Category: From our Clergy…

Consecration vs. Covid

Dear Holy Trinity Parishioners!

How are you? I hope your week has been one of close quarters, peace, joy, creativity, conversation and holiness!

You may be wondering at the title of this ‘note’. Yes, well, Our Lady always wins.

Friday, May 1st Archbishop Gomez, the President of our conference of Catholic Bishops will lead all Catholics, in union with our bishops, in a re-consecration of our country to Our Blessed Mother. (The Canadians will also be doing the same.) As the month of May is dedicated to Our Lady, this re-consecration is very appropriate in the midst of the coronavirus. Documents and livestream info are at lacatholics.org/consecration/. Please join Catholics of America in making this consecration for Our Lady’s Protection from the coronavirus.

Our Lord desires that we ask, seek and knock. He also is pleased when we go to Him through His Mother. Let us not forget that Jesus performed His first miracle at the Wedding Feast of Cana because His Mother asked Him! Let us implore Our Lady together in her month for a conversion of hearts and minds to Jesus and an end to this coronavirus!

Thank you very much for your prayers over the last two weeks. Fr. Carr has been given the ‘thumbs up’ from his doctor to resume his duties at the parish. You may recall last week’s blog post when I said Father Carr would have a two week quarantine. Actually, the rest of us in the rectory needed the two week quarantine – which ended today. For those who have COVID, the Center for Disease Control, gives the following guidance before public interaction:

  1. Free from fever for 72 hours – without medication
  2. Other symptoms have improved.
  3. 7 days have passed since beginning of symptoms.

Fr. Carr has hit all the above. I have consulted with the diocese as well throughout the last two weeks.

That said, we will begin our regular schedule of confessions this Saturday.

We do not have any word yet on when we will begin to have public Masses. Bishop Burbidge has assembled a team to help him identify when and how we can begin public Masses. Please continue your prayers for our bishop and those helping him in this process that Our Lord grant them wisdom and courage.

God bless

FRVW

Fr. Carr Update

April 22, 2020

Dear Friends in Christ,

Yesterday we were informed that Father Carr from Holy Trinity was tested for COVID-19; and today, we have confirmed that Father Carr does have COVID-19.  First, we ask all parishioners to pray to the Divine Physician for his healing and for the medical professionals assisting him and others suffering from this virus. 

We can confirm that Father Carr has been practicing social distancing. His interaction with parishioners has been limited to holding confessions in an outdoor space while maintaining the prescribed six-foot distance. While we are very concerned about exposures, proximity to Father Carr does not mean that one is necessarily infected.  For any, who may have had contact with Father Carr in the past 1-11 days, we recommend the following guidance as directed by the Virginia Department of Health and CDC:

  • Not every person who has been exposed to COVID-19 or feels sick needs to be tested. (Ref 1.) 
  • If you had close contact with a person who has lab-confirmed COVID-19 or who was diagnosed with COVID-19 without lab testing, self-quarantine (stay home) and monitor your health for symptoms of COVID-19 for 14 days after your last contact. (Ref 1.) 
  • Because testing is not widely available, VDH is prioritizing testing for people with symptoms who are hospitalized, healthcare workers, first responders, and people living in or working in congregate living settings, such as nursing homes and others. Not every person who has symptoms needs to be tested. In most instances, a positive test would not change what a doctor tells you to do to get better. If you have symptoms of COVID-19, but you have not been tested, stay home and self-isolate. (Ref 2.) 
  • If you start to feel sick, isolate yourself at home. The most common symptoms are fever, cough, and shortness of breath. (Ref 1.) 
  • Stay in touch with your doctor. Call before you get medical care. Be sure to get care if you have trouble breathing, or have any other emergency warning signs, or if you think it is an emergency. (Ref 3.)

Ref 1. http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/coronavirus/coronavirus/local-exposure/

Ref 2. http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/coronavirus/coronavirus/what-to-do-if-you-have-confirmed-or-suspected-coronavirus-disease-covid-19/

Ref 3. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/steps-when-sick.html 

As for the Church, additional measures we will be taken: we will be deep-cleaning the Church and the Rectory.  We will review our procedures for confession and determine if or how we will continue in the short term.  After the Church is deep-cleaned, we will review procedures for allowing the faithful to still make safe visits.  

Thank you for prayers and your understanding during this challenging time.

God bless

FRVW

Fr. Carr

Some of you may have known that Fr. Carr was diagnosed with pneumonia last week. Yesterday, Father Carr went to the hospital and is being tested for COVID-19.  We have no results yet. Please keep him in your prayers. Father Carr was practicing social distancing. His engagement with parishioners has mostly been hearing confessions – almost exclusively outside – and maintaining the prescribed distance of six feet from other persons.  If you have interacted with Father Carr in the last week, we recommend getting tested if your care provider is offering testing.  We will update you as soon as we have additional information. Please pray, asking Our Lord through Our Lady for Fr. Carr’s complete and timely recovery. Fr. Carr has said he appreciates the prayers.

God bless

FRVW