Christmas 2020

Dear Parishioners and Friends,

 “In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways… In these last days, He has spoken to us through the Son” (Hebrews 1:1-2).

Christmas provides a unique opportunity each year for us all to re-focus. Not only are we reminded of the awe-inspiring, world-changing, life-altering gift that is Jesus; but we are also reminded of our need for this Jesus to heal us in our brokenness. That is indeed why he came, wasn’t it?

With deep joy and gratitude, I extend to you my prayerful best wishes for a holy and blessed Christmas. During this Advent Season, it has been my prayer that each of you would find opportunities to reflect on your own faith and relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and His Church. Whatever it is that our hearts and souls desire, whether we realize it or not, our ultimate desire is Jesus Himself, for this reason, we are filled with joy and consolation at Christmas to know that all that we hoped for has been fulfilled in the person of the Christ Child.

As we are all aware, the global spread of the coronavirus, COVID-19, has become a central topic of discussion and concern for many of us this 2020. It has caused us to think about the things we take for granted and to rethink how we go about the practices of our daily lives. In the church, this pandemic has caused us to consider new ways to approach what have been longstanding practices and traditions.

COVID-19 does not appear to be ending soon, even with the vaccine now approved. Be careful. Be cautious. Be wise and practical in what you do. But do not live in fear. What I fear, more than COVID-19, is that we will forget who we are and to whom we belong. We need to step back and stay centered and remember and remind each other that we belong to Christ.

In the midst of all our current challenges and concerns, the love of God the Father is made manifest to us in the wonderful gift of His Son, Jesus, the Emmanuel, the God-with-us. With the angels in Bethlehem, our faith moves us to sing: “Glory to God in the highest and peace to His people on earth!”

With sincere gratitude for all you have been and done and will continue to be to grace St. Benedict the Moor Parish, I hold you in my heart and in my prayer this Christmas season, asking God to bless you and your family with peace, joy, hope and love. Together, may we grow in strength and grace to know and celebrate together God’s presence in our lives and His dominion over all things of this world. Let this pandemic not lead us to forget what is essential in our lives.

May our Lord Jesus Christ, born in Bethlehem, bless you, your families and loved ones at this blessed time of hope and grace. May Mary, the Mother of the Child Jesus and our Mother, watch over you and our beloved parish family always. God bless you now and forever.

A Blessed Christmas and a Hope-filled New Year!

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Andy Gonzalo

Thanksgiving 2020

Dear Parish Family,

Happy Thanksgiving!"Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever" (Psalm 136:1).

Today is the day we set aside to express thanks for all that is in our lives. Even when things aren’t going so well, there’s so much to be thankful for. Yes, there is so much bad news arriving daily from around the world and right here in our home; there is this Covid-19 pandemic that have destabilize our lives, but even in the midst of all this bad news, we can give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!  Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights.  Let us pray for our country, pray for our church and civil leaders, pray for peace in the streets, pray for the doctors, nurses, hospital aids, pray for the workers in grocery stores, delivery personnel and those who serve and protect us both at home and abroad, pray for our families and friends; but in our prayers, let us not neglect to give thanks to the God from whom all blessings flow.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6-7).

We have so much to be thankful for. This world may be scary at times, but God has promised to never leave us nor forsake us.  He said, "Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go" (Joshua 1:9). After all, he is our King as we have just celebrated last Sunday. In a recent general audience, our Holy Father emphasized the virtue of hope, “in the face of the pandemic and its social consequences, many risk losing hope. In this time of uncertainty and anguish, I invite everyone to welcome the gift of hope that comes from Christ. It is he who helps us navigate the tumultuous waters of sickness, death and injustice, which do not have the last word over our final destination.”

This Thanksgiving, I am thankful to God for each of you!  It is a joy and a privilege to be your pastor, and most especially to be your brotherin Christ and serve alongside of you in the name of Christ.Together, may our service to the Lord "overflow in many thanksgivings to God" (2 Corinthians 9:12)!

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Stay safe always and God bless you and your family.

Fr. Andy


Please come back!

