Blog Archives

3/29/2020

Being Light In the Present Darkness

Dear Friends,

Like most of you, I had no idea the circumstances under which I’d be writing this. Even two weeks ago, we thought our masses would continue on their regular schedule even if fewer of you could be there. Now we find ourselves under order to stay home and practice distancing in order to protect ourselves and one another. Our mass is being celebrated in an empty church and shared digitally with you. Many of you have sent us notes of appreciation and we are grateful and uplifted by them!

Today’s Scripture Readings have passages that can serve as prompts for reflection on where God is in our current reality. Since they are God’s Word, they bring hope and light, precious gifts that are sorely needed.

The first reading from the prophet Ezekiel where the LORD says that he will “open your graves and have you rise from them” is partly metaphorical, dealing with the future end of the Babylonian exile. But the notes of promise, restoration and God’s faithfulness are unmistakable. I say ”partly metaphorical” because in today’s Gospel reading an actual resurrection from the dead occurs when Jesus calls Lazarus out of the grave.

Friends, the pandemic through which we are living is scary, and on many levels. In addition to fear of the virus and for our own health, there is fear that we may lose someone we love. On top of that there is economic fear, fear of being cooped up, fear of things changing irrevocably, fear of shortage and scarcity, fear of civil unrest and any number of others. Where is God in this? He is right here, with us. The shortest verse in the Bible is in today’s gospel: “And Jesus wept” [at the death of his friend Lazarus, and at the pain of his family and friends].

On the other hand, there are many examples of courage and resilience, generosity and charity. If we are to be, as St. Teresa of Avila says, the hands and feet of Jesus Christ; if we are to look with his eyes of mercy on the world, then are not these stories of first responders and healthcare professionals; of families sharing with those in more dire straits than their own; of scientists and civic leaders collaborating reasons for hope and even for joy? Are these not the Body of the Risen Christ ministering to the Body? And what is that if not light in darkness?

Psalm 130 from which this Sunday’s responsorial psalm is taken expresses this duality well:
Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD;
LORD, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to my voice in supplication.
I trust in the LORD; my souls trusts in his word. More than sentinels wait for the dawn, let Israel wait for the LORD.
For with the LORD is kindness and with him is plenteous redemption; and he will redeem Israel.

When this pandemic has run its course and passes, and we are released from enforced isolation, as we first emerge and begin reordering our lives, maybe it will be a little like Lazarus emerging from the grave. And maybe we will live differently. Maybe we will be more patient, more grateful, more loving, and more attuned to God’s presence among us. May it be so.

Siempre Adelante,

Dominic MacAller
Liturgy and Music Minister

3/28/2020

Local Doctors Ask Community Members to Stay Home

County of Ventura Doctors:
Daniel Cox, MD, Palliative Care
Nessa Meshkaty, MD, Infectious Disease
Melissa Barger, MD, Infectious Disease

In the near future, we are going to experience a coronavirus surge here in Ventura County. We don’t know exactly what it will look like or feel like, but it will affect all of us.

Here’s what we all need to understand: this virus is dangerous. For many of us – including younger people who are indeed contracting the virus at a high rate – coronavirus will feel like a bad flu. With luck, rest, and fluids, one could ride out the fever, cough, and body aches and start to improve over a period of weeks. However, if our experience in Ventura County is similar to other areas, up to twenty percent of confirmed cases will have a different experience.

Let’s put this in perspective for our county, population ~850,000. In a worst-case scenario, 1 in 5 confirmed cases of COVID-19 will progress to serious illness requiring hospitalization. One quarter of those hospitalized patients with COVID-19 will further decline to the point where they need a ventilator and life support to survive. Using an epidemiologic model recommended by the California Department of Public Health, we find that without strict social distancing, we will need 18,000 ventilators to take care of the sickest patients at the peak of the surge on day 58 of the outbreak. Yet we have only an estimated 180 ventilators across the 8 hospitals in Ventura County. Hospitals in Italy, Iran, and now New York City have been overwhelmed when the infection rate spiked, and many have died that would otherwise have had a chance at surviving.

