Easter services give hope and renewal

Recent Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday services offered parishioners hope and a sense of much needed renewal, especially during uncertain times.

At Most Precious Blood, the 8pm Vigil Mass featured one adult baptism, along with a group of Catechumen receiving their first Holy Communion. At the end of the Vigil, three couples were married in the Church by Father Bob Dunn, Pastor at Most Precious Blood.

Father Dunn noted during his homily that when people give their hearts wholly to God, their hearts become transformed.

“When you truly give yourself over to Jesus, you become new. Some people have slow conversions, but there are many people who have had instantaneous conversions. They come to realize that Jesus is not dead. He’s alive and he lives among us,” he explained. “This is just the beginning. He radically transformed us because of his love for us. This is something we affirm for ourselves and pass on to others.”

On Easter Sunday, Father Frank Martinez at Our Lady of Perpetual Help prefaced the 11 a.m. Mass with an announcement alerting parishioners If they felt more comfortable attending Mass in their car and coming into the vestibule for Communion, they were free to do so. The Mass was being livestreamed on the church’s Facebook page, as well as 89.3 FM, he noted.

“Last year at this time, there were only 6 people in this church celebrating Easter, with over 6,000 people watching online. Over the last 13 months, we have been through a lot together as a church community. It has been a time of confusion and a time of blessings, it’s hard to explain, but that’s the mystery of God,” he said.

Father Frank added Easter Sunday is the most important celebration of the church year. The Mass was well-attended and parishioners were distanced according to household with everyone wearing masks.

“We’re celebrating God’s original plan He has given you and me, that was broken by the disobedience of Adam with original sin and brought back to new life through the obedience of Jesus Christ,” he said. “We are no longer enslaved by guilt or shame, but we are set free through the power of Jesus’ resurrection which we celebrate today. This is the birthday of our faith, allowing us the opportunity for new beginnings with and in Jesus.”