LETTER TO THE PARISH COMMUNITY OF ST. LOUIS OF FRANCE This may be the last letter that I write to you all as the parish administrator of the beautiful community of St. Louis of France. I would like to begin by thanking you all for your faith and inspiring collaboration in so many different ways: through your generous contribution God has manifested His Divine Providence. You have made possible the financial improvements and growth of the parish, from maintenance to the improvement of many of the buildings. You made possible a variety of different projects, involving the initiatives of many different people and groups of the community, with the approval of the parish finance and pastoral councils, and all this has also led the happy realization of the commission of works, which will continue being of selfless service to our community. Thank you to all who give your time and effort, with sacrifice, for the good of all, to help save costs for the community, for your hours of voluntary service, such as working on Saturdays as well during the week in the cleaning of the rectory, the Church, the office, the sacristy, in the gardens, etc. Thank you to all the catechists that also served voluntarily in different ways, with love and generosity, and also thanks to those who help in our liturgies with music and song, for helping as our altar servers, ministers of Holy Communion, lectors, etc., even more difficult through the pandemic restrictions. Thank you to our very much appreciated parish staff that has been having so much time, effort, voluntarily and selflessly, to serve all the community the best they can, despite so many changes and challenges they had to face. Thanks be to God for the great diversity and talents of the many groups and apostolates that enrichen our parish community: there are more than 30 groups of our community that make present the beauty of the Church as the Mystical Body of Christ as described in 1 Corinthians 12. All come from the Spirit to enrich the people of God. And also, we give thanks for the persecutors, to those who prefer to remain outside thinking badly, being suspicious of everything and criticizing everything, causing obstacles for the growth of the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom does not become present except through encountering opposition and persecution, which has not been absent for us, more from within our community than from outside. GOOD NEWS. Directions from the Archdiocese have been given for this new time of opening, in which they indicate to us the way of proceeding. In simple and clear words. From today Jun 15th RESTRICTIONS ARE LIFTED. That means: Sunday mass is an obligation for Catholics, to accomplish God’s commandment. We don’t need social distance any more, no limitations in the number of people attending mass, the use of facemask is voluntary, and we all will respect each other’s decision. Communion can be received worthily in both ways the Church allows, either in the hand or on the tongue. We will then now be able to use the parish hall for meals, be able to rent the hall for events and parties, etc. The rooms in which the many different parish groups meet will not yet be available yet, only a small number of them sporadically depending on availability, since the school will begin working on a project called STEM. They will be constructing laboratories for science and technology, also changing lights, fixing the bathrooms, etc.
As the Fathers here at St. Louis of Francewe have had the privilege of accompanying you, and we are immensely grateful for you all, and we pray to God that in this new time that will begin July 1st with the new pastor that you all continue to be just as generous and collaborative as you have been in these years. We have been edified and enriched very much by your example of faith and your prayers and devotion. Also, we ask for your forgiveness for our own poverty, weakness, and limitations, in that we could not always respond to your expectations in the best way. Please count always on our prayers and support for you. MAY GOD FILL YOU ALL WITH HIS BLESSING AND MARY OUR MOTHER COVER YOU ALWAYS UNDER HER MANTLE. Fr. Julio A. Domenech Fr. Robert McGowan Fr. Daniel Malaver