Rays of Hope at Saint Paul - 2020 - Saint Paul Catholic Church

As with everyone during this difficult time, our parish family is feeling the strain psychologically and financially. We remain hopeful. That hope comes from 'rays of hope' that are given by the Good Lord in times of difficulty.

On March 25, 2020, our former Pastor, Father Pierce had the idea to publish "Rays of Hope" within our community. This has been inspirational to parishioners. Please consider sharing yours with us.

The Catholic Standard featured an article "St. Paul Parish in Damascus highlights ‘Rays of Hope’ during pandemic"
To view the article Click here.
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Share your "Rays of Hope" with our parish.

Email yours to [email protected] . Let us know if you would like your name included or if you want to remain anonymous. Photos are welcome!

To View our Rays of Hope photo album Click here . Click on a photo in the album to enlarge, you will see a description and can scroll through them easily. There are other photo albums on our "About" page - to view all albums Click here and scroll down the page.
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Saint Paul Rays of Hope

From Father Filardi 9/14/20 - On Sunday, September 13 fifty of our parishioners, mostly ninth-graders, received the Sacrament of Confirmation by Archbishop Wilton Gregory here at St. Paul. Due to current restrictions, each student was accompanied only by his or her sponsor. While not the ideal, nonetheless, I think this turned out giving the ceremony a calmer and focused feel. During the anointing with the oil of chrism bestowing the sacrament I was moved and impressed with how deliberate the Archbishop was in announcing each saint name and then slowly, carefully, thoroughly applying the sacred anointment upon the forehead of each while announcing, "Be Sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit." Archbishop Gregory mentioned that in his almost 37 years as a bishop he has conferred approximately 140,000 Confirmations. We now add 50 this wonderful day. I am so proud of our students. They are a great source of hope, and a reminder of the important work our parish is called to carry out.

From Sherrie Wade 6/25/20 - Bob Marques from St. Rose of Lima helped St. Paul's get 40 boxes of produce to share with those in need at Tom and Rays Saturday food distribution. See photos in the album, link above.

From Lauren Dorsey/Andrew Tibbits 6/23/20 - "We experienced the joy of the sacrament of marriage this past Saturday, June 20th. Father Pierce led us in celebrating our nuptial mass in the presence of our immediate families. Though our wedding day was different than we had imagined, we are very grateful to finally celebrate the sacrament and for many more blessings that God has showered on us." See a photo in the album, link above.

From Tony Durso 06/22/20 - The Little Sisters of the Poor were excited and thankful to all who participated in donating and delivering items to them in DC yesterday. We are planning another collection for the fall, possibly one in July. Thank you St. Paul Council #11105, St. Paul Catholic Daughters and parishioners for everyone's help. See a photo in the album, link above.

From a Parishioner 06/22/20 - "Now more than ever we parishioners can thank God and the Archbishop who years ago transfered Fr Pierce to St. Paul, Damascus. The foresight and perseverance, the Ray of Hope, that he has brought to the Parish and the Community, and continues to shine for us, is our Blessing."

Welcome back to Mass in Church 6/20/20 - We are pleased to be able to welcome you back to Saint Paul Church for Mass as Montgomery County enters Phase 2 of reopening. For now, we are allowed a limited number of persons in attendance for each Mass and signups are needed. The dispensation issued by Archbishop Gregory from the obligation to attend Mass during this time remains in effect for those not yet able to come to Mass. We continue to look forward to when we can open fully and we can all gather together to celebrate as a community. See photos of two children getting ready for Mass, link to the album above.

From Father Pierce 5/27/20 - Congratulations to the Graduating Class of 2020! Damascus High School Seniors paraded through town, driven by thier parents, to celebrate graduation. The parade was kicked off by First Responders, there were all kinds of people on street corners with signs and whole families just standing around. The parade ended at Saint Paul, by about 8:00 PM our parking lot was jammed with cars and people. For the most part they were socially distant and they had masks. The most important thing though was the joy and the fun they were able to have. One mother came over to me with tears in her eyes and thanked me for allowing the group to come and use our lot for the gathering. That gave me a great sense of joy. It also showed that as a community of faith we could be a source of hope and help to our neighbors. See photos in the album, link above.

From Sherrie Wade 5/19/20 - A special thank you goes to Greg Flynn who sold his heirloom tomatoes last weekend to benefit Saint Paul Honduras clinic. Also, thank you to all who came out and supported the tomato sale. We realized over $800.00. See photos in the album, link above.

