St. Henry Catholic Church

Office is Closed to the Public.
Church business will be conducted pver the phone Monday-Thursday 9am-12pm. For after hours emergencies,
call 337-436-7223.

Monday - Thursday: 8am-4:30pm (Lunch 12-1pm)
Friday: 8am-12pm
Office will be closed on Wednesdays from 11am-1pm

https://www.facebook.com/sthenrycc/videos/198267014783763/

Dear Parishioners of St. Henry Catholic Church,

I am sending this letter because I want to communicate with each of you personally. By this time, you are probably already aware that given the most recent developments regarding the coronavirus at the federal and state levels and in the interests of the common good, Bishop Provost has suspended all public Masses and other liturgical services in the Diocese of Lake Charles effective noon Tuesday March 17, 2020 until further notice. This decision was made with “great reluctance and a very heavy heart”. 
ALL Catholics are, therefore, dispended by the Bishop from the obligation to attend Mass on Sundays and other Holy Days of Obligation. It is important for you to understand that this means that YOU are NOT in anyway committing sin by not being able to attend Mass during this extraordinary time. 
For Bishop Provost, this was one of the saddest decisions he has ever had to make as a bishop or priest. As your Pastor and spiritual Father, it is a sad day for me as well. My heart aches for you, the faithful, who will be unable to be physically present for the Holy Eucharist which is the source and summit of our Faith. Even though our public celebrations are suspended, the Church is still striving to be present to you in as many ways as possible. Throughout this time period, please be aware of the following:

1. Sunday is still the Lord’s Day. Although you cannot attend Mass, you can keep Sunday holy in other ways; quietly reading and meditating on the readings of the day, praying the rosary, and refraining from unnecessary work. I strongly encourage you to watch the frequently televised Mass on EWTN.
2. I will continue to celebrate Mass daily without a congregation. Know that I will be praying for each of you. I will fulfill all Mass Intentions that were scheduled during this time period in those private Masses. 
3. The church office will maintain our normal office hours for as long as possible. For the health and wellbeing of our staff, I ask that if you have any business, to please conduct it over the phone. Only come in person if truly necessary and only if you and your entire household are healthy.
4. The Sacrament of Confession will be available on the following schedule: 
   1. Waiting on a schedule
   2. By appointment. 

1. Regrettably, for the health of our sick and elderly, all regular (non-emergency) homebound visits are suspended. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion are not permitted to distribute Holy Communion during this time. 
   1. If it is an emergency and a parishioner is in danger of death, please call the church office day or night and I myself or another priest will come.
2. Stations of the Cross are canceled.
3. All group meetings and gatherings on church grounds are suspended.
4. Please continue to tithe during this time! I am certainly aware that in this uncertain time, you and your families may be struggling financially and understand that you may not be able to tithe your regular amount for a while. Without a regular weekend collection, however, the parish’s funds will quickly run out. We still have to pay staff salaries and benefits, insurance, and utilities. I am freezing all non-essential spending. You may submit your offerings in the following ways: 
   1. Use online giving. Go to https://sthenry.church/give on any device. You can give to regular offertory as well as second collections. You can do one-time payments or set up recurring payments.
   2. Mail a check to the church office.
   3. Drop cash or check through the mail slot in the office door. (If cash, please put in a sealed envelope and write “Offertory” and your name on the outside of the envelope so that you can be credited.)

Let us all pray fervently for an end to this pandemic and a return to normalcy. Let us pray for those who are sick and for eternal rest for those who have died. Let us continue to pray for our health care workers, first responders, and all others who work to keep us safe. 

Yours in Our Lord,


Very Rev. Matthew L. Cormier, V.F.
Pastor, St. Henry Catholic Church

PRAYER OF SPIRITUAL COMMUNION

My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen.

O Mary, you shine continuously on our journey as a sign of salvation and hope.
We entrust ourselves to you, Health of the Sick. At the foot of the Cross you participated in Jesus’ pain,
with steadfast faith. You, Salvation of the Roman People, know what we need. We are certain that you will provide, so that,as you did at Cana of Galilee, joy and feasting might return after this moment of trial. Help us, Mother of Divine Love, to conform ourselves to the Father’s will and to do what Jesus tells us: He who took our sufferings upon Himself, and bore our sorrows to bring us, through the Cross, to the joy of the Resurrection. Amen. We seek refuge under your protection, O Holy Mother of God. Do not despise our pleas – we who are put to the test – and deliver us from every danger, O glorious and blessed Virgin. (Prayer of Pope Francis to the Blessed Mother)