Posting: 8/13/2020

ANNOUNCEMENT FOR RELIGIOUS EDUCATION AT ST. COLUMBA 2020-2021

Our Religious Education Program will resume on Tuesday, September 22, 2020. Distance Learning is deemed to be the best immediate format for the safety, comfort, and minimalization of logistics for all. The experience and quality of our catechists coupled with our new program – “Christ In Us” – should help us provide an enriching formation in Faith and Sacrament reception.

Students are registered according to a specific day and time with no more than 14 students per group. This organization will allow us to seamlessly return to the classroom when the crisis is no longer a health threat. More specific information will be forthcoming.

To realize our plan, seven (7) more parishioners are needed to serve as catechists.   Please help us to love and serve our young parishioners! Call our Religious Education Office at 845-221-4900.

If you have not yet signed up your children for Religious Ed, please do not delay! Do it this week. Thank you!

SACRAMENTS ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED FOR THE SPRING
CONFIRMATION – All Ceremonies, not Mass
Saturday, September 26 at 10:30 am – Bishop Dominick
Saturday, October 3 at 10:30 am & 1:30 pm – Bishop Colacicco
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION
Saturday, October 17 at 9:30 am & Noon
Saturday, October 24 at 9:30 am
NOTE – Logistics still need to be worked out, but we are working on it. The church will be a maximum 50% capacity, and the Confirmandi/First Communicants will need to be spread out, so seating for guests will be extremely limited. We plan to livestream each liturgy. Thank you for understanding these unprecedented circumstances. What is most important is that our young people and children will receive these Sacraments!

RESCHEDULED FIRST HOLY COMMUNION

A few parents have contacted me regarding plans for First Holy Communion.  While there are no settled details, it does not seem possible that Holy Communion will be able to be celebrated as originally scheduled.  As of now, we will not even be returning to school until April 20th and, even so, this in-person contact may need to be extended and/or limits on the size of gatherings may continue to be restricted and/or extended.  For this reason, there are no definite details at this time for First Holy Communion.  To make plans, we would need to begin to hear and see "the light at the end of the tunnel."

It would be wise to alert family and friends that rescheduling for First Holy Communion appears to be necessary.  If anyone has tickets or plans to purchase plane tickets for travel, advise them that changes will need to be made but not for the very near future.

I know this is disconcerting but what is more vital is that this crisis be resolved and that all those we love and the entire world community might be safe from mortal harm.  Let's earnestly pray for this greater concern, for someone to be inspired with an antidote/cure, for needed patience, hope and forbearance. 

May God keep everyone in His embrace!