The doors are open, the table has been set, and the Lord awaits you at Holy Mass. For more on this, please click here. 

MASS REOPENING THIS WEEKEND, JUNE 27-28, 2020

Dear St. Benedict’s Family,
We are back to mass, Alleluia, praise the Lord!
As you have read on our Facebook and in our website, DC is now in Phase II of re-opening. This means we are finally able to gather in person for Mass again. Our first weekend public Masses will be held this weekend, June 27-28. We will resume the usual Saturday Vigil at 4:00pm and Sunday mass at 10:00am. Eventually, after the outcome of this weekend, we might be adding a second mass on the coming Sundays. Please standby. For now, I am already excited to see you all this weekend.
I am reminded of this blessing from Paul’s letter to the Philippians:
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:4-7)  

What You Need to Know Before Coming to Mass
 
Mass Obligation Dispensed
The dispensation from the Sunday and Holy Day obligation remains in effect. You may have to make the difficult decision to remain at home even as we offer public Masses. Those who should stay at home include: those with COVID-19 or exposure to it, those with upper respiratory or flu like symptoms or underlying medical conditions, the sick, the elderly, those who are living with or in the presence of any individual at risk, or those who still do not feel comfortable being in a public setting. When in doubt, out of charity for others, please stay home. 
 
Mass will be live streamed at 8:00 am on Sundays at www.facebook.com/andygonzalo and also at 10:00am at www.facebook.com/stbenmoordc
 
Face Mask Requirement
Everyone (age 2+) is required to wear a face mask for the entire Mass. Please be sure that everyone in your party has a face mask. If you forget your mask, please ask an usher for an extra. 
 
Arrival and Seating
When arriving, please keep socially distanced from other households as you enter church. Allow for extra time to be seated and understand that attendees may not have as much choice in where they are able to sit. You are to be seated in a place where there is a sign in front of you in the pew. Members of one household or family can be seated together in one pew. Please do your best to come to church early. Ushers will start seating 30 minutes before Mass begins so that lines and groups of people are avoided. Please do not congregate by the entrance before or after Mass.
 
Missalettes
All Hymnals and Missalettes have been removed, but disposable worship aids will be available for single use at each Mass. Please take your worship aid on entering the church and dispose of it in the trash can as you leave. 
 
Simplified Liturgy
There will be a minimum number of ministers seated in the sanctuary and assisting during the Mass. We will not have any music during this weekend and we will reevaluate this during the coming days, to maybe have an organist and a cantor due to this Covid-19 pandemic.
 
New Communion Route
Please follow the priests’ and ushers’ instructions for receiving communion. The priests will distribute the Eucharist to one column of pews at a time. One pew at a time, each household in a column will file out of their pew and line up in front of the priest. Children who will not receive communion but who are old enough to remain quietly in their pew should do so, and not get in line for communion.
 
Reception of Holy Communion
Those who will not receive communion should not come forward with hands crossed for a blessing; there is a blessing for everyone at the end of Mass. 
 
When it is your time to receive, walk down the aisle and keep your mask on. Please receive the Host in your hand. Step to the side while still holding the Eucharist in one hand, carefully loosen your facial covering (or mask by an ear loop), consume the Host, and replace the facial covering.
 
Out of love for our brothers and sisters, and out of kind concern for the vulnerable and our priests, those who normally receive on the tongue are respectfully asked to consider receiving in the hand as a temporary measure. 
  
Collection
There will be no Offertory collection during the Mass itself. Rather, collection baskets will be placed at the doors of the church for your donations. Online Giving is another option available at our Online giving in our website.
 
Dismissal
At the end of Mass, please take a moment and wipe down the small section of the pew where you might have made contact. Wipes will be provided in each pew for your use. Once completed, the ushers will dismiss rows beginning from the back to the front of the church. Dispose of wipes and worship aids as you leave church in trash receptacles. Use all three doors to exit. Though we know everyone is happy to be reunited in worship, please do not stop to socialize in the church or on the steps outside.
 
