“[Those who trust in the Lord] are like a tree planted beside the water… In the year of drought it shows no distress, but still produces fruit.” – Jeremiah 17:8

March 26th 2020

Dear Parishioners,

May the peace of Christ be with you and your loved ones!

Preparations being put in place to slow the spread of COVID-19 in our community present us with both challenges and opportunities. The priority here at Sacred Heart is to care for our families and minister to them in every way we can.

As you know, the Diocese of Richmond has suspended all public Masses until further notice. Bishop Knestout will be updating us regularly. You can check the diocesan website for these updates at https://richmonddiocese.org/coronavirus/.

Through all of this, Sacred Heart will remain a community of faith that trusts in the Lord and shares His blessings. We are moving forward with new ways to minister to our parish families, including:

1. Utilizing our parish’s presence on Facebook: Please visit us there for the latest parish news, photos and other resources we are providing. This is also the best place to check in with each other and continue to live as a community. You may find our Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/sacredheartcatholicchurchnorfolk/ Our parish website is here: https://sacredheartnorfolk.org/
2. Celebrating livestreamed Masses: As you might have seen in my previous letter by constant contact, we are making efforts to livestream the weekend and Holy Week Masses and services on line. Updates and links will be available on our parish Facebook page and website as soon as we are ready for

We are committed to making the most of this time and help draw families closer to Christ. In times of crisis, people look to Christ and his Church. Even without the celebrations of Mass that draw us together each week, Sacred Heart will continue her mission of service.

There are three things that I’m asking you to do right now, today:

2. Remember God does not abandon his children. Please join me in praying for the following:
   • All the sick and suffering around the world, and families affected by the coronavirus
   • Those who are struggling financially because of this crisis
   • First responders, medical personal and all government leaders
   • Our parish, our bishop and the Holy Father in Rome
3. Continue to support our parish – online. I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for the continued financial stewardship of parishioners and friends during this difficult time. With public Masses suspended, I am asking every family able to do so to move their financial support online:
4. 1. You can find giving options online at https://offertory.richmonddiocese.org/
   2. On the giving page, choose Sacred Heart, Norfolk- 584 in the dropdown
   3. You may also sign up for electronic giving directly at the Online Giving page on our parish website: https://sacredheartnorfolk.org/giving/
   4. Please consider setting up a recurring gift to help our parish for the

If you need assistance with online giving, please contact frpaul@sacredheartnorfolk.org or nancy@sacredheartnorfolk.org or call 7576256763. Your gifts will support our ministry program, our staff salaries, and the essential recurring expenses of the parish that continue even while the building is closed. God bless you for your generosity!

I will continue to provide updates, primarily through our parish Facebook page, on our website and occasionally through email.

Please know that you are in my prayers and I am grateful for your prayers. Have faith! Let us rally together behind what is most important in our lives – God, family, and our Sacred Heart community.

In Christ,

Fr. Paul Muyimbwa Pastor