Dear Parish Family,

A few updates and pieces of information:

1.  We have arrived at Palm Sunday!  I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone for your patience and kindness with me during this time.  If time permitted, I would jump at the opportunity to live-stream Mass to you from our own beloved parish.  But as you know, I also have responsibilities with our Bishop, and these responsibilities are especially intense during times of crisis like this.  But my thoughts and prayers remain with you, intensely and every day!  I will have you especially in my thoughts and prayers during the upcoming liturgies I will be celebrating with Bishop Spalding to assist him in these very unusual circumstances.  (He and I are already in such close proximity on a daily basis that social distancing isn’t possible: makes me one of the only people who can actually join to help him for his Masses!)  So, all that being said, please join me and Bishop Spalding on Sunday morning for our celebration of Palm Sunday Mass, and I especially recommend joining online for our live-streamed celebration of the Triduum liturgies of Holy Thursday (7:00 pm), Good Friday (3:00 pm), and the Holy Saturday Easter Vigil (7:00 pm).  All of these liturgies will be taking place in the Cathedral with the Bishop, myself, and just a few other people, and will be available at watchmass.com.  They will be unusual but very uniquely beautiful liturgies.  I hope you will join us!

2.  Easter Sunday is also a very special and unusual celebration this year.  I will join the Bishop to celebrate Easter Sunday Mass at the Cathedral, and this will air on Fox 17 at 11:00 am on Easter morning.  If you can, I encourage you and your families to join the Bishop and me for Mass on Easter morning, broadcast on Fox 17 at 11:00 am.

3.  I have posted another video message for the weekend: please watch at https://youtu.be/S7X3YKC8138 or on the parish website.

4.  We have blessed Palms available for you!  Palms are available for your pick-up so you can have them in-hand for watching a streamed Mass this weekend.  Feel free to drop by during the Church to pick up palms.  These palms are available for you on a table in the side stairwell, and this door into the side vestibule (by the handicapped ramp, with the staircase and bathrooms) will remain unlocked through Sunday so that you can come pick up palms at a time convenient to you.  These palms have already been blessed.

5.  Remember that there are many excellent options available to you as well for staying active in worship and in your Faith.  I encourage you to take full advantage of our formed.org subscription and the resources available at dioceseofnashville.com/formation.  

6.  Please know that, for as long as civil and church regulations permit and the health situation warrants, the church will continue to be open two hours per day, 5:00 pm-7:00 pm on weekdays, and 11:00 am-1:00 pm on Saturdays and Sundays.  Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and confessions continue to be available, again as long as health and legal circumstances permit.  However, please note that due to my schedule described above, the church will not be open on Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, or Easter Sunday (April 9-12).  Thank you again for your patience and understanding.

7.  Finally, remember that we are still a parish family!  I continue to offer Mass and pray for you every single day.  We will get through this!  Thanks to everyone who has continued to support the parish financially by mailing in envelopes or setting up online giving.  Your generosity during this time has been extraordinary!  A reminder that, if you have not already done so, online giving is a safe and convenient way to support the parish, especially in a time like this.  You can sign up at https://osvonlinegiving.com/4758.  

God bless you all, and let’s continue to pray for each other!
Fr Hammond