Dear Parishioners of Sacred Heart Parish,

Greetings from Father Fullum, Deacon Peter and the Sisters of the convent! I would like to happily report that Father Fullum and I have both tested NEGATIVE and have been cleared of the coronavirus. He was retested last Tuesday and I was tested for the first time. I am so relieved and grateful! Although I never knew if I had it, I still experienced some anxiety living in the rectory with Father Fullum these past thirty days, and I know he was also worried not only for his own health, but for mine as well. We will continue to follow the guidelines until everyone is healthy again!

Unfortunately, I must also report on some sad news…Sacred Heart Parish has lost several cherished parishioners during this time of isolation, who I would like to acknowledge: Erwin Petschauer, Robert Borger, Gary Jaegar, Janet Delfino, Frank Yonke, Juana Caso, and Cathy O’Sullivan. Cathy was a devoted and inspiring catechist and Girl Scout leader of Sacred Heart Parish. For over 30 years she patiently and cheerfully taught children the Catholic Faith, particularly those with special needs. Even as she endured many physical sufferings over the years, Cathy’s ever-present smile and good nature always shone forth as she made her way in her wheelchair at home, in Church, and wherever she went. May she and all our loved ones who have died hear Our Lord Jesus lovingly say to them, as He did in the parable, “Well done good and faithful servant…Come and share your Master’s joy!”

This Sunday, April 19th, is the 20th Anniversary of the canonization of Saint Maria Faustina (the visionary of Jesus the Divine Mercy), and the establishment of the Second Sunday of Easter as Divine Mercy Sunday by Saint John Paul II. What a blessing this “new” devotion and feast day have been for the life of the Church throughout the world and in our own individual lives. The simple, yet central, profound message and command of the Lord Jesus to us of the Divine Mercy devotion, “Jesus, I trust in You,” brings us comfort and increases our faith in Him when we truly embrace it and internalize it into our lives. Trust is “the firm belief in the reliability and strength of another.” However, when that Other is the Lord Jesus, then we have no reason to fear anyone or anything at any time. We have faith in His steadfast reliability. We can confidently cry out with Saint Thomas the Apostle in Sunday’s Gospel, “My Lord and my God!”

Mercy is “compassion shown to one who offends another.” It is always a struggle to be faced with that challenge in our personal lives. Sometimes we may hold onto an offense by another throughout our whole lives, and can’t imagine showing that person compassion. But then imagine that our dear Lord is faced with that challenge at every moment extending His Divine Mercy to each of US who offend Him by our lack of love for one another, by surrendering to our doubts, and by our sins. Jesus truly is faithful to US! May we accept Our Risen Savior’s intimate invitation in the Gospel to touch him and, “…do not be unbelieving, but BELIEVE!” How truly blessed are we who have not seen, but have believed.

With love and blessings.

Fr. Fred

P.S. A prayerful reminder that you are all invited to join Deacon Peter and me for Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, the solemn chanting of the Divine Mercy chaplet, and Benediction at 3:00 p.m. (The hour of Divine Mercy) online at the Sacred Heart Church Glendale Facebook Page this Sunday, April 19th.
The following is a link to The Divine Mercy Chaplet solemnly chanted at the Shrine of the Divine Mercy in Stockbridge, Massachusetts.

Dearest Parishioners of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish,

Along with Father Fullum, Deacon Peter, and the Sisters of the Convent, may I extend to each one of you a Happy, Joyful, and Blessed Easter!… May you be blessed with the ever-greater awareness of the Presence and Power of the Risen Jesus in our lives and in our world!

