One more week!

Next weekend, June 27-28th we will be able to come together again for Sunday Masses! I am so excited about this and hoping that you are also. If you have been to any of the daily Masses, you will have noticed some of the changes that we will be following. I would highly recommend coming a bit early, so that there will not be a large group of people in the gathering space. There will also be copious amounts of hand sanitizer available to sanitize hands. We also will have less than half of the space available in the church nave itself, half of our pews are blocked off and then families will need to be sitting 6 feet apart, so I am not going to set a number, because it is possible for 3 couples to occupy a single pew, as well as 2 families of 4-6 people can occupy one. So, I am asking for your cooperation and patience with this process.

We will also have video in the gym so that we can have extra seating available. This should allow us to be able to accept everyone who wants to come to Mass the ability to do so, yes, it is not ideal for many reasons, but it is the only way that we will be able to accommodate everyone. So, please out of Christian charity, do not get upset at an usher or greeter if they ask you to proceed to the gym or ask you to slide over a bit. I am asking for everyone to walk single file down the middle of the aisle between the taped lines. If someone needs to go to the back of church after sitting but before Mass starts, they should walk back out via the side aisles until after the start of Mass.

As for the Mass itself, the priest and all ministers are required to wear a mask and it will be highly recommended for everyone else to wear a mask. I know that there are many different opinions both within the scientific and medical communities. However, the committee that the bishop has been getting his advice from recommends it.

For the reception of Holy Communion, I am asking for a single line down the middle of the center aisle and to remain 6 feet apart as a family group. Also, it is recommended that if you normally receive Holy Communion on the tongue to receive on the hand if you feel comfortable, if you would still prefer to receive on the tongue to come to my line and I will distribute it to you.

At the end of Mass, I am also asking that people be conscious when leaving, to not leave in one mass group, but to leave by rows and to not congregate in the gathering space or around the doors outside the entrances to the church. After Mass, I will be asking for a couple of volunteers to help sanitize the church by spraying down the pews and wipe them off and wiping off all door handles. I would strongly recommend to put on a pair of gloves that we have available to both protect your hands from the chemicals as well as to help with the sanitizing of the church.

I am looking forward to having everyone here to celebrate Mass with us.

God bless,
Fr. Ken