Confessions (3:00 -- 3:45 P.M.) are Saturday in the Garden of the Religious Education Center.
Weekend Masses: SA 4 P.M. (Fr. Gerard, Presider), SU 8 A.M. (Fr. Gerard, Presider) and SU 10 A.M (Fr. Gerard, Presider)
Daily Mass at 8 A.M.: M, TU, W (Fr. Gerard, Presider) (no Masses on Thursday, Friday or Saturday)
Video of Mass https://www.ourladyofrefuge.org From the homepage, select “Videos”
Masks are required for all over the age of 3 on parish grounds.
Greetings my good friends,
Next Sunday we celebrate the great Feast of Pentecost and I encourage you all to wear red as a sign of the tongues of fire that came down upon the Disciples which empowered them with the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. This same Spirit was poured out upon us at our Baptism and Confirmation. This is the Spirit of the Triune God -- the Father, Son and Holy Spirit -- which empowers us to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ.
Remember what we proclaim is Good News, not bad news to which many cling, not negativity which so many embrace, not criticism which people love to do, not untruths which so many believe. These are not Gospel values; these are not from God. God is Love, period!
At the 4 P.M. Vigil next Saturday, children from our parish school will participate in the Mass. Please welcome the families of our school. Many thanks to our Principal Mr. Green for coordinating this special celebration.
Fr. Bill’s restroom upgrade is progressing very well. During the past week the tiles were placed in the new shower area. When the project is completed, I will share a picture with you all.
I also received a text from Fr. Bill. Despite the heat, he is enjoying his vacation with his brother Fr. Jerry. He will return to the parish next Monday.
Please pray for a priest friend of mine, Fr. Brian Doran, who is suffering from acute pain in his back. Presently he can’t walk because of extreme pain in his legs. Fr. Brian is a retired priest but he is so nice and caring of so many that he deserves healing from all this pain. Please, please, pray for his healing.
My siblings in Ireland got their first vaccines and they are so happy. As you know, Europe has been much slower with vaccines. What a gift it is to live in the USA!
Many thanks to Vina Limon for planning the flowers for our upcoming Feast of Pentecost. If you would like to participate, please bring along potted flowers for the altar this weekend.
Thank you all for your beautiful presence here in our grace-filled parish of Our Lady of Refuge.
If anyone would like to donate towards the cost of a mosaic of Our Lady of Refuge for the side of the rectory on Stearns, there is a perfect spot for it. I will have an estimate of the cost soon.
If you have not returned to Mass physically, why not consider coming home to your parish church? We miss you. I can’t wait for the day when all 3 Masses on the weekend are filled to capacity.
I ask you all to pray for this faith-filled parish and school community. As Pastor I need you all to participate. Our faith depends on the Holy Eucharist, the spiritual food which nourishes us on our spiritual journey of life.
God Bless you all,
Fr. Gerard
The CDC’s easing of Covid-19 restrictions has not removed the requirements to wear a mask and continue social distancing at Mass. The CDC’s guidance serves as a series of recommendations, but state and local authorities can impose stricter requirements based on circumstances. From the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, May 14, 2021: The State of California and the Counties of Los Angeles, Ventura, and Santa Barbara will review the recommendations in order to make sensible adjustments. In the interim…when at businesses and in crowded venues, both indoors and outdoors, masks are still required to be worn by everyone, including at our parishes and schools, and in gatherings for Sunday Mass. As soon as we receive updated information, we will revise our guidelines accordingly.
Please celebrate the First Eucharist of Yessinia Montoya, who received the sacrament last Sunday, May 16 at 10 A.M. Mass.
OLR Family Mass is this Saturday, May 22 at 4 P.M. School families will greet parishioners and do the readings.
Confirmation Rehearsal and Penance Service for all confirmandi (9 adults and 25 teens) are Sunday, May 23 at 5 P.M. Bishop Curry will perform the rite of Confirmation on Sunday, May 30. Please pray for our confirmandi, their sponsors, and their families.
