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Easter began the Springtime of the Church. On May 31 Pentecost kicked us into June and the Summertime of the Church and its ministry. Here at Old St. Mary’s, Summertime equals Ordinary Time, when Church folk get a chance to practice the lessons of Christ’s life from birth to Pentecost, the birth of the Church.

Our faith practice is kicked up several notches this summer. Never meant to be “churchy,” being Church means the Christ life we live is about how we treat each other as human beings. It is about making other people’s lives, not simply better, but as good as possible. There is a lot of possibility. We do not do this alone but with Christ’s help, he who makes all things possible and makes faith concrete.

The Covid-19 pandemic, and the George Floyd injustice are reality checks for faith. When you come by the church these days our sign says, “Black Lives Matter.” What Christ teaches us is that all lives matter, but more significantly he singled out the marginalized, those deprived of justice, those beaten down by society, and told us we have a special responsibility for them because we can speak peace, we can work for justice, and we must be at their side as we do this. We must do this. We are called to meet together as people to talk and pray, to not be afraid and work to lessen tensions that prevent people from truly seeing one another.

If you think that is difficult, maybe the Covid-19 situation helps. It is forcing us to be part of the same threat to our very lives. We can readily see what happens when people do not try to prevent the virus from happening – it spreads. And when, against our human and Christian natures, we keep a social distance we prevent transmission of what can harm us. Hate is also a virus – what we can do to spread the vaccine of love, caring and compassion that inspires our common sense in treating each other with dignity, respect and common sense we must do.

This is the type of conversation that Churches exist to foster. Welcome to an Old St. Mary’s where we acknowledge the need and realize we have a ways to go and need your help. Check the website, see what we are doing, how we are beginning to reopen, and other programs for being people together sharing the love message of Christ.

Questions on the pandemic: email us at osmcovid19@oldstmarys.com.

Be well! Be Safe! Many Blessings!

Fr. Brad

Please check out the links on our website for the various connections we have: www.oldstmarys.com, www.paulist.org, www.archdioceseofchicago.org, www.vatican.va.

Also discover our sister parishes in our Renew My Church Grouping www.holynamecathedral.org, www.stjameswabash.org, www.assumption-chgo.org, www.oldstpats.org, www.stpetersloop.org.