St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Omaha, Nebraska shared a note from the pastor on Nov. 15. 

Rev. Tom Bauwens wrote that he was grateful for those who helped with the Celebrate 2020 virtual event. 

“It’s really difficult doing a virtual event, but they were all awesome in helping it be a success,” Rev. Bauwens wrote, stating that the people who helped were so present for the church’s needs that their own families may not recognize them anymore. 

Rev. Bauwens wrote that priests have unique invocations at the prayers of Mass. He said that he invokes St. Wenceslaus, St. Peregrine — who is the patron saint of the deceased from cancer — and St. Roch, the patron saint of pandemics.

“We need to invoke Roch’s intercessions,” Rev. Bauwens wrote. “Three weeks ago the rate of positive tests was 16.8%; two weeks ago, it was 21.3%; last week it was 29.2%. We’re going in the wrong direction, and praying for an end is a good thing to do. I appreciate the various vaccines that are going to be approved, but we as general public will not have it available to us until next summer.”

While we wait for the vaccine to be released to all of us, let us do our part to pray and be healthy, take the appropriate precautions and protect others. 

“Next week is the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the universe,” Rev. Bauwens wrote. “This will make the end of our liturgical year and we begin Advent.”

Rev. Bauwens encouraged the faithful to prepare in whatever way they can to celebrate the birth of our Lord. 

“There is a lot of insanity that happens with people dashing around trying to get everything ‘right’ for Christmas. Take time to prepare your heart as well. You deserve the peace only Jesus can offer,” Rev. Bauwens wrote.