We realize that what we are saying is difficult to hear, but we also want to be very clear. These patients are not going to remain abstract statistics. This may well be someone you love, someone you know. Nonetheless, as your community health care providers, we wish to share this message: we are here for you. We are preparing for the surge every second of every day. We will care for you. We take our responsibility to the community seriously. But you have a responsibility to our community as well. Ultimately, despite our best efforts, we cannot adequately care for a sick population that exceeds our capacity. If the rates of coronavirus spike and our county residents all need acute care simultaneously – there will not be enough beds, and many will be denied the care that we would all expect to receive, leading to loss of life.

We understand why most people struggle with the idea of sheltering in place. It imposes limits on our basic freedoms. We are social animals by nature and our joy is tied to our interpersonal connections. Layer on top of that the real need to earn a living to support our families and it can feel like an impossible ask to stay at home. And yet human interaction is the fuel that spreads this virus. Everything we do and everywhere we go – the sum of our normal activities – are like dry brush in a forest fire for coronavirus. But by staying home – when we deny the virus pathways and carriers to spread – the virus starves. Ironically, after weeks of sheltering in place, if we see that nothing much has happened – that’s when we’ll know that our sacrifice made all the difference.

So here is the good news. If we are able to sustainably reduce social contact by 60%-70% and improve testing and treatment, the aforementioned epidemiologic model suggests we could improve from that worst-case scenario of 18,000 ventilators needed on day 58 to a much more manageable peak of 475 ventilators on day 170 of the outbreak. That extra time is critical for our hospitals to build ventilator capacity and allow for the development of novel treatments. Thousands of lives would be saved. The key is sustaining the recommended reduction in social contact for that prolonged period of time.

As your physicians in Ventura County, we care deeply about our community and providing the best care possible to our patients. That is why we are asking you to honor Governor Newsom’s order to stay home. Each week that we shelter in place gives our health care system a chance to adapt and build our defenses to better prepare for the coronavirus surge. Your efforts and sacrifice now will save lives of people you know and love in the future. We thank you.

Ashley Bautista
Public Information Officer
County of Ventura, CEO
Office: 805-654-2640
Cell: 805-212-9484
www.vcemergency.com

3/26/2020

A message from your priest, Fr. Patrick

Dear Parishioners,

This is a long one, but I have a number of important items to pass on to you. The first is that I am praying for you, for your patience, for your confidence and fearlessness, for your generosity of spirit, and for your health and safety.

The second is that I and the parish pastoral team and staff are fine. The seniors have all gone home to work from a safe place, and most of the staff do as much from home as possible, which is quite a lot. We had some confusion as our first round of responses, limiting exposure, have all been undone by subsequent instructions, eliminating exposure. Sigh.

Dominic MacAller and I are working on next week’s liturgy. Be there at 10:00 am on Sunday.

Brett Becker, our youth minister, is doing amazing things online in Zoom meetings and the like with the teens. If you have a lonely teenager twiddling her thumbs, suggest she look in on Brett’s online gatherings (brett@padreserra.org). Guys too!

Tere Delgado is working with her lovely team to get lessons home to all the children in faith formation, to do with their parents. This will be a team effort, parents. Do your best!

Among Teresa’s goals at this time is to keep people in ministry connected to each other. If you belong to a parish ministry that needs to meet, please contact her (teresa@padreserra.org) and ask how we can help set up a Zoom meeting. It’s fairly easy, even for this 60 year old who never attended a Zoom meeting until this last week.

Among the parish ministries that deserve particular praise is St. Vincent de Paul and members of the Young Adult Ministry, who are working very creatively to take care of households in financial crisis. Now would be a very good time to consider a donation to St. Vincent de Paul!