Beginning today, and for the next few weeks, we will again hear at Mass, the beautiful Resurrection accounts that the Apostles and first disciples witnessed. In the Gospel according to St. Luke, we are told, “…He stood in their midst and said to them, ‘Peace be with you’…” The first gift of the Risen Jesus is PEACE! Not just the absence of turmoil or conflict…but rather, the tranquility and serenity of mind, heart and spirit that comes with faith and trust in Him when there is turmoil or conflict…not APART from it. The Risen Jesus stands “in the midst” of suffering and death like He stood “in the midst” of the Apostles, who were so full of fear and discouragement after His crucifixion, before He proved He was alive! He stands “in the midst” of our own individual and communal suffering which has caused so much unimaginable sorrow, confusion and disruption to our lives in so many ways. However, we do not let it overwhelm us, because our faith, no matter how weak or insincere or inadequate we may feel it is, is rooted in the Risen Lord! It may be as “small as mustard seed,” but it can blossom into the “largest of bushes” when we turn to Him with loving confidence. It is always so challenging to wonder why our Lord does not remove the causes of suffering in our lives and in the lives of those we love. He only asks us to be His Presence to one another “in the midst” of it. That is how the Risen Jesus rises again in us and how His risen presence is felt by others, when we love one another as He loves us. Saint Teresa of Avila wrote this prayer in the 16th century, “(The Risen) Christ has no body now but YOURS. No hands, no feet on earth but YOURS…YOURS are the eyes through which He looks with compassion. YOURS are the hands through which He blesses all the world…YOURS are the feet with which HE is to go about doing good. Amen.”

Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, may we rejoice with her at the sight of her Risen Son and be grateful for the gift of His presence in us reaching out to our brothers and sisters! Regina Caeli, Laetare! ALLELUIA! Queen of Heaven, rejoice! ALLELUIA!

With love and blessings,

Father Fred

P.S. Next Sunday is the Feast of the Divine Mercy. Usually, Sacred Heart Parish would sponsor a Holy Hour at 3:00 p.m. (The Hour of Divine Mercy) in the Church, with solemn chanting of the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy and Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament with Benediction. I am happy to announce that the Holy Hour and chanting of the Chaplet will still take place online from our Church at 3:00 p.m. on next Sunday, April 19th. If you are able, please join Deacon Peter and myself, as we pray on behalf of the parish to humbly ask for God’s Mercy upon us and the whole world. The Church will NOT be opened, but you can participate online by viewing it on the Sacred Heart Glendale Facebook Page.

Dear Parishioners,

Even though we will not be together for the Sacred Triduum, let us enter into this most sacred season with the help of some beautiful meditation hymns for each day. I would like to share with you my favorite songs for Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday. I hope they assist you, in this small way, to experience the profound meaning of our Lord’s merciful and redemptive love for us.

May I also offer a prayerful reminder to participate in the Sacred Triduum on the religious television stations that will broadcast the ceremonies on each day. Please tune into NET-TV (Spectrum 97, Verizon 48, Optimum 30) or EWTN (Spectrum 460, Verizon 285, DirectTV 370) or Catholic Faith Network (from the Rockville Centre Diocese, Spectrum 471, Verizon 296, Optimum 137).

With prayerful wishes,
Fr. Fred

HOLY THURSDAY
“He took a towel and tied it around His waist. Then He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and dry them with the towel…” (From the Holy Gospel according to St. John) We give thanks today for the gifts of the Holy Eucharist and the Sacrament of Holy Orders (Deacon, Priest and Bishop).

GOOD FRIDAY
Today, in addition to the meditation hymn, I have included The Litany of The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Bishop DiMarzio has asked all the Faithful of the Diocese of Brooklyn to pray this powerful prayer for an end to the corona virus pandemic at 12 noon.

The Litany of The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
https://www.ourcatholicprayers.com/litany-of-the-sacred-heart.html

“So they took Jesus, and, carrying the cross Himself, he went out to what is called the Place of the Skull, in Hebrew, Golgatha. There, they crucified Him, and with Him two others, one on either side, with Jesus in the middle.” (From the Holy Gospel according to St. John)

HOLY SATURDAY
Today we pray for an appreciation of and greater desire for the gift of SILENCE in our lives, where we can lovingly encounter the resting and silent Jesus. “They took the Body of Jesus and bound it with burial cloths along with the spices…for the tomb was close by.” (From the Holy Gospel according to St. John)

Dearest Parishioners of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish…

Greetings from Fr. Fullum, Deacon Peter, the Sisters of the Convent and myself! Hoping you and your families are safe, healthy, and serene during this incredible and anxious time in our lives. May I extend on behalf of us all our sincerest sympathy, prayers, and support now and always if you have lost a family member, friend, neighbor, or co-worker to the Corona Virus. Eternal rest grant onto them O Lord… Also, our thoughts and prayers for strength and peace to all who are suffering in so many ways because of it as well.

