March 17th, 2020: 

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Greetings Parishioners,

This Lent will certainly be a Lent to remember. I know the cancellation of Masses throughout the Archdiocese of Cincinnati has caused many emotions: many are surprised, others are fearful about what will happen, and still others are upset as our usual routines are thrown into chaos. Other people have lost their jobs or had their occupations affected negatively by the government's reaction to the virus.

I encourage everyone to remember that God is greater than any virus or chaos caused in our nation! He is unchanging, and abundant grace is available at this very moment. Perhaps this is a chance for us to embrace a renewed appreciation for the sacraments. We can often take things for granted until we go without them. Perhaps this is a time for a renewed intensity in our life of prayer. Often we trust too much in the world around us and not in God.

For those who are spending extra time confined to their homes, I encourage you to use that time to enhance your life of prayer. Make this Lent into more of a retreat, with time to listen to the voice of God and place our trust in Him. Check out the Divine Mercy talks on the parish website. Please heed Our Lady's request to pray the rosary daily! We need Mary's intercession now more than ever!

Confessions will still be available on Thursday evenings (1st, 3rd, and 5th Thursdays at St. Patrick, 2nd and 4th Thursdays at St. Mary of the Woods). If any of the homebound desire to receive the Eucharist, contact the parish office.

There will be Masses livestreamed on the Archdiocese of Cincinnati website and Masses that can be viewed on EWTN. I will be posting a homily on our parish website each weekend. I encourage households to gather at the time they would ordinarily go to weekend Masses and read the Mass readings (available on the USCCB website), make an act of spiritual communion, and unite their hearts to the Mass I will be offering privately at that time. I included an act of spiritual communion below.

I encourage people to limit your exposure to the media; don't spend all day listening to reports about the coronavirus. A lot of the reports are not balanced and are scaring people needlessly. It may help to keep things in perspective. 50,000 people died this year in the U.S. as a result of the flu; less than a hundred have died in the U.S. (as of the time I write this) of the coronavirus. We have survived viruses before, and we will make it through this one.

Thank you to everyone who has been praying for me, and know that I am praying for you as well. I am offering Mass each day for you and your intentions. I will be saying all the Masses privately that were previously scheduled, so all Mass intentions will be honored. For those who are able, I encourage you to continue to support the parish financially. We will be losing several Sunday collections, and I anticipate that there might be a lot more people in need of financial help soon if there is not a quick turn-around in the economy.

With Prayers,
Father Shawn Landenwitch

Read Father Landenwitch's Coronavirus Response Letter.

View Archbishop Schnurr's letter.

COVID-19 Response information can be found here.

The archdiocesan website will be live-streaming a daily Mass and weekend Mass from the Cathedral of St. Peter in Chains. Daily Mass will be available online at 8 a.m. Monday through Saturday and Sunday Mass will be live-streamed at 11 a.m.
Visit Archdiocese of Cincinnati.

All live-streaming Masses will also be available on the Archdiocese of Cincinnati Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/CatholicCincinnati/.

An Act of Spiritual Communion

My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.

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March 17th, 2020: One Call Now 

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Greetings Parishioners, 

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This is an important message for our parish. As some of you may have heard already, the Bishops of Ohio have decided to suspend the public celebration of all Masses from now until the Holy Week and Easter, in order to prevent the possible spread of the coronavirus. So then all public Masses will be canceled, That does include our Mass this evening for the Feast Day of Saint Patrick. While this is sad news, at the same time you know God is in control of the situation, and in the end, he is much greater than any of the trials we are facing now. I am going to post a letter both on Facebook on our website. So I encourage you to read that letter, which includes some other reactions and feedback regarding the situation. I will still be celebrating Mass each and every day for our people and for our scheduled Mass intentions. And our churches will be open during regular office hours, for people to come in and pray individually. There will be no Penance Service this Thursday evening. But I will be available for individual confessions, if people wish to come. That'll be beginning around 6:45 p.m. till about 8 p.m. this Thursday 3/19. Also I encourage you to check our website. I'll be posting homilies online each weekend. And if families want to get together, I encourage you get together at the usual Mass time, whether you go at 4, 6, 8, or 10. And get together and read the readings for mass for that day, and you can do an Act of Spiritual Communion and unite yourself to the Mass, that I will be celebrating at that time. Be assured of my prayers during this time. And feel free to contact the Parish office, if you have any concerns or questions.

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Take care and God Bless,
Father Shawn Landenwitch

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Listen to Father Shawn Landenwitch's important updates from One Call Now on March 17, 2020.

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April 2nd, 2020:

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Archbishop Schnurr's letter from April 2.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Today (April 2, 2020) Governor Mike DeWine extended the executive “Stay at Home Order” to continue to curb the spread of the Coronavirus in the State of Ohio. Out of deep concern for the common good, as well as the physical and spiritual well-being of all the people of Ohio, the Catholic Bishops of Ohio have agreed once again to cooperate with the governor’s direction.

To that end, the Catholic Bishops of Ohio extend the temporary suspension of all publicly celebrated Masses/liturgies at least through and including Sunday May 3rd. The Bishops of Ohio dispense the Catholic faithful who reside in their respective dioceses and all other Catholics currently in Ohio from the obligation of attending Sunday Mass during this time period.

This decision has not been taken lightly and, as your bishops, together with you, we recognize the sacrifice we are called to make by being physically distanced from the Holy Eucharist and from one another.

Trusting in the graces flowing from the celebration of the passion, death and resurrection of Our Lord, we remain mindful of the hope that does not disappoint. As your bishops, we continue to encourage you to keep holy the Lord’s Day by participating in Sunday Mass by way of televised, live-streamed, or radio broadcast options and making a spiritual communion. Keeping in mind the gift of plenary indulgences offered to us by the Church, we encourage all the faithful to turn to the Church’s treasury of prayer, praying as a family or individually the rosary, divine mercy chaplet, the Liturgy of the Hours and Stations of the Cross, etc.

Please join us in praying for all who are suffering from the Coronavirus, for all health care workers and first responders, and for an easing of the anxiety and tension caused by this pandemic. Relying on the Motherly care of Our Lady, Health of the Sick, we unite our sufferings to those of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and we trust in the glorious hope of His resurrection.

You are in my prayers daily. Please pray for me.

Your father in Christ,

Most Reverend Dennis M. Schnurr

Archbishop of Cincinnati

COVID-19 Response information and Mass restrictions can be found here.

View Archbishop Schnurr's letter.

Visit Archdiocese of Cincinnati.

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