I am pleased to announce that we have merged with St. Francis de Sales in Phoenicia. Our new parish name is St. John the Evangelist / St. Francis de Sales. 
Join me in welcoming our Phoenicia neighbors into our St. John's family. 
I will keep you posted regarding important updates as we move forward as one parish.
Yours in Christ,
Fr. Kiely

Dear Parishioners,
 
I would like to share with you one of the most moving homilies I have ever read.
It is part of the Office of Readings for Holy Saturday and its author is unknown.
To me it speaks to the power of the Cross of Christ and the meaning of the Resurrection.
 
As we Celebrate Easter in a very different way this year let us not forget that through the death and resurrection of Jesus we gain eternal life.
 
God bless all of you this Easter,
 
Fr. Kiely

 An ancient homily for Holy Saturday
Something strange is happening – there is a great silence on earth today, a great silence and stillness. The whole earth keeps silence because the King is asleep. The earth trembled and is still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh and he has raised up all who have slept ever since the world began. God has died in the flesh and hell trembles with fear.
He has gone to search for our first parent, as for a lost sheep. Greatly desiring to visit those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, he has gone to free from sorrow the captives Adam and Eve, he who is both God and the son of Eve. The Lord approached them bearing the cross, the weapon that had won him the victory. At the sight of him, Adam, the first man he had created, struck his breast in terror and cried out to everyone: “My Lord be with you all.” Christ answered him: “And with your spirit.” He took him by the hand and raised him up, saying:
“Awake, O sleeper, and rise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.
“I am your God, who for your sake have become your son. Out of love for you and for your descendants I now by my own authority command all who are held in bondage to come forth, all who are in darkness to be enlightened, all who are sleeping to arise.
“I order you, O sleeper, to awake. I did not create you to be held a prisoner in hell. Rise from the dead, for I am the life of the dead. Rise up, work of my hands, you who were created in my image. Rise, let us leave this place, for you are in me and I am in you; together we form only one person and we cannot be separated. For your sake I, your God, became your son; I, the Lord, took the form of a slave; I, whose home is above the heavens, descended to the earth and beneath the earth.
“For your sake, for the sake of man, I became like a man without help, free among the dead. For the sake of you, who left a garden, I was betrayed to the Jews in a garden, and I was crucified in a garden.
“See on my face the spittle I received in order to restore to you the life I once breathed into you. See there the marks of the blows I received in order to refashion your warped nature in my image. On my back see the marks of the scourging I endured to remove the burden of sin that weighs upon your back. See my hands, nailed firmly to a tree, for you who once wickedly stretched out your hand to a tree.
“I slept on the cross and a sword pierced my side for you who slept in paradise and brought forth Eve from your side. My side has healed the pain in yours. My sleep will rouse you from your sleep in hell. The sword that pierced me has sheathed the sword that was turned against you.
“Rise, let us leave this place. The enemy led you out of the earthly paradise. I will not restore you to that paradise, but I will enthrone you in heaven. I forbade you the tree that was only a symbol of life, but see, I who am life itself am now one with you. I appointed cherubim to guard you as slaves are guarded, but now I make them worship you as God.
“The throne formed by cherubim awaits you, its bearers swift and eager. The bridal chamber is adorned, the banquet is ready, the eternal dwelling places are prepared, the treasure houses of all good things lie open. The kingdom of heaven has been prepared for you from all eternity.”
 

Dear Parishioners,

Years ago, I was walking into a parish school and met a woman who wanted to register her son for religious education. As we walked into the entrance of the school there was a rather large crucifix hanging on the wall which was a gift to the school from a former student. When this woman saw the crucifix, she became upset and said that she did not think it was “appropriate” for a symbol of such violence to be displayed in a place where children could see it. Evidently, she had not been inside a Catholic building before. She decided not to register her son for religious education classes because she did not want to expose him to such violence.

