We've made great strides with our weekly offering here at Holy Trinity the last few weeks.  We need to make sure we continue to try to keep our collection around $8,000 each week.  During this trying time with the Corona virus, please remember you can still mail your weekly offering to the Parish Office, drop off to the Parish Office (there is a mail slot at the Drex Avenue Parish Door), or sign up to give through Electronic Giving.  If you need help signing up with Electronic Giving, call the Parish Office.  THANK YOU to those who have stepped up and given more than their normal weekly offering to help keep the collection up during this time with so few attending Mass.  We still need everyone's continued help to keep the parish viable.  If the parish can sustain an average of $8,000 a week, anything over that will go towards having a savings to take care of anything that might come up in the parish outside of regular operating costs.  Once again, thank you to all who continue to support Holy Trinity Parish.

 

The Parish Office is open again Monday thru Thursday 8:00 AM until 4:00 PM.  Masses have resumed at the following times; Sunday at 9:00 AM, Monday and Thursday at 7:45AM. Confession is by appointment only.  Please call the Parish Office.  ALL Masses will be celebrated in Church until further notice.  Thank you to all who continue to support Holy Trinity Parish!!!

WHAT IS

BEACONS OF LIGHT

Beacons of Light is a multiyear process of pastoral planning for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. Rooted in prayer, groupings of parishes will come together as one faith community. These new “Families of Parishes” will be stronger together, focused more on mission than on maintenance. In the Families of Parishes, we will grow closer to God, follow Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit and radiate Christ in our lives.

1. Eucharist: The Mass is the source and summit of the whole Christian life. Accordingly, the Eucharist is the essential moment for building up and strengthening the parish community, along with the sacraments and other celebrations of the paschal mystery — the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

2.  Church: Each of us is called to actively participate as a member of a parish, the Universal Church and our local Church, led by our archbishop. Parishes continually deepen the bonds of communion with other parishes.

3.  Leadership: Pastors, in collaboration with parochial vicars, deacons and lay ministers, according to their proper roles and charisms, share responsibility for pastoral leadership. The spiritual, physical and mental health and ongoing support of ordained and lay leaders is vital for Families of Parishes.

4.  Stewardship: Families of Parishes are communities of grateful disciples. Recognizing God’s gifts, they use their talents, skills and resources to build up the Church and live as Christ’s body in the world.

5.  Evangelization: As centers of missionary outreach, Families of Parishes find new ways to foster discipleship among all the baptized. Schools, religious education, faith formation and indeed the domestic Church itself are centers of this essential work.

6.  Love in Action: Families of Parishes will be communities of charity and justice, serving those most in need and working to change systems that oppress and marginalize. www.catholicaoc.org/beacons

April 12, 2021

  

Jesus is risen, alleluia!

 On this third Sunday of Easter, in between Divine Mercy Sunday and Good Shepherd Sunday, I find the opportunity to update everyone on the progress of my treatment for anxiety during this leave of absence from pastoral duties. “In between,” actually, is a fitting phrase to describe where I am on this journey.

My therapy work is demanding, akin to physical exercise after an extended period of inactivity. Confronting long-established mental habits and learning how to approach my thoughts from a more emotionally disinterested perspective is a real challenge. It's basically retraining my brain from the way it has learned to operate for 40 years. Not a quick switch! My guide through this is The Mindful Catholic by Dr. Gregory Bottaro. If you know anyone looking for a Christian approach to mindfulness, this is it. An additional struggle for me is to actually do the therapy work for myself and not think about how it could benefit others, a tendency ingrained in me through seminary training and my time as a priest and pastor. Needless to say, even though I'm more than halfway through my three-month leave of absence, I've still got a considerable way to go.

So, as much as I wish I could simply say all is well, to be honest, it's not great. It took me a bit of time to just decompress from the stress I'd been under. Then, in the first week of March, Fr. DiFolco informed me that the Nativity school principal announced his retirement and a search process was beginning. Though it was necessary to inform me of this and include me in this process, the timing was less than ideal. It did not help with my being able to focus on therapy without the pressure of pastoral responsibilities. This prompted me to further lean into trust in Divine Providence, showing once again the Lord’s ability to bring good out of any circumstance.

 My spiritual director has strongly encouraged me not to return too soon if I'm not ready. I've also discussed this with my therapist. In my initial conversation with the Archbishop, we acknowledged that more time might be necessary but that we'd begin with a three-month leave. Approaching the end of April, it seems an extension of leave is necessary and the Archbishop has graciously granted my two more months, so that I will return to my duties as pastor on July 1, 2021. With gratitude to Archbishop Schnurr, I also want to thank Fr. DiFolco for his willingness to remain as parochial administrator a little while longer. 

 At this “in between time,” I am now more deeply indebted to the Lord for His calling me to the priesthood. I've offered Mass every day in the rectory chapel. I have offered multiple Masses for Holy Trinity and Nativity parishes and parishioners. I pray for the fruitfulness of Beacons of Light as the Archdiocese approaches a period of discernment about the mission of Jesus Christ at this time and place in history. Daily I make a holy hour before the tabernacle, remembering the Lord’s promise to remain with us always in between the Ascension and His coming again in glory. As the beads of my rosary slip in between my fingers, I know Our Lady of Grace, of Perpetual Help, is pulling for me. And I certainly know without question the many prayers being offered on my behalf from all of you. 

 Establishing better mental health will help me become a better pastor and spiritual father for the children of God entrusted to me. Our journey together in faith, hope, and charity is a powerful motivator. As we live together this “in between time,” blessed with His Divine Mercy and seeking to follow Our Good Shepherd, it is impossible for me to thank you all enough for your kindness, your patience, and your continued support. So I will simply ask the Lord Jesus to provide what I cannot. May the peace and blessing of Almighty God be with you now and always.

 Fr. Eric