July 16, 2020 Parish update

Posted on Jul 16, 2020

This (Tuesday) morning the mayor and I avoided the down pour (with hail) by about 40 minutes.  We weren’t so lucky last week on Thursday when it started to sprinkle as I left the rectory and began to pour just after I picked up the mayor.  It rained the whole time we walked ending only as I approached the rectory at the end. 

            Part of our discussion as we walked along in the rain was how to dry out our shoes.  The mayor confided, “I hate to walk in wet shoes.”  I had to agree.  The mayor has a dehumidifier which he uses.  He inquired whether I had one.  “Nope,” was my answer.  I guess I’ll have to rely on the sun.  Well, that Friday the mayor was off on his road trip so I walked alone—in wet shoes.  I had some momentary concern that the wetness could give me a blister but I survived.

            The church news this morning was not good.  The Catholic dioceses in California were again banning public Masses.  I also believe there was a report that one Texas bishop banned public Masses.  This is of course not good news, this going backwards.  I also heard this morning that there was some concern that Minnesota was going to shut down bars and indoor dining again.  That would be devastating to those small businesses and yet the pandemic is not decreasing, it is surging, especially in the south.

            I also listened to an interview with Dr. Fauci.  Yesterday I believe he said he was “optimistic”  not the usual “cautiously optimistic” that there would be a couple of vaccines by the beginning of the year and prior to that, by the fall there would be good therapies to help those people recovering from the virus.  I guess we have to hang on to even the tiniest bit of good news in these trying times.

            We continue to celebrate one public Mass a weekend.  We’ll do that for the immediate future, waiting to find out if public Masses will be banned again as Covid 19 cases begin to surge in Pierce County.  I know we’d all like to get back to the way things were but it just isn’t possible right now.  For those of you who assess the risk and determine you’d like to attend the Saturday evening Mass, email Rita at the parish office and she’ll put you on the schedule.  Right now anyone who asks, gets to come.  Have a good week.  GRS