Dear Brothers and Sisters,

This is a very trying time. It appears the devil is working overtime using Covid-19 to get his foot at the door with a sole purpose to destabilize our social, economic and spiritual way of life. It has made it impossible for us to gather together as a family to worship our God. I truly miss having you in church. Because it is important to not allow this test to intrude into our communion with our Father, I recognize it is important to continue to celebrate our normal liturgies each day and each weekend. Therefore, remember to tune in at www.facebook.com/JohnPaulGreatParish and celebrate with us the daily Mass at 8:30AM in English, and 6:00PM in Spanish from Monday to Saturday and Sunday liturgy at 10:00AM in English and 11:30AM in Spanish. In addition, if you are not be able to celebrate with us at these times for various reasons, you can watch the Mass at your own time and become part of the same service.

When we are visited with trials and hardship, the temptation is to give in to fear. God can seem aloof and so distant. As your pastor, I have a message for you: Do not be afraid. We shall weather this storm together. The psalmist urges us not to fear in the face of evil for God is with us (psalm 23).

In his letter to the Romans, St. Paul reminds us that nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39). Covid-19 may succeed in destabilizing our way of life, take away our health, weaken our economy, but it cannot take away Jesus from us. It can never take salvation that Jesus won on the cross from us. It does not have the power to prevail over the house of God.

I feel very uncomfortable broaching the topic of giving at this time since I know that for some of us, the present Covid-19 crisis will affect their income significantly. I wish I had somewhere else to turn. If your circumstance allows it, please remember that while we have had to cancel gathering and public worship, we still have to meet the obligation to our employees, make payrolls, pay our utility bills. We depend totally on the weekly offerings for the upkeep of our parish. If we were not a religious organization, we would receive significant relief from special Covid-19 easement programs now created by both the federal and state governments to help small secular organizations our size to make payrolls, keep facilities and weather the storm. But we are a religious group and do not qualify. So now, only with our deep beliefs and stand with members must we survive. Without your support, we have no parish to call our own. Here are different ways you can help your parish during this time of uncertainty:

• Return your weekly envelopes to the parish. You can mail it to St. John Paul the Great Parish, 160 Main Street, Torrington, CT 06790
• Give online. Simply click on the Online Giving link to get started. It's fast and easy. It's secure and confidential. You have total control. You can start, stop, and change your gift-giving at any time for any reason.
• Use BillPay Service. Have your bank set up St. John Paul the Great Parish as a regular payment you make.

I know it's because of your gifts that we are able to continue our good work, instill the love of God in our children, and grow our church. I thank you for your continued generosity in supporting St. John Paul the Great Parish especially during this crisis. We are in all of this together. We must continue to worship together. We cannot allow the Covid19 temptation to rob us of the on-high, or to force us to minimize our daily and weekly walks, talks, and spiritual meditation with the divine.

God bless,

Fr. Emmanuel Ihemedu
Pastor

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