM

Thu 6/4 12:00noon Mass facebook.com/BSCWV/

1:00pm Bible Study Grades 2-5 (see below) ZOOM

Fri 6/5 12:00noon Mass facebook.com/BSCWV/

Sat 6/6 9:00am Men's Bible Study Group ZOOM

Sun 6/7 10:00am Mass

facebook.com/BSCWV/

blessedsacramentwv.org

Parish Hall – limited seating

Attention Kids! A Bible Study Just for YOU! Jeanne Haas invites all boys and girls in Grades 2--5 to an online bible study starting on Thursdays at 1:00PM. This will be a Zoom session that will discuss the upcoming Sunday readings. Parents please contact Jeanne at haasjeanne@hotmail.com or text her at 304-382-2631 to register your child. Jeanne will send an email invite to any child interested. Let's check out the bible together!

Camp Leon is Going Virtual!

While we may not be able to attend Camp Leon in-person in Huttonsville, WV this summer, we are going to

have a Virtual Camp Leon. There has been a camp every year for 54 years, and we aren't going to let a little

CV-19 stop us this year!

Plans are underway to have online activities and gatherings during the week of June 15. Details are still being

finalized, but we intend to have Zoom meetings for each of the camper groups so everyone can see and talk to

their camp friends, art projects, a virtual campfire and mass, and other online videos, activities and events. We

are looking at different platforms, but will likely use Zoom for personal gatherings, Facebook for live events,

and Flipgrid for posting of photos and videos of everyone enjoying our Virtual Camp Leon week. If you are

interested and want to be included, please send your email to pdurst@spilmanlaw.com. Everyone is welcome

(even if you have never attended camp or did not sign up to attend this year)!

Partners in Community Service

Habitat for Humanity

The Charleston Habitat ReStore is planning to reopen during the first part of July with added safety measures to protect our employees and our loyal customers. We are not accepting donations at this time, and our store remains closed to shoppers until our July reopening. We are, of course, closely watching the Governor's updates, public health agency updates, and the public's response. Habitat ReStore will modify our reopening response as appropriate as the situation may change. The Teays Valley ReStore boutique will reopen only after a successful reopening of the Charleston ReStore. At this time there is no date set for the Teays Valley ReStore to reopen. Follow us on Facebook for updates, and check our website for detailed information regarding our COVID-19 response.

“What is the best way for me to continue donating funds to our parish?"

Via U.S Postal Service

Your donations by “snail mail” will be held with all of our mail at the post office until Fr. John picks it up, usually each day.

Be sure to indicate any special intentions in the memo line of your check.

Via Online Banking

Online banking, by definition, means managing your deposit accounts with a computer or mobile device. This includes

transferring funds, depositing checks and paying bills electronically. Most banks and credit unions offer this option to

their customers for a low monthly fee. When making a donation or payment this way, your bank or credit union will mail

checks to the recipients you designate. You can designate if your donation will recur regularly – if it is, it will be mailed to

us automatically on the frequency you choose. You can also note if the donation is to be used for a special purpose.

Here at Blessed Sacrament we use online banking to pay almost all of our bills. The savings in postage easily covers the

monthly fee.

(Soon) Via an “App”.

We are setting up an “app” that can be used on our web page, our Facebook page, and on your smartphone for anyone to

easily make a donation. More information will be coming soon.

Via Our Diocese (This will be available for a limited time)

Our diocese set up an online method for anyone to use and 100% of these donations will come to the parish. To use this

method, have your credit card info handy and go to the diocesan website Change in Procedure: https://dwc.org/support-

your-local-parish/

o When you click on the link a list of parishes will open up. Blessed Sacrament is near the beginning.

o When you find that line in the list, look to the far right edge of the line and click on the word "donate".

o A new screen will allow you indicate how much you wish to donate and your contact details.

Note that you can click on a box marked "recurring" if you want this same gift to continue on a regular basis without

your having to do this process repeatedly (for as long as this temporary portal exists).

o The next screen will ask for your debit/credit card info just as if you were checking out a purchase from other

websites.

o After you complete your donation process, you will receive an email receipt.

Welcome to Mary Odin, Our New Director of Music Ministry and Youth Ministry!

Our Building/Office

Our building and office will be closed until further notice.

You can still call or email members of our parish staff. For specific phone numbers and emails, please see the contact

information below.

