News

Corona Virus Emergency Action Plan – 3/15/2020

| St. Charles Borromeo

Dear Parish Family, 

We want to let you know that the Parish Pastoral Council (PPC), together with Fr. Bill, is taking the coronavirus emergency very seriously.  The PPC met virtually on Friday evening March 13 and outlined below are the plans we have put into place to safeguard our parish community.

Your Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Francis Chin, Kerin Coughlin, Carol De Santis, Josephine Dongbang, Mike McGowan, Phil Murray, Jane Olson, Donna Whiteford

Masses and Church Events

As per the parish email sent on Friday afternoon March 13 to all parishioners for whom we have email addresses, healthcare professionals and the diocese have provided guidance on how to manage during this emergency so that we all do our part to help mitigate the spread of the coronavirus.

In summary, the Bishop has 1) Dispensed with the obligation of attending Sunday Mass until further notice, 2) Public Masses, sacraments, and funerals will continue to be held with caution to protect personal health, 3) To limit large public gatherings the Family Faith Formation, RCIA, and other group activities and events are suspended in person;  where feasible, St. Charles will be organizing opportunities to continue these activities online, and finally 4) Diocesan schools and academies will be closed beginning next week.

We recommend that all parishioners use common sense when deciding whether or not to attend mass. Continue reading “Corona Virus Emergency Action Plan – 3/15/2020” →

Bulletin

3rd Sunday of Lent – The Wisdom of Knowing We Are Loved

| St. Charles Borromeo

Christ and the Woman of Samaria, Rembrandt and student, c. 1655 (Met. Museum of Art, New York)

Fr. Smith’s Commentary on the First Reading
Exodus 17:3–7
March 15, 2020

The passage that we read today was quoted in the Gospel for Sunday in the first week of Lent. St Matthew, following the rabbis of his day, saw the irony of the passage. The Israelites thought that they were testing God, but He was testing them.

What exactly happened in the book of Exodus is unclear. A mass migration of hundreds of thousands of people is most unlikely. The theory that there was no migration at all, but a revolution of tribes within Canaan, was popular for a decade or so but is now losing its appeal. Some scholars believe that there was an Exodus from Egypt by a Semitic group which we could most likely identify with the tribe of Levi. This clan by both military prowess and a more attractive theology was able to attract other tribes to join them and eventually settled in Canaan. This would fit the reality of today’s situation: Continue reading “3rd Sunday of Lent – The Wisdom of Knowing We Are Loved” →

Messages from the Pastor

Message from the Pastor on Coronavirus

| St. Charles Borromeo

Note: The below letter from Fr. Bill was posted on March 13. Since that time, the Diocese of Brooklyn has suspended public Masses. Please refer to the more recent postings for the most up-to-date information on the steps that St. Charles Borromeo is taking to respond to the coronavirus outbreak.

Sunday’s Gospel admonishes us to worship in “spirit and truth.” We should also add common sense. With the spread of the coronavirus, common sense will be very important. The parish has implemented the preventative measures recommended by the Diocese. Beyond that, the Church will be thoroughly cleaned again on Saturday by a professional cleaning company. Please note that our church is large enough and our attendance small enough that we should be able to provide the recommended social distance space for everyone.

Common sense however also is necessary to decide if you should attend Mass. Bishop DiMarzio announced today that the obligation to attend Sunday Mass is suspended until further notice. People in the at risk groups, senior citizens (parishioners over 70 and certainly those over 80), people with underlying conditions, e.g. diabetes, or less than robust immune systems are encouraged to stay home. This does not mean that you should not worship especially on Sunday but that you should explore other means. Continue reading “Message from the Pastor on Coronavirus” →

Front Page

Praying at Mass While Being Smart About the Coronavirus

| St. Charles Borromeo

Below is guidance from the Diocese of Brooklyn to parishes and parishioners about the coronavirus. We have implemented all of the precautionary measures recommended below at St. Charles Borromeo. Please also see Fr. Smith’s message about the other steps being taken at our parish.

BEFORE LEAVING HOME

1. Ask yourself how are you feeling? Use common sense, if you are not feeling well you should not come to Mass. If you are genuinely sick you are not obligated to participate in the Sunday Celebration of Mass. You should stay home and rest so as not to risk getting yourself even sicker or spreading germs to others in their church. If you are sick you also should not go out to a mall or movie theatre.
2. Wash your hands. Health care professionals are consistent persistent that washing one’s hands is the best practice during flu season as well as this period of concern about the Novel Corona Virus.
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty. Continue reading “Praying at Mass While Being Smart About the Coronavirus” →

Messages from the Pastor

Update from the Diocese on Coronavirus

| St. Charles Borromeo
The Bishop has sent a statement for the entire Diocese in regards to the coronavirus emergency – the full text is below.
In summary:
1. The Bishop has dispensed with the obligation of attending Sunday Mass until further notice.
2. Public Masses, sacraments, and funerals will continue to be held with caution to protect personal health, with the goal of limiting large public gatherings.
3. Family Faith Formation, RCIA, and other group activities and events are suspended in person. We will be organizing opportunities to continue these activities online.
4. Diocesan schools and academies will be closed next week.
Further details about how we working to keep everyone safe and continue our ministry will be sent out in our regular Saturday email.
Please exercise caution in preserving the health of yourself and each other.
With our prayers,
Fr. Bill

Continue reading “Update from the Diocese on Coronavirus” →

Events

Ability to Attend Tonight’s Flannery O’Connor Meeting Remotely

| St. Charles Borromeo

Flannery O’Connor for Lent

Tonight is the second in our four-part discussion series with Grace Church on Flannery O’Connor’s short stories. We will discuss You Can’t Be Any Poorer than Dead (first chapter of the Violent Bear it Away). Tonight’s meeting will be held at Grace Church (254 Hicks Street).

There is an option to join tonight’s meeting remotely via your computer, tablet, smartphone, or by dialing in: [Zoom meeting details removed from website for security reasons]

We’ll open the online meeting at 7 PM. The full schedule is:

6:30 – Soup dinner
7:00 – Opening prayer and brief introduction
7:10 – Small group discussion
7:45 – Continued discussion with everyone
8:00 – Closing prayer

We continue to monitor the evolving impact of the coronavirus in New York City. Currently, all our weekend Masses and activities are planned to proceed. Since some of us may not be able to attend Mass in person, we have an option to stay connected to the parish by streaming the Mass from a computer, tablet, or phone, or by dialing in. More information will follow in the weekly email.