ROOT RIVER CATHOLICS

"For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”  Mt 18:20
A prayer service to conduct with your family on Sundays:
https://adw.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/03/20Coronavirus-Prayer-Service-at-Home.pdf

As beloved Daughters and Sons of our Father in Heaven and disciples of Jesus Christ we are people who, inspired by the Holy Spirit, strive to lead a fuller and deeper growing relationship with Jesus Christ and give witness to His love and life in our world today.

The Third Sunday in Ordinary time has been designated by Pope Francis as Sunday of the Word of God. 
Please see the resources in the link:
https://www.usccb.org/committees/divine-worship/sunday-word-god

ALL THE PRIESTS OF THE DIOCESE OF WINONA-ROCHESTER RECEIVED AN E-MAIL WITH GUIDANCE ABOUT RECEIVING THE COVID-19 VACCINE.  THE E-MAIL, IN ITS ENTIRETY, CAN BE FOUND BELOW.  PLEASE REVIEW THE E-MAIL AND THE LINK TO THE UNITED STATES BISHOPS' (USCCB) STATEMENT ABOUT THE COVID-19 VACCINE.


EMAIL FROM THE DIOCESE OF WINONA-ROCHESTER:

Dear Brothers,

As the vaccine against COVID-19 is produced and distributed, I share with you a joint statement from the USCCB Committees on Pro-Life Activities and Doctrine. Please review this statement, which provides direct advice on the current vaccines, as well as background to support that advice. I offer a few highlights here:

• Generally speaking, receiving a vaccine is morally acceptable and can be “an act of love of our neighbor and part of our moral responsibility for the common good.”
• Of the three available vaccines, Moderna and Pfizer have produced vaccines that were produced in an acceptable manner to Catholics. The vaccine from AstraZeneca was not, and should be avoided when other vaccines are available.
• Catholics continue support for a vaccine that has absolutely no connection to aborted fetal cell lines. The Moderna and Pfizer vaccines do have a connection to cell lines from an aborted fetus, but those connections come through confirmatory tests, not the production of the vaccine. This connection “is very remote from the initial evil of the abortion,” and in the absence of other vaccines with no connection, and in the face of a dangerous pandemic, these vaccines are morally acceptable for Catholics.

In addition to this document, there is talk from various sectors that is considering mandating vaccines for different groups of people. The Diocese of Winona-Rochester Task Force is not recommending any mandate for any group of people at this time. When vaccines become available, you are able to freely choose whether you will receive that vaccine, keeping in mind the guidance offered by the attached statement.

Very Rev. William D. Thompson
Vicar General, Diocese fo Winona-Rochester