Soon after the Bishop appointed me as pastor of Sacred Heart in November 2016, but before I moved into the rectory in January 2017, I came to visit Sacred Heart for an hour. During that visit, I met the rectory staff (first Fr. Fullum!), Deacon Peter, the Academy Staff, the maintenance staff, the Sisters in the Convent, and Nancy Baer in the Parish Ministry Office. Finally, I made a prayerful visit to the Church. It was a memorable experience, meeting everyone and spending that time in the place I would soon call “home.” Everyone was so supportive and encouraging! But, of all the memories I have of that wonderful day, the memory that made the most profound impact upon me was reading the inscription carved into the stone column that supports the Blessed Mother statue on the rectory lawn. It reads, “Comforter of the Afflicted, Pray for Us.” I knew that particular title of Mary was found in her ancient and beautiful “Litany of Loreto,” in Latin, “Consolatrix Afflictorum, Ora pro nobis.” I did not know (and still don’t) why that title of Mary was chosen for our Parish all those year’s ago. I wondered why Monsignor Sherman, as the founding Pastor, asked for that title to be placed under that statue? Maybe he and the founding parishioners in 1929 were experiencing the overwhelming economic hardships of the Great Depression, not unlike the present catastrophic effects of the Corona Virus on our own economy and lives. So… for over 90 years that inscription has lovingly proclaimed for all who pass the rectory, that in every age WE are the “afflicted,” and that our Blessed Mother’s comforting embrace will bring us to Jesus who says, “Come to me all who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest,” which is the inscription carved under the Sacred Heart statue in the Prayer Garden.

This week we have seen moving and creative ways of expressing our deepest gratitude to all those in our world at this time who are in fact comforting the afflicted… The heroic nurses, emergency medical and health care workers, doctors, and research lab technicians who are literally sacrificing their lives for others. From members of families giving their own family member, who is a nurse or doctor, a “standing ovation” when they come home from work, or erecting eight-foot-tall letters in front of hospitals spelling out “THANK YOU!” or, tenants opening the windows of their apartment buildings applauding hospital staff as they walk by at the end of their shifts… Know that you are very much appreciated and loved. On behalf of our parish, may I express our deepest gratitude to you all who are medical and health care professionals and all those who are caring for the sick. Know of our prayers and support for each one of you!

I would also like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Deacon Peter (who has shared each Friday his reflections on the Gospel of the day with the students of the Academy in their on-line learning), to Tom Stalzer and John Hickey, Jr. for their unseen dedication and faithfulness in posting Parish announcements, events, updates, and my letter to you each week on Flock notes, the parish Facebook page and the parish website. I would also like to thank, Sal Laurenzano and Chris Russo, co-chairs of the Home Academy Association. Through The Tablet newspaper subscription initiative, their encouragement and efforts with the parents of the students, helped secure a tablet device for all Sacred Heart Academy students which is now bearing great fruit and success with their on-line learning.

During this very strange and mysterious Holy Week this year, as we enter into the Suffering, Death, and Resurrection of the Lord Jesus, in this unique way, we will once again witness through the Gospel stories, the Blessed Mother standing at the foot of the Cross under her dying Son, offering Him comfort by her silent, loving presence. Through her intercession, may you experience in your own suffering, our Lord’s healing and mercy this Holy Week and always. May we ALL be “comforters of the afflicted” and of one another in our own way.

With love and blessings, and deepest gratitude for your continued generosity and support of Sacred Heart Parish.

Fr. Fred

Dearest Parishioners,

Along with Fr. Fullum and Deacon Peter, I send out heartfelt greetings to you all from Sacred Heart Rectory (or should I call it Sacred Heart Bunker)! Fr. Fullum is slowly and steadily improving… He told me today his cough is better, and his fever is lower (98/99). I am feeling well, except for some congestion due to allergies. I have been asymptomatic so far, as today is our 9th day of quarantine out of 14! Greetings as well to all parishioners from the Sisters of our Convent!

It is now Friday, March 27th and I just finished watching the Holy Father’s “Moment of Prayer and Urbi et Orbi (To the City and To the World) Blessing.”