On that point, the parish collection this last weekend was under 1/5th of what we would normally receive. I know that many people have financial stresses. If you can contribute to your parish, now would be a very good time. Checks can be mailed or online offerings can be made at: www.osvonlinegiving.com/4191
Appointments with me:

I will be accepting online appointments with Zoom, Skype, or by phone.
They don’t need to be emergencies. They just need to be important to you.
Please, contact my assistant, Barbara at (babara@padreserra.org)
She is working from home, so be patient

Parish Seniors

If you are homebound with no family or friend support and need help with grocery shopping, please contact Teresa at (805) 482·6417 x322 or by email at teresa@padreserra.org

Moral concerns:

You may wonder if there are any moral consequences to getting sick. Not in general, but if you get sick because you have been careless, in a time when the disease is deadly…then yes, there can be moral responsibility. This is because
- your own life is of value (and even the young have gotten very ill or died from this coronavirus);
- you may infect others;
- your caregivers are also put at risk;
- your sickness stresses an already overwhelmed healthcare system, taking sparse medical resources away from others.
  - The moral implications are that we should do our very best to avoid getting sick, and that we are to follow the advice of the experts: stay home, maintain at least 6 feet, wash your hands, don’t touch your face, etc.
Regarding hording, we are as important as others. However, we aren’t more important. Don’t let irrational fear drive you, especially when it may leave others at a disadvantage.
- The moral implications are that we should obtain, in as safe a way as possible, what we need, but that we should not horde.
We have to treat every stranger as someone at risk. You don’t know when the person you see, who looks young and healthy, is actually compromised because of
- their smoking,
- a genetic disability, of which they might not even be aware,
- their health history, which you simply cannot know.
  - The moral implication is that we are maintaining all of the recommendations given by the health community because our faith instructs us to have a general concern for everyone, including those who look healthy, but aren’t.

The sacrament of reconciliation / confession:

The archbishop has suspended all confessions except for people in extreme danger.
I cannot hear your confession over the phone or computer; priest and penitent must be physically present to each other. The archbishop told us specifically not to do drive by confessions.
In the absence of the opportunity to go to the sacrament, please do as Pope Francis has instructed:
- make your confession directly to God,
- trust in God’s mercy,
- and make use of the first opportunity you have when the crisis passes, to make a sacramental confession with a priest.

Pastoral care of the sick
(Please read even if no one in the household is sick yet)

Apart from emergencies, the situation does not permit me to make communion or confession visits, though I will certainly speak to the sick over the phone. Please, arrange this by emailing my assistant, Barbara (barbara@padreserra.org), who is working from home.
If the sick have a severe case of the coronavirus, you need to tell me that before I come. I will not be able to touch them or stand close to their head. This means, to give them the sacrament of the sick, I will need:
- to wear a mask, goggles and gloves (I will bring them);
- to stand at their feet, one of which will need to be uncovered;
- to anoint them with a Q-tip or some other distancing mechanism.
If there is a realistic fear of death from any disease or age related weakness, please call the parish emergency number, (805) 512·3208, and I will do my best to come.
- Please don’t wait to the very last moment, as it’s always better to care for the conscious, who may well desire to go to confession if they can.
- If you can call in daylight hours, please do so. In an emergency do what you need to do.
- Please hear this: In my experience, the dying most often know that they are dying (dementia aside), and though they may not want to make you uncomfortable by talking about it, they often will be very free to have a comforting conversation with me, discussing their fears and hopes – because they often have both. Don’t deny them that chance by waiting till they are unconscious.

Sunday and weekday Mass

The current restrictions against saying Mass with a community present extend through April 18, the Sunday after Easter. This is following the request of the governor of California and the archbishop of Los Angeles.
My guess is, having observed the crisis in other places, that this shut down will probably be extended, rather than shortened. Whatever the governor says, I believe the archbishop will follow.
We will continue to livestream Mass. We will always maintain a link on the home page of the parish. So you will be able to find our livestream at
- www.padreserra.org
- The actual page will be www.padreserra.org/mass
- The best streaming experience can be found at www.youtube.com/psptv/live
- We will try to have a worship aid, if possible. I received some pictures in which people watched the Mass on their TV, while following the worship aid on their iPad. If you have to choose one or the other, I recommend the Mass livestream.

Stations of the Cross

The Stations of the Cross Garden is available for those who agree to maintain a 6 foot distance from others. If you come as a family, please respect the 6 foot distance others need and allow them to pass.
Please do not use the plastic sheets containing the text of the stations. We have no one to sterilize them at this point and they could become a source of contagion.
Instead, use the online versions, found at www.padreserra.org/stations. They work really well with your smartphone.

