Happy Easter Everyone,
Last weekend’s Easter services online were spectacular; kudos to all involved. One of our parishioners, Meg Morrow, informed us that OLR was mentioned in the Palos Verdes South Bay local newspaper about our online services. When I checked, we were the only Long Beach Catholic Church mentioned!
This is unbelievably good news of our parish. Did you know our new website is the best of all the Long Beach Catholic parishes? Check for yourself! https://www.ourladyofrefuge.org/ Our website is amazing with up-to-date pictures and videos of what this beautiful parish offers to everyone.
Our Lady of Refuge has great potential, but we need everyone actively involved. Yes, we have great ministries, but we could have more “spreading our wings” throughout the entire parish and beyond. Unbelievable possibilities are offered to us by our easy-to-manage website. I challenge all of you to visit our website and share it with friends.
Over these weeks with our stay-at-home order and no physical church available, I would like to thank all of you who have still supported our parish financially. Thank you and blessings upon you.
Thanks to all those who signed up for on-line giving with Faith Direct. To date, 165 have signed up. Thank you so much. Let’s set a goal of 250 enrollees. I challenge all of you who have not signed up yet to please consider it; it is, at present, the life-line of our parish. https://membership.faithdirect.net/enroll/CA966
Saturday evening we will post Sunday Mass and the Divine Mercy Chaplet. Please say this prayer in your homes. Remember all those who are sick with Covid-19, and all those who have passed on to the Lord. Please pray for our protection, our economy, and all those unemployed. Pray for families, our seniors, and for our children in our fragile world.
Thanks once again to those of you who have delivered meals, groceries, cookies, and candy to the rectory for Fr. Bill and me. We greatly appreciate it.
Love,
Fr. Gerard and Fr. Bill
Correction: Our Religious Education Office is closed following the local and national public health directives. As of now, we are closed through May 15, but this may be extended. We are checking the office phone for messages (562-597-3102). We have a new app, called Remind that will help us to keep in touch with our families (First Grade thru Confirmation and First- and Second-Year Communion preparation). Your emails and text numbers were entered from the registration forms in the hopes that one of them is still active. You are asked to accept joining a class. All you have to do is click the prompt to accept the class. All of the latest religious education updates will be sent through Remind and once you join, you can email through that app.
Team Refuge -- Putting our faith into practice, a group of parishioners (Team Refuge) is continuing to stay in touch with well over 100 of our seniors during these difficult times. If anyone reading this needs help with something (like getting meals or prescriptions delivered, or a quick ride somewhere), please contact our Team Refuge coordinator at (949) 874-6097.
Parish Outreach -- If you know of anyone in the parish who has not received either a phone call or an email from Our Lady of Refuge, please contact the Church Office (562) 498-6641 to provide a current phone number or email for them. Realm emails 740+ parishioners twice a week with Fr. G’s messages; volunteers called 425+ households without email. Sadly, many phone numbers were not in-service. These are parishioners who are shut out of current news and inspiration from our spiritual community.
CRS Rice Bowls (Catholic Relief Services) – Because we were unable to collect your Rice Bowl donations this year, please make checks payable to Our Lady of Refuge and on the lower left write CRS. Checks may be mailed/delivered to Our Lady of Refuge Church Office, 5195 Stearns Street, Long Beach, CA 90815-2901. Thank you for your generosity.
Spiritual Communion: “My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Blessed Sacrament. I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot now 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.” (from Word on Fire)
PRAYER:
Archbishop Jose H. Gomez is encouraging Catholics to pray at home and participate in the Holy Mass via the internet.
- The Archdiocese of Los Angeles (live-streamed with replay available) www.lacathedral.org/livefrom the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, via Facebook @lacatholics, and at www.lacatholics.org/emergency/.
Daily Mass in Spanish at 7 A.M. and in English at 8 A.M
Sunday Mass Spanish at 7 A.M. and in English at 10 A.M.
- EWTN (Global Catholic television) www.ewtn.com
Charter Spectrum Channel 165, Direct TV Channel 370, Frontier Channel 285
Sunday Mass 5 A.M. (live), 9 A.M., 4 P.M., 5 P.M., 9 P.M.
Daily Mass 5 A.M. (live), 9 A.M., 4 P.M., 9 P.M.
Daily Mass (live) with Pope Francis from Santa Marta: M 12:00 A.M., M thru F 10 P.M
- Relevant Radio 930AM, Relevant Radio app, www.RelevantRadio.com
10 A.M. daily – Mass from the Chapel of the Nativity
- Mass with Bishop Barron, Auxiliary Bishop of ADLA, Santa Barbara region https://www.wordonfire.org/daily-mass/) posted at 5:15 A.M. daily
- Videos of Fr. Gerard and Msgr. Bill celebrating Holy Week liturgies, Easter Vigil Mass, and Easter Blessings with homily by Msgr. Bill
https://www.ourladyofrefuge.org/ Select About OLR, scroll to Videos
Msgr. Bill praying the Rosary https://www.ourladyofrefuge.org/apps/video/watch.jsp?v=247072
Some free apps to keep you connected:
Remind: School Communication – use for School of Religious Education
New Missal – Daily Mass with readings and reflections
Laudate (has everything – Mass, rosary, Bible, Stations of the Cross and much more)
Faith Direct – eGiving for Churches
Connect – our Church Community, ACS Technology Group (Realm Connect)
OLR Church Office (562) 498-6641 -- voice messages only
5195 Stearns Street, Long Beach, CA 90815-2901
OLR website – https://www.ourladyofrefuge.org/
Betty Guevara, Parish Secretary --- [email protected]
Shirl Giacomi, Director of Religious Education – [email protected]
(562) 597-3102 -- voice messages only
Tricia Holmquist, School Principal -- [email protected]
(562) 597-0891 -- voice messages only
Team Refuge -- Tony McKeon, Coordinator (949) 874-6097
Faith Direct -- Enroll at https://membership.faithdirect.net/enroll/CA966