My Dear Friends in Christ,
As we all experience the unprecedented circumstances of the coronavirus (COVID-19) public health crisis please know of my prayers for you and your loved ones. While striving each day to proceed as safely as possible we remember that our faith means we are never alone, even in the most difficult times. Faith is the foundation of hope, and with hope we can address even the most complex challenges of life without being overcome by them.
Our inability to come together as a community for the celebration of the Eucharist, the source and summit of our faith, has been difficult for all of us. As I share in the video message attached here, know that all my brother priests and I are praying for you every day at our celebration of Mass.
In this moment I am reaching out to you on behalf of all your pastors with recognition of the challenges our parishes are facing. At this time, I ask you to please continue your weekly offertory support of your parish by mailing in your envelopes or donations, or by making an online donation through your parish website. In asking for your support I note that approximately only 30% of all the parishioners in our 283 parishes currently contribute regularly online. We understand many of you may not be able to continue your offertory contributions given the economic impact this pandemic has had on your personal finances. We hope that those who are able will continue to support the operations of your parishes during this emergency.
Faith is indeed a gift in times of crisis, providing us with courage to look to the future with hope. It is through this hope that we are able to respond not only to the needs of our families and those closest to us, but also those of others who are served in our parishes. I am grateful for your consideration of this critical request.
Asking God’s blessings upon you and all whom you hold dear, I remain, Devotedly yours in Christ,
Archbishop of Boston
