Dear Parishioners of SJE,
Due to the unprecedented efforts taken by the Federal, State and local governments to contain the spread of the deadly coronavirus (COVID-19) and following the directives of Bishop John Noonan of the Diocese of Orlando, I am deeply saddened to announce the suspension of Masses or any other gathering of people including meetings in our facilities effective from 19 March 2020 until further notice.
Your health and well-being are of utmost importance to us. While we request you to stay safe and healthy, I assure you that daily Masses will be offered by Fr. John Patrick and myself without your presence, making sure that the sacrifice of Calvary continues on the altar of our beautiful sanctuary.
Please visit our website (stjohnviera.org) for the latest updates. We will be live streaming Sunday Masses from our sanctuary at 11 a.m. which will then be posted on the website for later viewing. For those following Facebook we have created a new Facebook page at https:// www.facebook.com/stjohnvieraFL/. I encourage you to like and follow the page, but also send this link to every parishioner that you know. We want as many people as possible to view our live masses.
Please use the various resources that are available for prayers and Masses:
- Prayer Resources: http://www.usccb.org/coronavirus
- Daily Readings: http://www.usccb.org/
- EWTN Television: https://www.ewtn.com/tv
Though the church will not be open for worship, the staff will continue to work on planning for the remainder of the year. We will take this opportunity to keep our buildings as clean and safe as possible and will be doing a deep-cleaning of our facilities. In order to keep our facilities up and running and to continue paying our staff, we depend on your generosity. Please continue to support the parish with your offertory by either giving on-line or by mailing them to the office.
We sincerely appreciate your generous support.
When you are deprived of the opportunity to receive Communion, you can make this Act of Spiritual Communion.
“My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.”
Know that you are in my thoughts and prayers.
With love,
Fr. John Britto Antony C.S.C.