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Dear CBS friends in Christ: Recently, a post went out on this forum entitled, "Our work is not done". The beginning reads as follows: “Feeding the body requires teams of people to work together in physical spaces, but churches can feed the spirit in other ways.” Thus spake the Seventh Circuit US Court of Appeals last week in the case of Elim Romanian Pentecostal Church and Logos Baptist Ministries v. Pritzker . This ruling, which upheld the arbitrary 10-person limit imposed by the Governor of Illinois on church attendance, as usual condescendingly relegates “faith-based groups” to their own “barely essential” ghetto. Another post by Liz Cipriano also discussed the effectiveness of gathering funds in order to publish an ad in a local paper asking our church leaders to FULLY restore the Mass and the Sacraments. Our work is NOT done by any stretch. Sanctions on the Mass and Sacraments ARE garnering concern around the nation, and we MUST continue to PRAY and ACT. If for no other reason, because Our Lord deserves it, period. A letter has gone out to every bishop in the state of IL asking that the Mass and Sacraments be fully restored (LETTER ATTACHED TO THIS POST). To be clear, in conformity with the laws of our state, this means NO RESTRICTIONS ON THE NUMBER ATTENDING MASS AND NO RESTRICTIONS ON PROPERLY RECEIVING OUR BLESSED LORD ON THE TONGUE WHILE KNEELING. In case you don't know, all social distance orders in Illinois have been deemed notwithstanding whatsoever as of last week through the courts. The only diocese in IL based on my research, which has attempted to restore the Mass quickly and not forced parishes to only allow Holy Communion in the hand is the diocese of Springfield (Bishop Thomas Paprocki). Attached, you will find my follow-up letter to the bishops highlighting the fact that nearly 20% of the Archdiocese of Chicago churches are represented in expressing their desire to FULLY restore the Mass and Sacraments. Frankly, I am only a lay Catholic with a small following (mostly pro-life people) trying to do the best I can to give due attention to this critical matter. I NEED YOUR HELP. OUR LORD NEEDS YOUR HELP. We must continue to labor as laypeople to restore devotion and reverence. The "fear-demic" currently creating undue apprehension in society is precisely our opportunity to shine as Catholics. This has always been the case throughout the history of our church. Now is when we must protect our church buildings and holy icons. Now is when we must boldly proclaim the truth. Now is when we must do that, which our wayward shepards have not been doing for some time now. Please be on the watch for a follow-up email to all who signed the #REOPENMYCHURCH petition. If you did not sign it, then simply search #REOPENMYCHURCH on Facebook and sign on. If you are not Facebook, then call me directly or write to me. May God bless you and this web forum! Joe Lazar joe@vision2020il.org (847)309-0360

SCB society IL - Have you guys considered doing a full page ad like they did in Malta ? ( see link at bottom of post). Anyone else interested? I would donate to that and know of many that would. I think now is the time. I'm thinking the Chicago Tribune. "They" can't ignore that like they could a prayer vigil or a petition. It would have to be addressed to all IL Bishops and the Cardinal- because they all have the same plan. It definitely would let them know that we take this very seriously. Many small parishes are still not opened because of the hoops that must be jumped through. Many churches around me in the Joliet Diocese, although they may have masses and some other sacraments ( although so altered I go to another Rite now so my children don't see priests in face shields and get scolded for playing) ... are not able to enter for visits to the Blessed Sacrament because they can't ensure cleaning after each person sits down or kneels! This is absolutely absurd. This is an abuse. People are starting to feel satiated because technically thier church is "open." However, let us be clear, they are not " restored" and the sacraments are changing- so much so that I will not let my young impressionable children attend my home parish anymore. Like I said, we go elsewhere where the mass is how it always was. I do not want them to see how the church is now. The changes have mutilated it. The changes are not good. They are not beautiful. They are not true. This has to stop! The primary mission of the church is the salvation of souls and the Great Commission to "make disciples of all nations. " "Safety" should not be the primary mission of the church. Right now it is. This is a great error and needs to be addressed. If people are really afraid of getting ill, then they should stay home and ask for a Eucharistic minister to bring the Eucharist to them. The entire church should not be mutilated. Only Bishop Fulton Sheen could say it best. " Who is going to save our church? Not our bishops, not our priests and religious. It is up to you, the people. You have the minds, the eyes, and the ears to save the Church. Your mission is to see that your priests act like priests, your bishops act like bishops, and your religious act like religious." It is the time to act. Who will take on this challenge? Liz ( copy and paste this link, it's not going directly) https://www.churchmilitant.com/news/article/maltese-catholic-group-denounces-pandemic-worship-restrictions