From Father Pierce 5/8/20 - It is no secret that this pandemic has hit church communities very hard. Our financial resources are strained to the limit but thanks to you we have been able to keep things afloat. Especially at Easter and continuing after, we truly have been blessed by the generosity of our parishioners. This brings me to a piece of truly wonderful news, a really huge ray of hope. Several weeks ago the Archdiocese of Washington informed the parishes that we qualified for loans from the Small Business Administration, the now famous PPP loans. Placing the decision to apply for a loan in the hands of pastors and parish finance councils, many parishes applied. We were among the applicants. Last week we got word that our loan was approved and on Monday the funds were deposited in our account. This funding will allow us to pay salaries for the next couple of months. Together with your continued help, we will likely remain able to keep things going without having to cut hours or furlough employees. That funding will not last forever, so let us all pray that the Good Shepherd will deliver us from this scourge, so we can truly return to normal sooner rather than later.

From William Hassan and Tony Durso 5/1/20 - We were notified that Fran Whitehair was in need of a wheelchair. Within a few days one was donated and delivered. Thank you to the Knights of Columbus (Grand Knight William Hassan and Past Grand Knight Tony Durso, St. Paul Council and Grand Knight Tom Moschella, Saint Mary's parish). See photo album link above.

From Cindy Mengle 4/23/20 - We are receiving wonderful responses from parishioners about our outreach during the COVID pandemic. Here are a few: "St. Paul’s is doing community out-reach by phone—that’s marvelous news!", "We have loved watching the services online. Please thank Father Pierce and the Deacons for us. We read the call for financial contributions and made an Easter gift", "Thank you for reaching out!", "I have been enjoying the live stream!", and "I am greatful that you guys are doing this as my family is still very involved with your church."

From Ann Barbagallo 4/22/20 - A couple who are parishioners here at St. Paul’s made a very nice donation to our parish Society of St. Vincent DePaul. This couple has blessed us with several similar checks in the past to help us serve the poor in the Damascus community. Their gift arrived at a particularly opportune time. We had a surge in requests for help from St. Vincent DePaul this winter that left our funds depleted. We rely on donations and a portion of the proceeds from the spring and fall “Good As New” sales to fund our work. We were concerned because the spring “Good As New” sale had to be canceled due to the current situation. We really appreciate this couple’s commitment to providing “Rays of Hope” to the needy! The individuals and families that we help are so grateful for our assistance. Recently I received a text from a woman who we helped about a month ago. In her message she wrote: “Thank you again for your generous help when I was ready to give up.”

From Kathy Van Horn 4/21/20 - Holy Week and Easter 2020 has been different than any I have seen before. I captured a photo from Facebook of Father Pierce's live streamed liturgy in the Norris Chapel. I'm thankful to be able to still "see" Father at Mass. See photo album link above.

From an Anonymous Parishioner 4/20/20 - "Just wanted to pass on something I was able to start working on this week. Over Easter weekend I got approval to go back to my work in Germantown (Physics/Engineering Dept at a community college there) from teleworking for the past four weeks in order to 3D print face shields for a hospital in the area. Yesterday I dropped off parts for 20 face shields with plans to produce more next week and into the future, plus ramp up production as well." See photo album link above.

From a Parishioner 4/17/20 - First Communion Candidate, Samantha, is looking forward to when she can come to the Lord's table for the first time. See photo album link above.

From Margie Apgar 4/16/20 - St. Paul's Parishioners have donated over 1400 pounds of food for the needy in our community. The generosity of our parishioners is unmatched, especially in this time of need! See photo album link above.

From Megan McFarland 4/15/20 - Sherrie Wade started a volunteer project asking those able to sew to make home made masks for fellow parishioners. See "Saint Paul Updates" for information and instructions if you can help. Megan submitted a photo of some of the masks, see photo album link above.

From Miggy Burns 4/14/20 - Nothing can stop the Easter Bunny! Because of the generosity of our parishioners here at Saint Paul’s, we were able to deliver 55 Easter baskets plus extra bags of candy to the Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless, who distributed them to the children at their different facilities. They were very appreciative. Thank you so much!! See photo album link above.

From Miggy Burns (submitted with permission from Sherrie Wade) 4/12/20 - "I told Sherrie it wasn’t Easter unless we saw her in her Easter bonnet." Photo submitted of Sherrie Wade and her Mother Florence Bell on Easter, with her father’s picture in the background, see photo ablum link above.