Justin Ordoveza will be ordained a deacon at the Transitional Diaconate Ordination on Saturday, May 29 at 9 A.M. Please remember Justin and his parents in your prayers. Mass and the ceremony will be livestreamed at http://lacatholics.org/ordination2021
DID YOU KNOW? What you can do to help: Every Catholic is called to protect the most vulnerable, including children who are at risk for abuse and exploitation. Find out how your community is working to prevent child abuse and get involved. You can continue to learn best tips and prevention practices through the DID YOU KNOW bulletins each week. You can also enroll in VIRTUS training to receive extensive information on how to identify suspicious behavior and report it. Encourage everyone you know to learn about child sexual abuse prevention. Together, we can change the future for our children. For more information, please visit https://lacatholics.org/departments-ministries/safeguard-the-children. To request a copy of the full VIRTUS article visit lacatholics.org/did-you-know.
The Knights of Columbus fundraiser at Avenue 3 Pizza in Long Beach over Memorial Day weekend (May 28, 29 and 30): 20% of your order (food and drinks) will be donated to our local Long Beach Assembly 42. According to Google, Avenue 3 has a reputation of serving the best wings, sandwiches and the coldest beer. As with all Knights of Columbus activities, all are welcome. (Avenue 3 Pizza , 2226 Palo Verde Ave, Long Beach, CA 90815; (562) 430-0544)
Help for Marriages: Retrouvaille is an effective Catholic Christian ministry that helps marriages experiencing troubles. The program offers the chance to rediscover yourself, your spouse, and the love in your marriage. Thousands of couples in need of a marriage "tune-up" have successfully improved their marriages by completing this successful program. Married couples of any faith are welcome. Upcoming Dates: June 4-6 (Santa Clarita) English; July 9-11 (Los Angeles) English & In-Person; November 5-7 (Santa Clarita) English; December 10-11 (Los Angeles) English & In-Person. For questions or to register, make a confidential call to 909-900-5465, or visit losangelesretrouvaille.com.
Bequests: Please consider including Our Lady of Refuge Parish and School in your estate plan. Our correct legal title is: The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Los Angeles, A Corporation Sole for the sole benefit of: (Our Lady of Refuge Parish and/or School) For further information, please contact Karen Dunphy at 213-637-7512 www.ADLALegacy.org
Covid-19 Vaccinations: Effective immediately, the City of Long Beach is vaccinating anyone 12 years and older. Parental consent is required for individuals under 18 years of age.
CDC INFO Contact Center (800) 232-4636 (800-CDC-INFO)
The City of Long Beach http://www.longbeach.gov/health/diseases-and-condition/information-on/coronavirus/vaxlb/
CVS www.cvs.com/immunizations/covid-19-vaccine or 800-746-7287
Ralphs www.ralphs.com/covidvaccine
Rite Aid www.riteaid.com/pharmacy/covid-qualifier
Walgreens www.walgreens.com/schedulevaccine.
Long Beach Memorial https://mymemorialcarecovid.memorialcare.org/MyChart/covid19#
Orange County https://www.othena.com/
Southern California Kaiser 866-454-8855 or https://mydoctor.kaiserpermanente.org/covid-19/covid-19-vaccine
Primary Care Providers
OLR Church Office (562) 498-6641 9:30 A.M. -- 2 P.M. (M-F)
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 9 A.M. -- 3 P.M. (M-F)
Donnie Green, OLRS Principal -- [email protected]
OLR Catholic School -- (562) 597-0819 7:30 A.M. -- 3 P.M. (M-TH), 7:30 A.M. -- 1 P.M. (F)
5210 E. Los Coyotes Diagonal, Long Beach, CA 90815
Team Refuge -- Holly Cavallaro, Coordinator (562) 822-9191
Faith Direct -- https://membership.faithdirect.net/enroll/CA966 or the app Faith Direct – eGiving for Churches. To securely make a one-time gift to Our Lady of Refuge Catholic Church, text a dollar amount to (562) 414-6831.
Realm – https://onrealm.org (to access your account) or the app Connect – our Church Community, ACS Technology Group (Realm Connect)