REOPENING OUR CHURCH BUILDING

Directives from our Bishop and thoughts from your Pastor

Our church never closed, only our building was locked. The time is fast approaching when those doors will be open once again. Pennsylvania’s Governor has moved Lackawanna County to the yellow phase effective June 5 ^th . Bishop Bambera has given permission for Pastors to begin public masses with congregational participation on a limited basis, as of June 8.  He is also given a directive which allows this to be done at the discretion of the pastor, and in our parish, with consultation from our Parish Pastoral Council. Relying on their input, in consultation with other pastors, given the parameters set down by the Bishop and the CDC,  as well as the restraints because of our construction,  I have prayerfully and thoughtfully decided that it is best that we wait until Wednesday June 24 (Feast of St. John the Baptist), to formally open our church to the public. Evidence has shown that opening the church on a weekday as opposed to the weekend, will facilitate a smoother transition in returning to church.

 

Our renovations are due to be completed the week before, BUT additional time will be needed to professionally sanitize our church, as well as to clean and put the furniture and many other accouterments back into place, which had to be moved during the recent construction. A safety plan also must be worked out for the limited number of worshipers at each mass. 

Therefore, our schedule, effective June 24, will be as follows:

Wednesday and Friday Mass at Noon

Thursday- Private Eucharistic Adoration 9:00am-Noon

Saturday Mass at 4:00pm

Sunday Mass at 10:00am (this mass will continue to be live-streamed)

We will add masses as the need arises.  The 10:00 o'clock mass on Sunday mornings will continue to be live streamed on our website, YouTube and on Facebook. The mass on Sunday June 21 will be live streamed from inside of the church to enable everyone to see the renovations firsthand, at the same time but it is not open to public attendance.

The obligation to attend Sunday mass is still suspended.

 

First Communions will we Celebrated in July TBA.

Confirmations with be held in August TBA. 

Funeral /memorial masses for those who had to forgo them at the time of the death of a loved one during the past three months will be scheduled as needed and requested. 

 

Although we can have 25% of capacity in our church building (roughly 175 people) we will not be able to accommodate nearly that number because of the required 6-foot social distancing between individuals or families in attendance.

A reservation system or process to determine attendance will be forthcoming through social media and a parish mailing. Stay tuned.

 

VERY IMPORTANT

Those who are elderly, those with pre-existing conditions, those who are sick in any way and susceptible to passing along or catching airborne or tactile germs, are highly discouraged from attending mass at this time, for their own good as well as the good of those in attendance.  Please continue to watch mass online or through Catholic television. We will continue to pray for you and look forward to your return to church, but this is not the time. Again, the obligation to attend Sunday Mass has been suspended.

 

Those who still insist on receiving Holy Communion on the tongue are asked to prayerfully consider the health and well-being of their neighbors, as well as of the priest or minister distributing communion. Please make every effort to receive communion in the hand.  (Note: Every time someone receives communion on the tongue, the priest must stop and sanitize his hands before proceeding.)

 

Finally, I ask you to not think of this as  “the new normal,” (a term I am learning to despise) but as a different, temporary and challenging way for us to become the best we can while working together as the people of a God who is calling us to build up his Kingdom here on earth. Babies will be baptized again; couples will walk down the aisle and get married and the bereaved will be able to celebrate funeral masses in our church for loved ones. But the steps leading to this are being taken cautiously and deliberately, with much prayer and consultation. Please be patient as we wait with joyful anticipation to returning to the round church… where there is still room for everyone!   ak