From Sara Hart (submitted by Miggy Burns with permission) 4/11/20 - "It would be so easy to get bogged down in the profound sadness unearthed over the last few weeks. The devastation from the tremendous loss of life and income and freedom will never leave us. Never. This devastation is now what we have in common with people from many different countries all around the world. An unexpected unification born from some of the darkest days in the history of our world. Now is the time to look for the light. The bright filtered beams shining through the darkness. They are there. I've seen them. I saw that light in the compassionate nurse who, with a crumbling voice, called with updates on my mom. Breaking away from her stoic duties, for just a moment, to ease my immediate worries. I'm sure inside she knew what I knew- that COVID-19 was not survivable for my mom. Nonetheless, she brought comfort when she called and we cried together. I could tell from her voice she was older and I can only hope she stays healthy. So many more residents and their families desperately need her.
I saw that light in the response from Larry Hogan, the MD National Guard and the CDC. Doctors flocked to Pleasant View Nursing Home to care for the most vulnerable and fragile members of our community. I can only imagine the difficulty in caring for patients with dementia. So tricky to give them basic care, let alone life-saving treatments. The confusion of the residents is an image the caregivers can likely never erase. Death has been prolific at this facility, and these doctors have witnessed horrific things, yet they push through every day, hoping for miracles.
I saw that light in my step-father. His unwavering love for my mom bravely led him into a facility-with over 100 positive patients-so he could sit with my mom while she was dying. At nearly 80 years old, he slept in his car in the nursing home parking lot, waiting to be let back in the next morning. What a blessing it was knowing my mom wasn't alone when she passed. He risked his own safety to comfort his wife in her final moments. Nothing can shadow the light of that beautiful and selfless gift. I saw that light from my family and friends who reached out to get updates over the last two weeks. Old friends and new friends from nearby and from halfway around the world sent messages of hope. Then, when that terrible final call came, they picked me up. They called, and when I couldn't muster the strength to answer, they left messages. They sent flowers and cards. They made donations in honor of my mom. They sent food and frappuccinos. My Good Counsel family encompassed me with love. Voicemails and emails from the GC president, principal and other staff members were warmly received. Family friends have sent messages with sweet stories they remember about my mom. Know that I hang on every word, remembering those days she was involved and engaged and full of unrelenting energy.
These are the beams of light that give me hope, that keep me pushing through to the next day and the day after that. Thank you all for showing me your light. It has brightened my path and is guiding me through the darkness..."

From the Archdiocese of Washington, Easter by Candlelight - On Easter, we celebrate the triumph of light over darkness through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Join Archbishop Gregory in placing a candle in the window of your home from Holy Saturday evening until Easter evening as a sign of hope and unity. Together, let us witness to the light of Christ in these troubling times! To view the Easter Invitation from Archbishop Gregory Click here #ADWHolyWeek

From Ann Barbagallo 4/7/20 - "The Catholic Daughters at St. Paul’s have made a generous donation to our parish Society of St. Vincent DePaul to help the needy. Those funds will help us provide a "Ray of Hope" to individuals and families in our community who are struggling financially and need help with basic necessities. We are so grateful for their thoughtfulness and generosity in this time of need!"

From Maria Kakaiya 4/5/20 - “Thank you Father Pierce for everything you are doing to stay connected with us during these difficult times. I have been checking St. Paul’s website and emails frequently. Also, having the daily Mass available every morning is great. I am also using FORMED and Ascension Press as often as possible. By praying and using these programs available online has helped me manage the emotional distress associated with this pandemic. Thank you again for being there for us. I hope to see everybody soon! God bless"

From Father Pierce 4/3/20 - We wanted to make personal contact with folks and this week a large group of parishioners engaged in a parish wide activity. Close to 40 people came forward willing to make phone calls. This activity has been a way for us to contact you directly, and has also helped us update your contact information.

From Virginia Rhodes 4/2/20 - Virginia, our 98 year old parishioner, has been very productive by lovingly crocheting baby hats and blankets for Holy Cross Hospital during the stay at home order. Join Virginia and other members of the Catholic Daughters - stay at home and crochet. Also, Saint Paul Confirmation Candidates made baby hats with guidance from Catholic Daughters. See photos and instructions for making baby hats in our album (link above).

From Dr. Kathy Wolf 3/30/20 - Dr. Wolf says she has had the “awesome privilege of helping women with their ob/gyn healthcare for over 25 years”. She is an actively practicing OB/GYN in Northern Virginia. Dr. Wolf, a Saint Paul parishioner, also creates Youtube videos to aid patients and the general public. Shortly after the epidemic ramped up in early March, she did a video to aid pregnant women confronting questions on pregnancy and the coronavirus. Her photo is in our Rays of Hope photo album. To view her Youtube videos Click here.

From Pope Francis 3/27/20 - A special Urbi et Orbi blessing
A photo is in our Rays of Hope album, see link above. From Pope Francis' Homily -
"Lord, may you bless the world, give health to our bodies and comfort our hearts.
You ask us not to be afraid. Yet our faith is weak and we are fearful. But you, Lord,
will not leave us at the mercy of the storm. Tell us again: “Do not be afraid” (Mt 28:5). And we, together with Peter, “cast all our anxieties onto you, for you care about us” (cf. 1 Pet 5:7).

From Megan McFarland 3/27/20 - Photos were shared of the freshly painted Norris Chapel, the Church doors repaired and a glimmer of spring. See photo album link above.

From Father Pierce on 3/25/20 - I want to share with you a financial ‘ray of hope’. One of our financial council members, who is also a money counter, told me he was surprised by the size of the deposit we made this week. I told him I too was surprised but I was also gratified. I am truly grateful to all of you who are sending your contributions. I realize that times for many are difficult but we only have one means of support and that is the good people of our St. Paul community.