Church of the Holy Rosary

Diocese of Nashville News

Letter and decree from Bishop Spalding

April 24, 2020 / Diocese of Nashville News, News, Worship

My Dear People of God,

For the last five weeks, we have been experiencing an unprecedented time of modified ministry necessitated by the worldwide health crisis, and I have rejoiced in the faithfulness that you have shown in continuing to foster your relationship with Christ and his Church. As you know, the dispensation from the obligation to attend Sunday Mass and the cancellation of all public celebrations of Mass and other gatherings are currently effective through today, April 24.

In order to permit all of you to exercise prudent care over your health and wellbeing and charity towards others, I am extending the dispensation from the obligation to attend Mass on Sundays and Holydays of Obligation through June 30. Even when public Masses have resumed, I encourage those who are vulnerable, sick, or otherwise at risk or concerned about contracting or spreading disease, to refrain from attending Mass. Those who do choose to return to Mass should observe all guidelines concerning social distancing and diligent hygiene. We will also be continuing to provide resources for growth in your life of Faith, and opportunities to watch celebrations of Mass online.

No doubt you have heard some of our civic leaders discussing the possibility of restarting public activities in Tennessee in the coming weeks and months. In light of those intentions, I would like to announce to you today that we have begun developing plans to phase back in the public celebration of Mass and other church activities here in the Diocese of Nashville. This is a fluid and rapidly changing situation with ongoing developments that are hard to predict. While it will not be possible to resume the public celebration of Mass immediately, we hope to consider beginning modified celebrations of Mass open to the public in mid-May. I will be discussing the specific dates involved, health and safety precautions, and any necessary modifications to the Liturgy, with the Council of Priests in our meeting next week. Once this discussion has taken place, further details of when and how we will resume our public liturgical life will be forthcoming.

As I have assured you throughout this time, please know of my sincere love and concern for all of you and your families. My thoughts and prayers are with you. Let us pray together that this time of renewed optimism for an end to this time of crisis may soon be brought to fulfillment by the power of God’s loving care and providence.
Sincerely yours in Christ,

Most Reverend J. Mark Spalding, D.D., J.C.L.
Bishop of Nashville

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A Parish update from Fr. Steiner

April 8, 2020 / Diocese of Nashville News, News, Parish News

Dear parishioners and friends of Holy Rosary,

I pray and hope you are staying healthy and safe in the midst of the Coronavirus. We enter into Holy Week today through Palm Sunday. Jesus mounts the donkey and begins His journey up to Calvary. I invite you to continue to pray for the bishop, one another, and my brother priests and I. Hopefully in this time of Lent we have found time to take and spend with the Lord in prayer, deepening our relationship with Him.

This will truly be a Holly Week none of us will forget, since we will not be able to publicly gather during the week or on Easter itself. We may feel alone but rest assured my brothers and sisters in Christ, God is right by our side. He will raise us up in these times of challenge to show His power and glory! I encourage you as you enter into Holy Week to reflect on the loneliness Jesus felt, and if you have felt lonely you may unite your loneliness to Christ on the Cross so that Jesus may lift you up in His glory.

This past Tuesday, Bishop Mark Spalding updated his degree cancelling public Masses and gatherings until April 24 and dispensing Catholics from their Sunday obligation through that day. A further determination will be made at a later date as the current public health crisis unfolds.

In the interest of public health, I have decided not to hand anything out to the public at this time, including blessed palms, rosaries, etc., that involve people handling things or leaving their homes without real need. I will make blessed palms available at a later date once public masses have resumed. I will participate with the Palm Sunday and Holy Week Liturgies with my brother priests at Cathedral of the Incarnation. Click to view live-stream here. Celebrate Easter Sunday Mass at 11 am with Bishop Spalding on Fox 17.

As we journey to Calvary with our Lord let us keep especially in prayer those who have passed from this virus, all who are sick, those who work in the medical field, and our world. And we always return to the words of our savior Jesus Christ to find comfort and hope as we hear Him say, “and I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.” (Jn 12:32) Through the Resurrection of Jesus Christ may we gain a deeper trust and desire to truly be His servants in His vineyard.

In Christ, through Mary,
Father Steiner

Important Message from Bishop Spalding

April 7, 2020 / Diocese of Nashville News, News

Members of our Holy Rosary parish family, please read this important update from Bishop Spalding.

My Dear People of God,
We continue to receive new and updated guidance from civil authorities and experts regarding the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Throughout this time, we have taken appropriate and prudent steps to ensure the wellbeing of you and your loved ones. Following the latest advice of the CDC, in conjunction with the bishops of Tennessee and Kentucky who are making similar provisions, I am announcing the following:

Effective immediately, I have dispensed all the faithful of the Diocese of Nashville from the obligation to attend Sunday Mass, up to and including April 3, 2020.

All public celebrations of Mass and all other gatherings are canceled through the same date, April 3. We will continue to monitor the situation and may extend this timeframe if necessary. Weddings, funerals, and baptisms may proceed in consultation with your pastors, but you will be asked to limit attendance to immediate family only.

Since we have an ongoing obligation to honor the sabbath day, I ask all to refrain from unnecessary work on Sundays and to offer prayers such as reciting the Holy Rosary, reading the readings from Sunday Mass, and/ or praying the Stations of the Cross at home. In addition, I encourage you to take advantage of opportunities to watch celebrations of Holy Mass online.
In spiritual union with other dioceses throughout the world, I would like to encourage you to join me in a day of fasting, abstinence, and prayer, to take place this Wednesday, March 18, 2020.

Our Catholic schools will also be closed through the same date and will be in direct contact with parents concerning provisions for the ongoing instruction of our students during this time.

Please know of my sincere love and concern for all of you and your families in this uncertain time. My thoughts and prayers are with you, as well as with the sick, the elderly, and those who are especially vulnerable.

Your priests will continue to offer Mass in private for you and your intentions and are available for your pastoral needs. Let us continue to entrust ourselves to the Blessed Mother who enfolds us in her protecting veil.


Sincerely yours in Christ,

Most Reverend J. Mark Spalding, D.D., J.C.L.
Bishop of Nashville

DECREE

IN LIGHT OF the Interim Guidance.for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the federal government of the United States of America on 15 March 2020, and

IN LIGHT OF the consideration given by the Church to legitimate and reasonable directives of civil authorities (c. 22 CIC), and
HAVING solicitude for the wellbeing of all the Christian faithful in my care (c. 383 §1 CIC),

I, therefore, DISPENSE (c. 87 CIC) the faithful of the Diocese of Nashville from the obligation to participate in Mass on Sundays and other holy days of obligation (c. 1247 CIC), until 3 April 2020.

I further DIRECT the clergy and lay faithful of the Diocese of Nashville to have due regard for any instructions ( c. 34 § 1) for ongoing religious activity during this time, as published on the diocesan website, https://dioceseofnashville.com/