As I write to you, I am overcome with emotion and gratitude to the Lord Jesus for the gift of the Catholic Church and the presence of His Vicar (Representative) on earth, Pope Francis, and for you all, who are Sacred Heart Parish. What a BEAUTIFUL experience of prayer, healing, and hope it was. I will never forget the image on T.V. of watching him speak this afternoon to an EMPTY, dark, rainy, torch lit Saint Peter’s Square in the Vatican, which usually holds thousands of people on a daily basis. I can still hear the ancient Latin chant for Lent, that was sung after his address, “Parce Domine, parce populo tuo…” (Spare O Lord, spare your people…) begging our Lord for mercy and protection upon us all. I am still reflecting on the Pope’s inspiring, encouraging, and challenging words to “allow the Lord Jesus into our boat during this storm” that is raging in our lives and world, and to hear the Lord’s words of comfort and power, “Do not be afraid!” I can still feel the blessing the Pope gave with the Holy Eucharist in the Monstrance, reminding us that Jesus said, “I am with you always!”

When Pope Francis was finished, I looked out my window, which overlooks the front of our beautiful little Church. I was reminded that the sidewalk and street were also EMPTY. I was picturing all of you gathered after each Mass on Sundays in front of the Church greeting each other, catching up, and preparing to go home filled with the joy of being, “Sent forth!” with God’s Word and Presence. At that point, the Church bells began to ring at 3:00 p.m. How comforting and assuring it was to hear them ring, proclaiming to all Glendale that Jesus is still here and so are YOU!

I have been informed by Ms. Gangi, the Principal and Mr. Fred Haller, Chairman of the Board of Directors, that Sacred Heart Academy is very active online, and the teachers and students are engaged daily on virtual classrooms! I would like to take this opportunity to thank Ms. Gangi and the wonderful teachers of Sacred Heart Academy for their continued dedication to our students as they teach from home. In addition, I would like to acknowledge and thank Mr. Chuck Suffel and Mr. Peter Stamm, Jr. (our 8th grade teacher) for all the work they did implementing the technology, coaching, and preparing needed for the teachers to do their work teaching our students online. A word of gratitude to the parents of our Academy students, who support our school and make sure their child is continuing to learn from home!

May God continue to Bless and protect you all! So looking forward to seeing you again, and thank you for your continued support and generosity!

Love and Blessings,
Fr. Fred

P.S. Please find a link to a beautiful religious song called “Beyond the Days”. It has brought me great comfort and I hope that it will do the same for you.

Dearest Parishioners,

On behalf of Father Fullum, Deacon Peter and myself Father Fred, I would like to extend to you all a Blessed Fourth Sunday of Lent! Even though we are not together, please know of our thoughts of and prayers for each one of you.

We miss you all so much! Along with you, we are saddened by the reality of not having Holy Mass or the Sacraments or being together during this temporary period.

We encourage you to please offer The Spiritual Communion Prayer (found at the end of this message) in place of receiving The Holy Eucharist as you watch the Holy Mass on t.v. (NET-TV on Spectrum channel 97, Optimum-Channel 30, and FIOS-Channel 48 or EWTN on Spectrum channel 460) or on the Diocese of Brooklyn website, dioceseofbrooklyn.org/masses, on weekdays and Sundays. The Masses can be seen on NET-TV (Spectrum-Channel 97, Optimum-Channel 30, and FIOS-Channel 48) .Also, in place of The Sacrament of Confession during this time, after an examination of conscience pray a sincere Act of Contrition (also found at the end of this message), with a promise to go to Confession as soon as it is possible.

As you have heard, as of yesterday (Friday 3/20), Father Fullum is one of two priests of the Diocese of Brooklyn that have tested positive for the coronavirus so far. He is doing well. He has a low grade fever and is isolated in his room at the rectory. He has a small appetite and is in good spirits. I also have been isolated in my room and am able only to go to the kitchen to get him and me food. I am feeling well, and I do not have any symptoms. I, however, in contrast to Father Fullum, have a LARGE appetite! Thank you so much to each one of you who have called and sent messages asking for our well being and for your offers to help in so many small and great ways! You are truly a gift from our Lord to us! Let us strive to be a gift to one another.

May Almighty God bless you + the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit! With love, Father Fred

The Spiritual Communion Prayer
My Jesus, I believe that Thou art present in the Blessed Sacrament. I love Thee above all things and I desire Thee in my soul. Since I cannot now receive Thee sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. As though Thou wert already there, I embrace Thee and unite myself wholly to Thee; permit not that I should ever be separated from Thee. Amen.

Act of Contrition
O My God I am heartily sorry for having offended you. I detest all my sins because I dread the loss of heaven and the pain of hell but mostly because they offend You, my God, Who are deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve with the help of Your grace to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life. Amen.