Dear St. Charles Parish Family,

What seems like a lifetime ago but was only back on March 21, I included in my introduction to the weekly parish email the quote “These are the times that try men’s souls,” from a pamphlet titled The Crisis written by Thomas Paine in December 1776 during a time of crisis for our newly founded country.

Back in March, I don’t think any of us had any notion of how we might be tried in 2020 as individuals, families, communities, states, and a country during the Covid-19 pandemic, the resulting economic hardship, and the longstanding crisis of racial inequality in our country.  While we have not yet seen the end of these crises, what I do know is that because of our faith in Jesus Christ, TOGETHER we will persevere and succeed because as a faith community we can and have pulled together and done the right things—let us continue to do so.  As Matthew writes in Sunday’s gospel:

I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for although you have hidden these things
from the wise and the learned
you have revealed them to little ones.
Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.

While the road ahead remains bumpy, I am continually amazed at the Christian love, generosity, kindness, ingenuity, openness, and creativity I have read about but also witnessed in our St. Charles parish family and the wider community. We, the little ones, can do so much good.

So as we celebrate the founding of our country, and a return to celebrating Mass in our beautiful church sanctuary, let us be grateful for the freedoms we have and all do our part to work to secure the resolution of those crises we are confronted with today.

Your Sister in Christ,
Donna Whiteford