April 2020
 

Dear St. Joseph Parishioner:
 
            These are extraordinary times.  I hope and pray that you are safe and well.  The COVID-19 virus has wreaked its powerful effects on our lives.  I am concerned about you, your family, job and welfare.  The cessation of public Masses, and now even Easter Sunday Mass, has been hard on us, but it was imperative we did so out of charity and justice, to isolate ourselves and slow the spread of this dangerous virus.  It feels like we are in a desert now, and a Lent like we have never experienced before.  Yet, I believe that God will bring many graces from the evil of this virus.  Draw closely to him and pray.
 
            We’re still a parish during this pandemic, and need God and one another more than ever.  Even though scattered because of social isolation, we can stay together in these ways:
 

• Through our parish Mass on our YouTube channel. (www.youtube.com/c/StJosephCatholicChurchMarion) and website (https://stjoesmarion.org/).
• Our Facebook page which can be found here (https://www.facebook.com/stjoesmarion/).
• By being prayer warriors.  See (https://stjoesmarion.org/prayers) for your toolkit.
• By consulting the parish website on a regular basis (https://stjoesmarion.org/).  The bulletin can be found there as well.
• If you don’t have a computer or use other electronic devices, please call the office (377-4869) to receive a copy of the bulletin in the mail.
• By checking on one another by a video platform, email or a phone call.

 
Your financial support of the parish is just as important right now.  With no public Masses, we don’t have a reliable income stream and we need it to keep operating.  Here’s how you can help:
 

• Please continue to use your budget envelope.  You can mail it to the office (1790 14^th St.; Marion, IA 52302).
• Continue to or start giving online (https://stjoesmarion.org/give).
• Use ACH as a means of regular support of the parish.

 
Fun Days is a major annual parish event that occurs the first weekend in June.  Unfortunately, it will not occur in June this year due to the uncertainty surrounding the Coronavirus.  Discussion will be had regarding whether to have a modified event later in the year.  You already received raffle tickets in the mail, which coincidentally arrived when the COVID-19 crisis first presented itself.  While the timing wasn’t intentional, we still plan to conduct the raffle if only to allow it to be another source of income for the parish.
 
The Faith in Our Future Committee, which was formed to lead the parish to a building project and capital campaign, has paused to consider the feasibility of continuing or suspending its work pending the resolution of the COVID-19 crisis and the stabilization of the economy.  That decision will also be made soon.
 
Finally, let us invoke the intercession of our great patron, St. Joseph, Protector of the Church, the Blessed Mother, and St. Raphael, our archdiocesan patron, to deliver us from the pandemic, to help the sick to recover, to assist our health care professionals and those researching treatment, a vaccine and a cure, and for the repose of the dead.  Be safe and well.  Let us know if we can help you.  God will see us through.
 
Sincerely yours in Christ,

(Rev.) David H. O’Connor
Pastor

March 22, 2020

We Are Living—in an extraordinary time with unprecedented measures being taken to protect our nation from the ravages of the Coronavirus and to flatten the infection rate.
 
We are the Father’s sons and daughters and he will care for his children.  We place our faith and trust in him. We are Christ’s baptized faithful.  As such, I hereby commission you as prayer warriors.
 
Here’s what your commission means:                                  

1. Trust in the Power of the Cross

 
Jesus spoke of the cross as the way that he draws all people unto himself.  The cross is healing for those who look upon it.  Christ’s cross helps us to carry our own crosses.  It is through the cross that Christ saved us.
 

2. Holy Mass 

 
We will begin broadcasting weekend Mass on Saturday, March 21 ^st, 4:30 PM.  Daily Mass will be broadcast as well.  While the Archbishop has dispensed your obligation to attend Sunday Mass, we offer it to our community as a means of worship and keeping us together as a parish family.
 
Even though you will not be receiving Holy Communion, make a spiritual communion during the Mass and at communion time.
 

• For Sunday Mass, go to our parish webpage:  https://stjoesmarion.org
• For the Sunday and daily Mass readings please see:  http://www.usccb.org/bible/index.cfm
• Daily Mass will be broadcast on the parish YouTube channel:  www.youtube.com/c/StJosephCatholicChurchMarion
• The Mass Schedule
  • Saturdays at 4:30 PM
  • Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 AM, Wednesdays at 8:15 AM

 

3. Pray

 
Pray for the recovery of those infected by the virus, their families and friends.  Pray for our health care workers, all those caring for the sick, and those racing to find treatment for the virus, a vaccine and a cure.  Pray for our country and the recovery of our economy, our businesses, employees, and those who may have no pay check or job.  Pray for our Church and parish, and those who labor in the vineyard, among them the clergy, religious and the laity.  Pray for your own intentions.
 
Pray as individuals and a family.
 

4.  Use Your Prayer Kit

 
Here is what I commend to you to do every day which we can all do together as a parish:
 

• In the morning, pray the Most Holy Rosary.  The intercession of our Blessed Mother is powerful. Please visit this website to learn how to pray The Rosary:  https://www.ewtn.com/legacy/devotionals/prayers/rosary/how_to.htm

• In the afternoon, pray this prayer asking for the intercession of St. Joseph, the Universal Patron of the Church and our beloved parish patron

   

• In the evening, ask for the intercession of St. Raphael, the patron of our archdiocese and of healing.   Glorious Archangel St. Raphael, great prince of the heavenly court, you are illustrious for your gifts of wisdom and grace. You are a guide of those who journey by land or sea or air, consoler of the afflicted, and refuge of sinners.  I beg you, assist me in all my needs and in all the sufferings of this life, as once you helped the young Tobias on his travels. Because you are the “medicine of God” I humbly pray you to heal the many infirmities of my soul and the ills that afflict my body. I especially ask of you the favor (here mention your special intention), and the great grace of purity to prepare me to be the temple of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

 
Prayer will see us though.

Welcome to the website of St. Joseph, Marion, Iowa. We are a Catholic parish of the Archdiocese of Dubuque with two thousand families. With the Eucharist as the source and font of our Catholic and parish life, our mission is to be disciples of Jesus who are fed by word and sacrament to love and to serve.

Formation in the Catholic faith is essential to our parish life. We follow the strong educational tradition of the Archdiocese of Dubuque with a vibrant Catholic school and youth faith formation (religious education) program and are part of the metro Catholic high school. We embrace an educational philosophy from womb to tomb, which includes an active adult education program.
 
I hope you find this website helpful to you whether you are a parishioner or an inquirer. It contains useful information that we hope will lead you to Christ, the Mass, and sacraments, and a desire to love and serve him.  Additionally, it will offer you an idea of who we are and what we desire to be by the grace of God.

Sincerely yours,

Fr. David O'Connor
Pastor