Restrooms
Although restrooms will be open, we ask that you refrain from using them if possible. Due to the simplified liturgy, Mass will take less than an hour. We do understand that sometimes a restroom trip is necessary. If you must use the restrooms, please follow the guidelines for their usage as posted in the restrooms.
 
Reporting Coronavirus
If you test positive for coronavirus or develop symptoms of Covid-19 after attending Mass at St. Benedict’s, you mustreport it to the church. Please contact the pastor, Fr. Andy at stvdppastor@gmail.com or call 202-397-3895. Thank you!
 
Please be patient with us and with each other as we work together to implement this plan.  Understand that we will make any changes deemed necessary to assure the safety of those attending, while doing our best to make the sacraments available and reverent.
 
May the peace of God dwell richly in your homes and neighborhoods.
 
Stay safe and God bless you all,
 
Fr. Andy
 

Update: Phase 2- Reopening of Churces in DC

District of Columbia Update

Mayor Bowser confirmed today that the District of Columbia will move into Phase 2 of its reopening plan on Monday, June 22nd. The Mayor’s Executive Order, linked here, allows D.C. parishes to resume public Mass at 50% capacity, with a maximum of 100 persons, starting on Monday. The Mayor’s Office also published an additional guidance document for places of worship during Phase 2, attached here, which we encourage you to review in conjunction with the archdiocesan guidelines. Among other things, the Mayor’s supplemental guidance clarifies that the 50%/100-person capacity limit also applies to weddings, funerals, religious education classes, youth events, and other parish programming in the District during Phase 2.

The Mayor’s Order also includes the following additional information regarding religious services: “Groups of persons attending [seated] together shall not exceed ten (10) persons. Each group must be seated at least six (6) feet from each other group. Places of worship that choose to operate on this limited basis must clean the facility between services and are encouraged to take reservations and assign seats to conform to this requirement and so as to facilitate contact tracing. Singing, choirs, all physical touching of others, and the passing or sharing of items pose particular dangers and are discouraged so as to prevent the spread of COVID-19.”  

Pastor's Comment

The pastor and the Parish Pastoral Council are having consultations in preparation for this eventual opening. 

Pastor's Letter to Parishioners

May 1, 2020

Dear St. Benedict the Moor Parish Family,
Happy Easter!
During this time of uncertainty and anxiety, I pray that you and your loved ones are safe and healthy. This crisis challenges us to act responsibly by following the social isolation guidelines while striving to stay close emotionally and spiritually to our families, our friends and our communities. Please join me in praying for those affected by COVID-19, as well as our first responders, health care workers and individuals who have lost income due to precautionary closures.
I also want to take a moment to thank you for your past generosity to our St. Benedict the Moor Parish. We could not operate without your support. 
With Masses across the Archdiocese canceled, our traditional manner for collecting offertory is not available to us. However, the costs of running the parish continue and planning for renewed activities once we re-unite in person goes on.
I prayerfully ask you to consider continuing your support for our parish and the good works of our faith. Online giving for both the weekly offertory and other important collections is quick and easy by visiting our website.  You can also send checks and/or your weekly envelopes directly to St. Benedict the Moor Church at 320 21st St. NE, Washington, DC 20002 and I want to express my sincere gratitude to those who are already doing.
As a community, we stand together and are there for each other during this time of need. Thank you for your continued generosity to further the mission of our faith!
Please continue to pray for each other, as I continue to pray for you. I live stream my daily mass from Monday to Friday at 12:10PM and my Sunday mass at 10:00AM in St. Vincent. You can participate by going to Facebook https://www.facebook.com/andygonzalo.

Sincerely in Christ,

Fr. Andy Gonzalo

Happy Easter!

My Dear St. Benedict Family,
Hope you are all doing well.
The social distancing and  restrictions on assembling prevent us from celebrating Easter  together in the church. But we still proclaim with our lives our joy in the renewal of the world, our Easter joy. Many are suffering from Coronavirus and we keep them all in our prayers. One thing is sure, no one is suffering from the loss of our Easter joy. No pandemic can destroy Easter. Christ is Risen and is alive in our hearts.
You are all in my prayers. Happy Easter.--- Fr. Andy

Online Giving is NOW POSSIBLE

My Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Hope you are all doing well. 

