Connecting with parishioners

Our parish staff members have been very busy during the quarantine time, focusing their energies on connecting with our parishioners, identifying their needs and the needs of our wider community and finding resources to meet them. Every day we are finding new ways to keep the spirit of our Divine Savior community alive and to spread the Gospel of Jesus from our living rooms.
 
  Connection - We’ve been learning new technology in order to maintain our ministry support for the duration of the quarantine. We are livestreaming and recording daily and Sunday Masses to make them accessible to all those at home.  We have even recorded Stations of the Cross, specific to COVID-19.   Our ministry groups are utilizing Zoom meetings to connect in real time and as close to face-to-face interaction as possible.
 
Outreach - We’ve taken this opportunity to make pastoral phone calls to everyone listed in our parish family database.  Our parish St. Vincent De Paul Society is able to keep moving forward with their cell phone support services, offering assistance for rent, utilities, and referrals to other critical resources. We now have a Shopping Assistance Ministry to help parishioners who are more strictly quarantined with access to groceries and medications. We’ve partnered with Orangevale Food Bank to support their increased clientele and are planning a Food Drive on April 25 from 9-1. 
 
Values – The parish staff is aware that many people’s lives have changed dramatically; some of these changes have improved family time together and some changes are truly stressful, such as the loss of a job or a financial crisis directly due to the quarantine.  Times like these call us to examine our core values, and to connect with others who share those values, to support one another and grow in faith and unity.  Our administrative staff are taking steps to ensure our buildings are secure and that our funds are carefully utilized for the long haul.
 
Inspiration – Staff members and parishioners have both been blessed by the pastoral calls.  The end of this message are some examples of “Holy Spirit moments” that we want to share with you.
 
Discipleship – Youth ministry, CFF, RCIA, Liturgy, and Pastoral Care leaders are all creating new ways to continue spreading the Gospel message through faith-sharing, prayer, online learning, and social action.  We are aiming to have the most current information for all these areas on the parish website.
 
Finally, if you or someone you know is in need (lonely, needs a phone call, or a facetime chat) please call the parish office and we can arrange that.  Our priority is to keep connected in any way possible.
             
Blessings to all – from the parish staff 


  Stories from pastoral calls to parishioners

Jen - One parishioner who is married with two children was so grateful I called and explained that because of their busy lifestyle, church had unfortunately taken a back seat to other activities. Now that they are in quarantine, they look forward every Sunday to the virtual connection they have with Divine Savior online. It has moved God to front and center, which she said is much needed in these times.  She then went on to communicate that her mother, who is now 80 in a care facility, spent years as a daily Mass attendee at Divine Savior. Where she is currently, there are no visitors allowed (understandably) and the residents are required to spend all of their time in their rooms to prevent any infections from spreading. She said the rooms are large, but it is quite lonely. With the help of a nurse on staff, her mother was able to watch Easter Mass online and it meant EVERYTHING to her. Nicole said that she really wanted us all to know that our online efforts are truly reaching so many. It means so much to her that her family and her mother feel connected to us when they previously were not. I wish you could have heard her voice and its earnest tone – my eyes glossed over with tears as she spoke, for sure.

Kathleen – A senior parishioner expressed concern for a 92-year old woman in her neighborhood who we found out upon calling, is also was a member of Divine Savior.  She asked for someone to help shop for her as her granddaughter is a Registered Nurse and had been putting in very long shifts at the hospital.
 
Jen – One of our 65+ parishioners has not been able to attend Mass because she was fighting breast cancer for several months, ending the battle with a double mastectomy and now cancer free. Hours before I called, she had been talking to her daughter on the phone, telling her that she really missed her Divine Savior community and wanted to go back to it. Her daughter encouraged her to reach out to us, and then I called her! Once I introduced myself, she was giggling and giddy. She was laughing as she explained her fight with cancer, I noted that was not the most common reaction, but let her continue to speak. She then told me about her conversation with her daughter hours before and that she knew in her heart that we had been connected by God. I explained how she could participate in Mass online and that we would always be available by phone. We ended as great friends. I will never forget that conversation, I will never forget her jovial laughter. I will continue to reach out to her.
 
Sharon - It was very heartwarming that almost every senior I spoke with was doing well because either their children or their neighbors were watching out for them and doing their shopping for them. A few that I spoke with were ordering online from Raley’s or Walmart and the store loads it in your car for you.
 
Jen - I spoke to a mother from a CFF family who has multiple generations currently living in her home. In the background, I could hear her children laughing and squealing. She sounded tired, but her voice was full of gratitude. She told me that she was so thankful that her mother in law lived with them. She noted that it would not be easy to deal with the stresses of her job now that she telecommuted if it wasn’t for her. She also mentioned her gratitude for all the parish was doing to help support her family’s faith life, Mass online and the support emails we were sending. It means so much to keeping normalcy intact during these unusual times. And, then she said something that I have heard from many families – the children (in this case brother and sister) are playing so well together most of the time, better than they have in a while. Sure, bedtimes are later, and their days are less structured, but they’re all enjoying each other’s company as a family in a way they haven’t been able to in a long time because of busy schedules. While nobody would say that the circumstances that have us quarantined are a good thing, it can be said that our parish families are closer to each other than ever. That was my consistent discovery.
 
Kathleen - I spoke with several parishioners who are enjoying our Mass videos and FaceBook livestream. One has shared the link to friends.

Caroline - One parishioner said that he and his wife were fairly new to the parish, after being members for 40 years at another area parish.  "Divine Savior is so welcoming and the homilies are so much more meaningful to us...being in our 80's, switching parishes was a hard decision but we are so happy we did, and we are happy you reached out to us!"