Parish / Staff Contacts & Other Information Our office hours are suspended until further notice

Address: 305 E Street, South Charleston, WV 25303

Telephone (Parish Office): 304.744.5523 E-mail: blessedsac@suddenlinkmail.com

Web page: www.blessedsacramentwv.org

Our Parish Staff

Pastor Rev. John H. Finnell Cell: 304.377.3560 calls and texts

E-mail: snowman25303@hotmail.com

Deacon Rev. Mr. John Hanna Home: 304.935.4646 Cell: 304.389.7255

E-mail: deaconjohnh@suddenlink.net

Pastoral Associate Jeanne Haas E-mail: haasjeanne@hotmail.com

Office Manager Natalie Zellers Office E-mail: blessedsac@suddenlinkmail.com

Music & Youth Director Mary Odin E-mail: wmodin@frontier.com

Our Pastoral Council

Joe Gresham, facilitator Rick Brennan Tiffany Wilson Danny Scalise Tim Norris

Reagan Whitmyer John F. Gianola Ken Holz Jack Dever Ann Dever

Joe Jenkins Laura Jennings Matt Hayes Philip Maramba

St. Paul Radio - West Virginia......Presents Catholic radio on:

WLUX 1450 AM Dunbar; WNUX 89.7 FM Beckley; WOUX 105.3 Parkersburg

Visit www.sprwv.org for a link to stream Catholic radio to a smart phone

Next Sunday's Mass Readings – June 7, 2020

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

Reading 1 EXODUS 34:4B-6, 8-9

Early in the morning Moses went up Mount Sinai as the LORD had commanded him, taking along the two stone tablets.

Having come down in a cloud, the LORD stood with Moses there and proclaimed his name, "LORD." Thus the LORD

passed before him and cried out, "The LORD, the LORD, a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in kindness

and fidelity." Moses at once bowed down to the ground in worship. Then he said, "If I find favor with you, O Lord, do come

along in our company. This is indeed a stiff-necked people; yet pardon our wickedness and sins, and receive us as your

own."

Responsorial Psalm DANIEL 3:52, 53, 54, 55, 56

R. Glory and praise for ever!

Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever;

And blessed is your holy and glorious name, praiseworthy and exalted above all for all ages.

R. Glory and praise for ever!

Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory, praiseworthy and glorious above all forever.

R. Glory and praise for ever!

Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.

R. Glory and praise for ever!

Blessed are you who look into the depths from your throne upon the cherubim, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.

R. Glory and praise for ever!

Reading 2 2 CORINTHIANS 13:11-13

Brothers and sisters, rejoice.

Mend your ways, encourage one another, agree with one another, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be

with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the holy ones greet you. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of

God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.

Gospel JOHN 3:16-18

God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have

eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through

him. Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned,

because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

PASTOR'S PAGES

FAREWELL AND WELCOME AND THANKS FOR BOTH Mark Haas, with his beautiful family and many talents, has been a great gift to our parish for the last 3 years. It seems like yesterday that we were incredulous that he was actually looking for a new position at the very time Becky Barnes was to retire and move away. I thank God for Mark and for the wonderful parents who brought him into this world! I will miss his cheerful, faith-filled presence and I'm glad to know he won't be far away! Mary Odin also brings with her a beautiful family and many talents. Again it seems too providential to be coincidental that she was looking for a new position when Mark was ready to move on. All of us on staff are looking forward not only to benefitting from Mary's talents and zeal for ministry, but also to being enriched by her loving and prayerful sharing of wisdom, as we have already experienced through her participation in our meetings. To me it is humbling and awe-inspiring to see, yet again, how God gives our parish what God knows our parish needs to carry out our mission as part of God's great plan of salvation. May we never forget or take for granted these privileged and practical signs that God IS good – all the time!

SOMETIMES Sometimes I am an oak tree massive, tall and strong, sometimes a weeping willow with a sobbing song, sometimes a noble cactus defying scorching sun, sometimes a wilting vine with no energy to run. In every leaf and twig and trunk I find myself again being, growing, reaching high to know what I have been.

Catholic psychologist calls domestic violence 'pandemic within a pandemic' https://www.catholicnews.com/services/englishnews/2020/catholic-psychologist-calls-domestic-violence-pandemic-within-a-pandemic.cfm

An Incalculable Loss New York Times front page 5/24/20 https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/05/24/us/us-coronavirus-deaths-100000.html?action=click&module=Spotlight&pgtype=Homepage thanks to Colleen O'Neill for these chuckles:

The only reason they say 'Women and children first' is to test the strength of the lifeboats. - Jean Kerr

I've been married to a communist and a fascist, and neither would take out the garbage. - Zsa Zsa Gabor

When a man opens a car door for his wife, it's either a new car or a new wife. - Prince Philip

Wood burns faster when you have to cut and chop it yourself. - Harrison Ford

Lawyers believe a man is innocent until proven broke. - Robin Hall

LCWR is partnering with other faith leaders calling for all people to spend time during the

weekend of May 29-31 to lament and mourn the 100,000 persons who will have died in the

United States from COVID-19, and to pause at noon on Monday, June 1 to honor the

deceased.

