Monsignors Message

Friends,

Welcome to our virtual Sunday community, Our Lady of Zoom, comprising folks from coast to coast.

This online community, now well over 100 people, started when New Jersey friends Judy and Jim O’Brien asked me to celebrate a Eucharist online for their family the week after Easter. Well, within a few weeks other friends both in New Jersey and California (where for nine years I had celebrated Mass at Saint Vincent’s Holy Rosary Chapel in San Rafael) were part of this growing virtual “parish”.

Our Lady of Zoom is a creative initiative to worship the Lord  and to experience Christian community even in dark days of Covid lockdown. This website is the generous work of Mike Krieger in California.

Sunday after Sunday I celebrate the Eucharist in my home on the Seton Hall campus at noon/ET and 9 AM/ PT.

Initially, we thought we would continue for a few months. Well, we are now nine months into the pandemic lockdown and our community is growing stronger, closer and larger.

How did I select the name “Our Lady of Zoom”?  I thought Mary could watch over us in a special way because she, too,  was a refugee once … with Jesus  and Joseph in Egypt. She can watch over us as something of “refugees” away from so much of our familiar and cherished public life – extended family, worship, travel and in-person school, work, and entertainment.

God is at work, always! And endlessly in surprising ways, even during Covid. Until we return to normal, being able to join closely together in our parishes, we have the wonderful gift of our online community, Our Lady of Zoom.

See you on Sundays!

Warmly in the Lord,

Monsignor Sheeran