WWW.THEFLORIDACATHOLIC.ORG April 17-23, 2020
FLORIDA Catholic
OR NDO DIOCESE
Sindi Martinez receives food from La Hacienda owner and Catholic school parent Steve Mendez. Mendez and his wife Reina provide free meals from their restaurant to hospital staff and first responders in gratitude for their service during this pandemic. (COURTESY)
'The courage and dedication of you, our 'saints', brings forth God's peace upon all of us.'
- Bishop John Noonan
PLEASE SEE MASKS, 2
Ordinary
HOLINESS
MASKS, MEALS GOGGLES
coordinated pick-up and distribution of sup- plies. As word spread to Diocese of Orlando Council of Catholic Women, Kathy Leigh, its president, also sounded the alarm. In two weeks, these women from 35 affiliations made more than 1,500 masks distributed to Semi- nole County medical personnel, residents and staff of Pathways to Care, Catholic Charities of Central Florida, local area senior living facili- ties, nursing homes, rehabilitation facilities, and a local fire department. "We are continuing to sew masks and won't stop until there is no longer a need for these washable fabric masks," McGinty said. Father Bluett explained the masks are not necessarily for doctors and nurses, but for patients so they do not spread the virus. The priest is touched by the response, having re- ceived masks from parishes throughout the deaneries, including Annunciation Parish
GLENDA MEEKINS
of the Florida Catholic staff
ORLANDO Flooded with news of an ever- spreading virus, city after city is issuing stay- at-home mandates and millions of people are working from home, assisting their children with virtual school and finding ways to avoid cabin fever. The Diocese of Orlando is not untouched by the crisis. In a letter to healthcare profes- sionals, Bishop John Noonan wrote, "The courage and dedication of you, our 'saints', brings forth God's peace upon all of us." He asked the roughly 400,000 registered Cath- olics in the diocese to pray for them. These extraordinary times hastened opportunities for ordinary holiness among God's people - revealing 'saints' in the making - a Church united in the desire to be "our brother's keep- er."
MASKS
When Father John Bluett, pastor of St. Ste- phen Parish in Winter Springs, got a call from Dr. Todd Husty, he took it seriously. The Semi- nole County Medical Director told Father Blu- ett, "We have a desperate situation in Semi- nole County. Can you help us?" The veteran priest hung up and promptly sent out more than 200 emails requesting ministry leaders to put the word out that masks were needed to better serve patients and protect healthcare workers. Diana Mc- Ginty received one of those emails and got to work. McGinty is a member of Blessed Sacra- ment Associates, a secular order of lay people. Within 48 hours, 20 associates committed to putting masks together. Some donated fabric, while others cut, and more sewed. Becki Long
As the shortage of personal protection equipment increases, 'saints' around the diocese sew more than 1,500 masks and deliver them to St. Stephen Parish for distribution to hospitals, nursing homes, hospice agencies and Pathways to Care. (COURTESY)
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