Yes, the Crucifixion of Jesus was violent and painful and it should make us wince as we read the account of the Passion but the story doesn’t end there. It is through the Passion and Death of Jesus on the cross that we gained eternal life. The cross once a symbol of failure and death has become a symbol of triumph. But the Cross of Christ is MUCH MORE than just a symbol.

Jesus said before his death “when I am lifted up I will draw all people to myself”. Jesus took upon his shoulders all of humanities sins and evils and had them nailed to the cross with Him.
By taking upon himself all of the evils of humankind he transforms them into eternal life for all of us. There is power in the Cross of Christ to transform evil into good, sin into forgiveness, and death into life. Just as Gods love for us is eternal so the power of His cross is eternal.
When we go through our most difficult times, when we are faced with sickness, pain, sorrow, and death we should bring it to the crucified Christ and allow him to “transform” them into life.
There is a beautiful song I heard many years ago by a man named Chuck Girard called “Lay your burden down” it which he sings “Take your worries to the foot of the cross and lay your burden down”. We are burdened with so many things in our lives especially during this time of crisis for our country and the world we can become overwhelmed but if we give to Jesus all our burdens and place them at the foot of the cross he will transform them.

This year Holy Week will different for all of us but it gives us a chance to take some time to look inward at ourselves, our lives, and our faith. As we reflect on His passion and death and resurrection let us remember that Jesus draws ALL of us to Himself and through the power of His cross makes “all things new”.

Faithfully in Christ,
Fr. Kiely

Dear Parishioners,
 
I hope and pray that all of you are well.
 
We have now added a new term to out vocabulary “social distancing” and although it is unsettling it is also necessary to followthe advice of the health care professionals in order for us to keep safe during these stressful times.
Many of us feel nervous and anxious mostly out of fear of the “unknown” and adding to our anxiety is the inability to attend mass and receive the Eucharist. We feel that there is a part of us “missing” without sharing and worshiping together with our brothers and sisters.
 
Yesterday I went into the church and was walking around inside when my eyes caught sight of the picture of “The Devine Mercy” and the prayer underneath the picture “Jesus I Trust in You”.
It made me ask myself, do I really trust Jesus? Do I trust that He will look after me? Do I trust that He has everything under control? Do I trust Him enough to let go of my anxiety and fears?
Staring at the picture of Jesus showing the rays of his compassion and mercy flowing from his Sacred Heart I answered my own question. Yes, I trust Jesus, and started to feel less anxious.
The entire message of the Gospel can be summed up in four powerful words “God is with us”. He is always with us! God will get us through this crisis as He has gotten us through many others, we just have to trust!
 
We still have no word on when we will be able to resume saying mass for the public or other parish functions. The Cardinal will be deciding on Monday on weather or not we will be able to have Holy Week services. We like everyone else are taking it day to day and relying on what our government leaders and doctors tell us. In the meantime, Jeanine has put on our website links and resources you can use to watch the mass on tv as well as other great links to help “lift our hearts and minds to God”.
 
If you need help with picking up groceries, medications etc.… please let us know and we will try to help as much as possible.
 
On another note, I’m sure everyone is feeling the pinch of the economy especially those who have their own business or rely on their 401’s or 403’s for retirement. Obviously, this increases our anxiety as we figure out how to pay our bills etc.…. I understand the feeling. As pastor I have to try to figure out how we can continue paying our parish bills without the steady income from our weekly collections. I ask you, if you can, to please continue with your weekly donations either my dropping them off at the rectory, mailing them or the easiest way to make your donations is to do it online with “WeShare”.
WeShare is a church based online giving site where you can set up to give to the parish either weekly or just one-time gift. You don’t even have to write a check and they keep track of what you give and send out statements. We have a link to the “WeShare” website on our parish website rectory@sjwoodstock.org . Just click on the link and your there!
 
I will be updating the voice message on the parish phone when I get any new information also you can leave a message either for me or Jeanine and we will get back to you as soon as we can.
 
Please be assured that I am praying for all of you and please pray for me.
 
As Tiny Tim would say, “God Bless us everyone”,
 
Fr. Kiely