REOPENING: PHASE 2
Please read through these guidelines as you prepare to come back to church
JUNE 20-21:
JUNE 20-21:
- For our first weekend back, we will host three Masses: 4:30 PM on Saturday, and 8:00 and 11:00 AM on Sunday. Attendance will be limited to 50 people at each Mass and reservations will be required. These reservations can be made online and a link will be found here on the website soon.
- When you come to church, please bring a facemask with you. You will be required to wear it the entire time you are in church. Please enter only using the main entrance on 96th street. If you are handicapped and need to use the north handicapped entrance, that is okay. Everyone else is expected to enter using the main entrance.
- When you enter, you will be greeted by a greeter who will make sure you are feeling okay, ensure you sanitize your hands, and help you sign in. Signing in is very important to this process so that we can keep track of who has been in the church in case anyone were to test positive for COVID-19. Signing in also ensures that everyone who comes has indeed made a reservation.
- You will then be ushered to a seat. Please sit where you are seated, even if it isn't where you normally would choose to sit. There will not be missalettes, hymnals, bulletins or any other literature in church for the time being. Please do not wander to try and find any, they have all been removed.
- There will not be congregational signing as singing can spread the virus. A cantor will sing and a musician will play.
- The collection baskets will not be passed. Instead we ask that you drop off your collection through the Parish Library Book Drop off, make a donation online, or drop it off through the Rectory mail slot.
- We will not have an offertory procession. The gifts will be brought to the altar by a priest or deacon.
- There will not be physical contact at the Sign of Peace.
- For Communion, please come forward in a single file line while wearing your facemask and follow the floor markings to maintain social distance. You will be ushered forward by a greeter and may only enter the line when signaled. Those distributing the Eucharist will wear face shields, not to scare you but to keep us all safe. As you approach the front of the line, a greeter will sanitize your hands. Please rub your hands to distribute the sanitizer. Do not touch anything once you have been sanitized.
- When you step forward to receive Communion: put forth one hand for the Eucharist to be placed in your palm, then step 6 feet to the right or left, remove one strap of your mask and let it hang from your ear, use your free hand to place the Host in your mouth, place the strap of your mask back on, and return to your pew, maintaining social distance.
- At the conclusion of Mass, we will dismiss row by row to ensure we maintain social distance. Please respect this dismissal procedure and do not congregate in groups outside of church.
- Following Mass, our team of volunteers will clean and sanitize the church.
REOPENING: PHASE 1/1A
We have received Phase I/I-A certification from the Archdiocese for reopening our church. In order to move to Phase II certification, which would allow us to resume Sunday and weekday masses, we have to hold three Phase I/I-A services in our church. These services would include Baptisms, Weddings, Funerals, Reconciliation, Eucharistic Adoration, or private prayer.
We will be holding services over the next three days so we can move on to Phase II certification. There will be a Eucharistic Holy Hour with Benediction on Thursday, June 11, from 7:00 – 8:00 PM. The Sacrament of Reconciliation will be available on Friday, June 12, from 6:30 – 8:00 PM, and on Saturday, June 13, from 3:30 – 5:00 PM.
One of the reasons why we can’t just start having Mass right away is because there are new procedures we will have to follow. Having these other services first gives us a chance to rehearse a bit and make adjustments before we resume our Masses.
You are welcome to attend these services. We are not going to ask you to make a reservation because we don’t anticipate an overflow crowd for these services. If you attend, please bring a face mask with you. You are to enter church through the main entrance on 96th Street. You will have to sanitize your hands when you enter church. Social distancing must be maintained. You will also be asked to sign-in when you arrive. We will keep the list of attendees for 14 days. This is so in case anyone present were to develop COVID-19 symptoms, healthcare officials will know who may have had the virus passed on to them.
If you come for Reconciliation, we will not be using the Reconciliation Room or any confessionals. A screen along with chairs will be set up in the sanctuary for Reconciliation. There will be greeters present to check you in and direct you. Please follow their instructions.
We will be holding services over the next three days so we can move on to Phase II certification. There will be a Eucharistic Holy Hour with Benediction on Thursday, June 11, from 7:00 – 8:00 PM. The Sacrament of Reconciliation will be available on Friday, June 12, from 6:30 – 8:00 PM, and on Saturday, June 13, from 3:30 – 5:00 PM.
One of the reasons why we can’t just start having Mass right away is because there are new procedures we will have to follow. Having these other services first gives us a chance to rehearse a bit and make adjustments before we resume our Masses.
You are welcome to attend these services. We are not going to ask you to make a reservation because we don’t anticipate an overflow crowd for these services. If you attend, please bring a face mask with you. You are to enter church through the main entrance on 96th Street. You will have to sanitize your hands when you enter church. Social distancing must be maintained. You will also be asked to sign-in when you arrive. We will keep the list of attendees for 14 days. This is so in case anyone present were to develop COVID-19 symptoms, healthcare officials will know who may have had the virus passed on to them.
If you come for Reconciliation, we will not be using the Reconciliation Room or any confessionals. A screen along with chairs will be set up in the sanctuary for Reconciliation. There will be greeters present to check you in and direct you. Please follow their instructions.