Holy Week and Easter

We will be trying to observe a simplified, yet prayerful Holy Week / Triduum. This will include:
- the Chrism Mass, where the oils used in anointing the sick, baptism, confirmation and ordination are blessed;
  - this will be streamed by the archdiocese, not the parish, and probably at lacatholics.org/tag/liturgy -- the actual URL has not been released yet.
- the Mass of the Lord’s Supper,
- the Good Friday service,
- the 10:00 am Easter morning Mass.
  - The parish will stream them on the same channels as the Sunday Mass, above.

Baptisms, weddings and funerals

Baptisms, apart from danger of death, and baptismal classes are postponed indefinitely.
Weddings are permitted with restrictions.
- The couple must have obtained a marriage license.
- With priest or deacon presiding, the couple may only have 7 guests, who must observe the 6 foot distancing.
- Only the brief wedding ceremony may be done, without the Mass and without instrumentalists or cantor, unless they are included among the 7 guests.
Funeral Masses are replaced by the simple rites at the grave with a maximum of 10 attending, including the priest or deacon.

If you have general questions, email the parish (parish@padreserra.org) or call the parish number (805) 482·6417 and Jane will direct your question to the right person.

In everything, we have to keep seeking those ways in which we can experience Jesus, even in a more constrained environment, and be His disciples in these troubled times.

Love from your priest,
Fr. Patrick

Padre Serra/COVID-19 Updates

3/24/2020

Pray the Our Father with the pope

Pope Francis invites all of us to unite voices and hearts in the prayer Jesus gave us tomorrow March 25.

Also visit: Padre Serra / COVID-19

3/22/2020

The Joy Within the Sacrifice

Dear Parish Family,

Happy Laetare Sunday! “Rejoice Jerusalem.” On this Sunday, the Church expresses hope and joy in the midst of our Lenten fasts and penances. It gives us a glimpse of the Joy that awaits us for Easter, as we continue our Lenten journey.

I wonder if any of you have felt a similar experience this Lenten season. For me, with what is happening worldwide with the COVID 19, it has created an opportunity to have a more in depth Lenten experience. In our Lenten season, we are asked to Pray, Fast, and Give. With the big push to remind us to wash our hands for at least twenty seconds frequently, I found an excellent suggestion to say the Our Father and Hail Mary as I washed. As I mindfully pray the Our Father and Hail Mary with every hand washing or as I wipe down surfaces, I bring all my loved ones to mind, especially for all who are affected by this virus. I am grateful for the opportunity to add more prayer through the small things I do in my everyday life. Even some of the restrictions that are being implemented for our health and safety can be adopted as a Lenten sacrifice. The fact that we may have to sacrifice a planned trip to Disneyland, a canceled concert, or even attending a party. If we accept these sacrifices with patience and offer them up for the health and recovery of others, it makes it all more bearable and good for our soul.

Our readings this Sunday share the same common theme to SEE ... In our first reading David, by first glance, was not the obvious choice to be anointed king, yet he was the chosen one. Samuel tells us, “Not as man sees does God see because man sees the appearance, but the Lord looks into the heart” (1 Sm 16:7). In our Gospel, Jesus healed the man physically by giving him sight. He healed him spiritually, revealing that Jesus is the Son of Man, the Messiah. The man became a believer and worshiped Jesus.

Let us SEE the Light, to fill us with the much needed rest and joy within the sacrifices this Lenten season, as we look forward to Easter and the end of this pandemic. We are being called on our Christian virtues of Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and self control in the accepting of the changing conditions that make us feel out of control. Especially in how we treat each other, may all our works be pleasing to our God. That when he looks into our hearts, he will see how much we love him and our love for others in the way we are caring for each other. You are all loved and precious in the eyes of our Lord. Stay healthy and unafraid. “Even though I walk in the dark valley, I fear no evil; for you are at my side with your rod and your staff that give me courage. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.” Our Lord is with us always.

Siempre Adelante,

Tere Delgado
Faith Formation Minister