We ask you to consider inviting your own members and associates to participate in this

effort through the following:

1. Mark the grim milestone on Sunday (Pentecost) in your own celebration of the

Eucharist or common prayer and encourage others to do the same.

2. Contact your elected officials, mayors, governors, and members of Congress and

ask them to designate Monday, June 1 a National Day of Mourning and Lament--

remembering the dead with moments of silence, lowering of flags, interfaith vigils,

and civic memorials.

3. Use social media and other communication platforms to post prayers and laments,

names, photos, and tributes to those who have died of the coronavirus during the

days leading up to June 1. #DayofMourning, #Lament100k

Our lament will also honor the hard truths we have learned during this pandemic: our

suffering has been unequal. Elders, black and brown neighbors, native communities,

refugees and immigrants have borne disproportionately the brunt of sickness and death.

Our prayers for the healing of the nation must acknowledge the brokenness of our

democracy and call us to repair the injustices this pandemic has revealed.

On Friday, with Ramadan finished, Muslims will remember the reception of the Quran.

On Friday and Saturday, Jews will remember God's covenant as they celebrate Shavuot

and read their yizkhor (remembrance) prayers. On Sunday, Christians will celebrate

Pentecost, when the first Christians were given courage through the reception of the Holy

Spirit. Together we will name, honor, lament, and offer our tributes to the lives, families,

and communities of those who have died.

On Monday, June 1, at noon local time, all are encouraged to join the civic community and

pause once more to remember those who have died. It will be appropriate for flags to be

lowered and to observe moments of silence, prayer, reflection, and bell-ringing. This June

1 call to remember is being supported by the U.S. Conference of Mayors who represent

over 1,400 mayors across the country.

As spiritual leaders we are called to help lead our congregations, communities, and

country in this time of grief and lament in a way that will lead us forward more united as a

country to address the very real challenges we face ahead. And we know that we can only

do that together.

EDITORIAL: VIOLENCE AND LIFE

In the spirit of Pentecost, remembering that the apostles were enabled to proclaim Jesus Christ in many languages, I take this opportunity to express my views about recent events in Minneapolis. I will never approve any form of violence as being an appropriate response to violence, evil, irritation or injustice of any kind. But I can feel a deep empathy for the citizens of Minneapolis whose rage at the death of George Floyd spilled over into violent protest. I feel deep empathy for Floyd's family and friends who are horrified and who now find themselves at the center of ugly and intrusive publicity when they are trying to absorb the shock and begin to grieve. I also feel deep empathy for the rest of the Minneapolis Police Force who probably regret what is perceived as a seriously racist tragedy that will set back their level of trust from and for the minority groups in their jurisdiction. And I WANT to feel empathy for the officers responsible for Floyd's death (did they truly feel threatened? did they calculate the impact of their tactics?) and for those who must decide about their discipline and prosecution. I would like all of them to have the opportunity to reflect on these events in a Restorative Justice Circle group process. No matter what crime a person has committed, or is suspected of having committed, the person's right to life should be inviolable, especially by those formally entrusted with civic leadership. No matter how irritating a criminal's behavior is, no matter how over-stressed and angry a police officer may be, those in authority MUST exercise prudent restraint that balances protection of public well-being with protection of fundamental individual human rights. All of us know what it is like to feel a just anger – but sometimes express that anger in unjust, excessive ways which damage and destroy trust of those we love, sometimes for long periods of time. Yes, Black lives matter – but not because they're black! They matter because ALL lives matter to followers of Christ, who knows no boundaries of race, color, creed, gender, nationality, ethnicity or sexual orientation. Whether we like it or not we also must acknowledge the leadership role of the United States of America in world affairs. Favored with rich resources and opportunities, we are the ones many nations look to for example and inspiration. With this in mind I found myself feeling deep sorrow and shame as I found on YouTube news reports in a myriad of languages about the death of George Floyd. We, collectively, are smeared again in the eyes of much of the world, apart from those dictators who routinely use wanton violence to silence their opponents. Anger towards those who violate others' rights is justified – but things are not made better if the anger (or fear?) spills over into random violence. I may understand and sympathize with the violent protestors but I do not approve of their violence. Within my own mind and heart, every violation of human rights, every destruction of a human person's life by any agent in any situation is both morally wrong and practically wrong-headed. Hearing the reports of the volume of angry protest in Minneapolis, I cannot help remembering the many times that human lives have been destroyed in many situations – including the tens of millions of unborn children who have been aborted in our own country and throughout the world. What are we doing in response to those acts of violence? I, personally, am persuaded that the life of a human person begins at conception and must be respected as such. I believe that life is a gift from God and should not be violated by any lesser authority, whether individual, communal or national. Together, with confidence in the love of God which is the ultimate power of the universe, let us pray and work for true and lasting justice for every person and for all of God's creation!

JHF