I am writing to you today with some important updates concerning our parish’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. As you know, the CDC modified its directives on Sunday evening with a strong recommendation to avoid any gatherings of more than 50 persons. The President has also recommended against participating in social groups of more than 10 persons for the present time.
As a result, in consultation and collaboration with the other bishops of Tennessee and Kentucky, Bishop Spalding has determined that it is necessary to suspend public celebrations of Mass and all other religious gatherings. This suspension is currently slated to last through April 3, with the possibility of being extended further should the situation warrant.
For that reason, with great sadness in my heart but with trust in the Lord and confidence in the prudent wisdom of our civic and religious leaders in this matter, I must announce to you that all Masses at St. Patrick's are cancelled effective immediately, as well as Stations of the Cross on Fridays, and all other public activities through at least April 3, 2020. The Bishop has granted a dispensation from the Sunday Obligation for all the faithful.
Please remember the following important points:
Even though our direct participation in Holy Mass must temporarily cease, the Lord has not abandoned us! We remain Catholic Christians and faithful followers of Our Lord. Please continue to pray! The Bishop has asked that we remain faithful to keeping Sunday holy as the sabbath day, by praying the Holy Rosary, reading the Mass readings from the day, and/or making the Stations of the Cross at home. There are also opportunities to watch celebrations of Mass available online through various local, national, and international outlets including dioceseofnashville.com.
I will be offering Mass in private every day at our parish church, and will remember you and your intentions at the altar. You are always in my prayers, and will remain so in a very intense way in the coming weeks. The graces of the Holy Mass are so very real, and I hope you will take solace in the reality that priests throughout the world will continue to offer the Sacrifice of our salvation to our Eternal Father every single day, calling down gifts and graces from heaven upon all of us. The Mass still matters in our lives, even if we are unable to be physically present!
As I do in normal circumstances, I will continue to post a Sunday homily each week to the parish website.
Please make liberal use of the wonderful resources available to you at formed.org, where our parish subscription makes all content entirely free to you. There are also excellent resources for your education and enrichment in the Faith at https://www.dioceseofnashville.com/formation. If you long for engagement with the Lord and your Faith during this time, or even if you just find yourself at home with nothing to do, enjoy some wonderful Catholic content and let this be an opportunity to grow in your Faith and your relationship with God!
You can read Bishop Spalding’s letters to us at dioceseofnashville.com, where you can also find many other resources for this unusual time in the life of our Church. There will also be regular updates posted there and at our parish website.
Beginning tomorrow (Wednesday), the church will be open for two hours daily, Monday through Friday from 5:00 pm until 7:00 pm and Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 am until 1:00 pm. During these hours each day, there will be Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and confessions available. I ask that if you choose to come to pray in church, you maintain appropriate Social Distancing and be respectful and mindful of the health of your fellow parishioners at prayer.
Please know that I am not taking a vacation from my love and pastoral care for you, my beloved parishioners. I am at your disposal for pastoral needs and concerns! Since I am so often away from the parish office, especially in this time, I ask that you contact me by email (fr.hammond@stpatricksnashville.org) with any needs you might have so that I can respond promptly.
Serving as your pastor is the greatest joy of my life. Please know that I will be redoubling my prayers for all of you, that we may all emerge from this challenging time not just healthy in mind and body, but renewed spiritually with an even deeper appreciation for our Faith and for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass as the source and summit of our entire lives.
Below this message I have included the magnificent prayer written by our patron saint, known as St. Patrick’s Breastplate. I invite you to pray this prayer with me today and every day during this crisis, binding ourselves to the strong name of the Holy Trinity and placing ourselves under the protection of our great patron. May God bless and protect you and your families in this uncertain time, and may the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Joseph, and St. Patrick guide and comfort you now and forever.
Father Hammond
March 17, 2020 The Feast of St. Patrick
St. Patrick’s Breastplate
I bind unto myself today The strong name of the Trinity: By invocation of the same, The Three in One and One in Three.
I bind this day to me for ever By power of faith, Christ's incarnation: His baptism in the Jordan river, His death on the Cross for my salvation; His bursting from the spiced tomb, His riding up the heavenly way, His coming at the day of doom I bind unto myself today!
I bind unto myself today The power of God to hold and lead: His eye to watch, his might to stay, His ear to hearken to my need; The wisdom of my God to teach, His hand to guide, his shield to ward; The Word of God to give me speech, His heavenly host to be my guard!
I bind unto myself today The power of the great cherubim, The sweet "well done" in judgment hour, The service of the seraphim; Confessors' faith, apostles' word, Patriarchs' prayers, the prophets' scrolls; All good deeds done unto the Lord, And purity of virgin souls.
I bind unto myself today The virtues of the starlit heaven, The glorious sun's life-giving ray; The whiteness of the moon at even, The flashing of the lightning free, The whirling wind's tempestuous shocks, The stable earth, the deep salt sea around the old eternal rocks.
Christ be with me, Christ within me, Christ behind me, Christ before me, Christ beside me, Christ to win me, Christ to comfort and restore me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ in quiet, Christ in danger, Christ in hearts of all that love me, Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.
I bind unto myself today, The strong name of the Trinity: By invocation of the same, The Three in One and One in Three, Of Whom all nature hath creation, Eternal Father, Spirit, Word: Praise to the Lord of my salvation — Salvation is of Christ the Lord!