There is now a possibility for our parishioners and friends to donate online. What you only need is to "CLICK"  on the section "Offertory/ Donation" locate don top of our website and then fill up the form to give your donations. This is a very convenient way of giving and supporting the mission of our parish, even if you are not able to come to church as we are exxperiencing now due to this pandemic. You won't need to write a check/ an envelope. All you need to do is click and put the amount you want to donate. It could be a one-time giving or a recurring one, depending on what is convenient for you.

I thank you so much for your generosity and support to our parish.
Know that you are always in my prayers and I think of all of you everyday as I celebrate my mass. If you need any assistance or help, please do not hesitate to call the parish. You can also email me at stbenedict.dc@adw.org

God bless you all and take care and stay safe always.

Fr. Andy

Dear Parishioners and visitors of St Benedict the Moor,

I pray that you are all doing well. As we continueto move prayerfully through these challenging times, I pray that you and your loved ones are taking care of yourselves and one another. Let us strengthen more than ever our unity, solidarity and care for each other and forgetting our self-interestsand "my own safety attitude".
In an effort to continue to connect and communicate with our community, I will be celebrating mass privately and know that you are in my prayers. Please continue to check our website and so with our facebook page regularly for imporatnt updates. I encourage you to join online mass  through:
https://adw.org/parishes-masses/sunday-tv-mass/.
https://www.wordonfire.org/daily-mass.
https://www.ewtn.com/tv/

If you cannot attend Mass or join the mass online, I encourage you to read the Gospels, pray with your families, and join yourself to the Eucharist by making an act of spiritual communion. Refer to the prayer I posted on this home page on this regard.

God bless all.
Fr. Andy

New Message From Fr. Andy

Dear St. Benedict the Moor Family,

I pray that you are all doing well. This has certainly been an unprecedented week in our nation and around the world. It seems that almost every few hours we are receiving updated information and guidance from the Archdiocese as well as local, national and world leaders and global health experts. I know how easy it is for us to feel overwhelmed by it all, but let us not lose hope. The news we hear seems dire and no reprieve seems on the immediate horizon. But this is precisely why it is so important that we get and remain grounded in our faith.

With the cancellations of public masses, I continue to urge you to have your masses on TV and unite each other in our prayers. I will be offering my mass for your intentions. We continue to pray for those who are ill with this virus and for those who care for them, especially in countries that have been most affected. We also pray for health and frontline workers as they face their daily tasks. And we remember those communities, employees and businesses that have been affected as a result of the virus.

While lots of things have been canceled by the coronavirus, but love is not one of them. Most of all, let us remember this- God is in control and we are in His hands.

May I also ask you to continue supporting our parish by sending your envelopes by mail.

You are in my prayers and thoughts.

Fr. Andy

Online Mass Netetiquette

Attending mass online/ on TV, we need to predispose ourselves to enter into a spiritual communion. Dress up as if you are going to church. No texting, no eating. Be attentive. Answer as if you are at mass. Stand up when it’s time to stand up. Kneel whenever you can when it’s time to kneel. Remove all possible distractions. Set the ambiance by putting an altar with a crucifix or an image of a Saint. Light a candle. Act as if you are in the church. During Communion, please pray the "Act of Spiritual communion." It is on the upper right hand corner in our website. Please copy that and make it handy and available as you attend mass online.

I am with you all in my masses and prayers. Stay safe always.

Fr. Andy

Dear Parishioners,

Please follow live Palm Sunday Mass with Fr. Fred at 10:00 am. Please click the facebook link below.
https://www.facebook.com/stbenmoordc/

We invite you to join in the mission of the Annual Appeal as we seek Christ together. By strengthening the charitable works of our Archdiocese, you enable all those Seeking Christ to find His healing, His Word, and His friendship. To donate online, please click here and follow the instructions to select your parish St Benedict the Moor and donate. If you want to donate by mail, you can do so by completing the form here. You can also donate by texting "give" to (301) 231-1816

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