Wednesday Update, July 1, 2020

WEDNESDAY UPDATE JULY 1, 2020 
BISHOP EDWARD J WEISENBURGER
VOL 3, NO 25

PUBLIC MASSES SUSPENDED
Along with many of you, I too have been carefully following the pandemic’s growth here in Arizona. The spike in cases has caused a tremendous stress for our hospitals and the rate of saturation within the general population appears to be moving upward at a serious pace. For these reasons it has been strongly recommended to me that we suspend public worship in our Churches, and I agree. For these reasons, as of today (July 1st) our parishes will no longer be open to the public.

My hope is that this suspension will be brief, but we owe it to our healthcare workers (along with the most vulnerable among us) to take this temporary step. At this time we’re returning to the protocols we were following just prior to the reopening of our parishes. To learn how you can safely receive Holy Communion, celebrate Sacramental Penance, or view an on-line Mass, please go to your parish web site or our Diocesan web site, which provides more detail about our current situation. Again, I anticipate this to be a brief suspension of public worship in our churches.

While nothing can fully replace our ability to gather in person, now is a time to let the Church come to you in your homes. Be assured of my daily prayers for your safety and good health, and I greatly look forward to when we can once again be in one another’s company.

HOPE (Helping Our Parishes Endure) FUND THANK YOU!
The HOPE Campaign has collected just under $46,000 which goes directly to our parishes as we navigate the closures and reduced attendance due to COVID-19. Thanks to all who have continued to support our parishes through the closures, either directly to the parish or through the HOPE Campaign. Please continue to give to your parishes as you are able. Your weekly or monthly support is critically needed. If you would like to give to your parish on-line, visit our HOPE FUND WEBSITE.

PRIESTS ORDINATION ANNIVERSARIES THIS WEEK

• Rev James Shea CSsR 6/29/1965
• Rev Jonathon Fehrenbacher ICRSS 7/1/2017
• Rev Nathaniel Mma 7/1/1995 Rev H Ricardo Elford CSsR 7/2/1964
• Rev Richard Kusugh VC 7/3/2004

FOUNDER OF THE SALVATORIANS TO BE BEATIFIED
Father Francis Mary of the Cross Jordan, founder of the Salvatorians, will be beatified at a date and time to be announced. Pope Francis formally approved a miracle attributed to Father Jordan on June 19 which was the last step toward beatification. The Society of the Divine Savior, popularly known as the Salvatorians, is an international, religious, congregation of priests and brothers in the Catholic Church, founded in Rome, December 8, 1881, by the Father Francis Mary of the Cross Jordan. The Salvatorian Family includes the priests and brothers mentioned above, as well as the Congregation of the Sisters of the Divine Saviour, co-founded by Blessed Mary of the Apostles (Therese von Wullenweber), and the lay apostolate known as the International Community of the Divine Savior.

The Salvatorian Family has had a long and impactful history in our Diocese, serving at several parishes and various ministries throughout the decades. They currently serve at Most Holy Trinity Parish on Tucson’s West side. The Salvatorians fund and oversee the pastoral formation ministry of the Jordan Ministry Team and Southwest Medical Aid. They also offer ongoing assistance at Casa Alitas, the San Xavier Mission, in various prisons, and through spiritual direction and various parish based ministries. I am grateful for the presence, formation, and ministries of the Salvatorian community in our diocese and look forward to celebrating the beatification of their founder. To learn more about the miracle attributed to Fr. Jordan check out their website.

SUPREME COURT
Two decisions of note were publicized this week by the Supreme Court of the Unites States.  
Dreamers:
Those eligible under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, known as DREAMERS, have been given a temporary reprieve by the Supreme Court. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has studied this case and is urging Congress to pass legislation that would create a permanent solution for these young adults. While we need to advocate for DREAMERS for a host of reasons, the economic impact of DREAMERS in our country is profound. This 2-page article from the USCCB is very insightful.

Abortion:
I was deeply disappointed with the decision rendered by the U.S. Supreme Court on abortion, which struck down a Louisiana law requiring doctors who perform abortions to possess admitting privileges to hospitals. As Archbishop Joseph Naumann, Chairman of the USCCB Committee for Pro-Life Activities, noted so well, abortion violently ends the life of a child and often severely harms women. While we hope to see an end to all abortion, these laws that restrict abortion are in place to see that women who seek it should not be further harmed and abused by a callous, profit-driven industry. It is my great hope that this temporary legal set-back will result in a greater effort to overturn the grave injustice of the Supreme Court’s Roe and Casey decisions, and a true right to life is recognized for every human being, from conception until natural death. Let us continue to work toward that goal, including finding new ways to help pregnant women choose to keep their babies.