Dear Brothers and Sisters,

During our phone calls and other messages, we have received, individuals have inquired about how to continue supporting the Church financially during this difficult time. First, I want to express the sincerest gratitude to those individuals for their concern and generosity during this time of uncertainty.
As pastor I am truly concerned about the challenges, we will be facing in the next couple weeks and perhaps months. Yet my concern is not related to money but with the impact it will have on the dedicated staff whom I depend on each week to assist me in serving you! While I am concerned about them at this time, I am also concerned and recognize the impact that this time has placed on many of you as some of you have experienced loss of work. My number one concern is for people, the staff of Saint Patrick Church and all of you! Therefore, you will find me hesitate to bring up finances during this difficult time. Yet, it is something I need to bring up, but it is NOT by number one concern. It is certainly a concern, but my number one concern right now is you and bringing you JESUS!
Again, I am truly grateful to those who are sending their envelopes in! Thank you for your continued support. During this time, I ask you to continue to support the Church and its mission. For those inquiring about how to give, here are your options…
1) Give my sending your donations in the mail (or bring them in and place them in the secured mailbox outside the parish office which is checked every day)
2) Contact Terry in the office at 717-848-2007 or tfenstermacher@stpatirckyork.net about signing up for EFT (Electronic Fund Transfer)
3) Sign Up for ONLINE GIVING which can be done by visiting our website www.stpatrickyork.org and click the link the online giving icon.
If you and your family have been impacted by the loss of employment, if you can still give, even if it is significantly less, every little bit helps. However, if you are unable to give currently, that is perfectly ok and know that we are here praying for you and your family. For those who can give and if you have found yourself blessed by God and are able to give more, please do! We as a parish are a family and we will together get through these uncertain times.
Having addressed the question on continued giving I want to highlight ways we are working to give you Jesus. This week we have started to live stream our Masses on Facebook! If you are on Facebook, please visit and like our page at https://www.facebook.com/stpatrickyork. This is now our main avenue of broadcasting the Mass, however for Sunday and other weekdays we are recording and uploading the Mass on our YouTube channel which you can access the video directly from the parish website. The Most Blessed Sacrament is currently reserved in the tabernacle located by the server sacristy window that faces the main parking lot alongside Beaver and College. Please come! Park your cars and pray before Jesus! I am also offering “Drive Thru” Confessions currently. The updated times were recently posted on our Facebook page and website.
As I am working to continue to provide the sacraments and working to spend more time in prayer, I have enlisted the help of staff and volunteers to start reaching out to our parishioners. Our first wave of calls is going to check in on our parishioners who are young at heart, making sure they are ok. I am truly grateful to our parishioners who have called and offered their services to get groceries and other items our parishioners who are unable to leave their homes might need. Please know I will be reaching out in the event a need arises. Thank you for your willingness to be of service!
For everyone else reading this, parishioners and non-parishioners, we are the Church. Please continue to check in on your families, neighbors, and fellow parishioners. It is important to remember that we are the hands and feet of Christ. I need your assistance in helping me bring Jesus to our families! While I know my homilies and reflections might sound like a broken record, this time of loss (a loss of the physical reception of Jesus in the Eucharist) is a time of grace! Trust in God! Return to God with all your heart and mind! DO NOT BE AFRAID BUT HAVE FAITH!
As you grieve the loss of gathering as a parish family, I grieve not having you with me! Every Christmas and Easter I receive so much energy and strength from your presence! Yes, this year will not be the same but guess what…. Easter is NOT CANCELED! Jesus will rise from the dead and so will we! I cannot wait until we can gather again as a family of faith under the roof of our Church building, but in the meantime, we wait patiently! As we wrap up Lent, take advantage of this time in the desert to prepare our hearts for Holy Week and to get ready to celebrate Easter! Until then, please pray for me as I pray for thee!

Sincerely,

Father Carroll