I have heard from St Francis Retreat House. They are starting to open up, coming out of the pandemic lockdown, still subject to the rules of Monterey County. They expect to be able to host some kind of in-house retreat by November. Everyone may have to have a private room, and/or perhaps been vaccinated, but they have not set any prices yet.

For those who remember Fr Benedict Groeschel, CFR, of happy memory, his Franciscan Friars of Renewal have come to the Oakland Diocese at the request of Bishop Barber. They came to Mass one morning at Mission San Jose a week ago – presumably to visit one of the missions founded by one of their sainted Franciscan brothers. There are renovating a house near the Oakland Airport where they will live. They will open some kind of ministry, perhaps a soup kitchen, with the poor. They already have a website — https://www.serrafriary.com/ — if you want to check it out.

I often listen to Bishop Robert Barron’s Sunday homilies. For a spiritual interlude, let me borrow a couple of his ideas from Divine Mercy Sunday, one week after Easter. Even though the Apostles had seen them on Easter, they were still very much afraid and they had locked themselves, hidden, in the Upper Room. And Jesus came into their midst. Bishop Barron said that sometimes we, because of our circumstances, lack of faith and/or our sins, lock ourselves into ourselves. But never fear, Jesus, always enters in our midst. And he shows us His wounds, which are our sins, or the result of them, and He offers us the chance to get out from under their power and engage our community.

As always, please remember our clergy and seminarians in your prayers. Blessings and prayers to all.

VP for Spirituality, Dennis