Hello! Welcome, all!

A remote streaming liturgy can only give so much--and can be rather dry--especially without music and contact with real people. How can an individual, a couple, a family or a group of friends – a community – be fed by the Word?

When we are accustomed to catching up with friends and lifelong relationships in person in our parish, and now we may find ourselves unable to see the ones whom we support and who support us--what tool is there to share my story and daily longings in faith?

Nurturance of spirit and psyche are part and parcel of weekly, if not daily, “attendance” at liturgy, and reception of the Eucharist is central to that. How can the shelter of my home be a place to be nurtured in faith?

The idea of agape, a Greek word and tradition: Early Christians connected with it. The word embraces a universal, unconditional love that transcends and persists regardless of circumstance. And what more difficult circumstances are there for so many of us in this time of pandemic? 

The purpose of this series, Breaking Open the Word: Sunday Agapes, is to allow people physically in their households to connect with their remote family/community and be able to pray, reflect on the Word and share faith, hopes and fears. We hope you find this resource fruitful. 

The idea is to augment, not to replace, the viewing or listening to the weekend or weekday Liturgies that most parishes are continuing to offer. The hope of this series is that those who participate in them will be challenged to connect with each other, sharing the faith which binds us and encourages us. We can also see beyond the limits of the four walls of a house and connect by phone, online or a respectful social distanced circle of lawn chairs from stoop to yard.

We are not alone!
None of us are alone!
But each of us needs to hear that from another--to nurture and be nurtured in faith.

I hope your use of these Sunday Agape prayers and reflections help you understand that your household, the "Domestic Church" (as Vatican II documents call the home) is the core and basic church! This is where we learn to hear, to walk, to eat, to feel, to speak, to be moved to share and to respond in action by the Living Word, of the Living God. 

Peace to you!
Fr. Charles