With Governor Walz’s news conference on Wednesday evening, we are seeing some shifts in what we are able to do as a faith community. Staff will resume in-office on-site work, beginning May 18. The office will be open from 8:00am-4:30pm, Monday thru Thursday, and Fridays from 8:00am until noon, by appointment only with staff. Although it may be some time before we are able to gather in our worship space for Mass on the weekends (Live Stream will continue beyond the pandemic), we are able to offer the following, with these provisions:
• For private prayer, we will allow only one person in the reservation chapel and the Thomas Merton chapel at a time. Please call Sally Bergum at 952-405-7229 to make a reservation. You may stay in the chapels for up to one-half hour. Since the space will be sanitized after each usage, please tell Sally when you are leaving. We ask you to wear a mask upon entering the building, and keep it on until you are back in your car. Please enter through door #3 only.
• Weekday Masses will be held in the worship space for nine people (Fr. Mike is the tenth person, as we are abiding by the governor’s orders), beginning Tuesday, May 26 at 8:30am, with Mass celebrated on Tuesday and Friday of each week. Please wear a mask upon entering and exiting the building, leaving it on until you are in your car. The doors to the church will be open at 8:15am. The chairs in the worship space are set up with social distance in mind. You are asked to RSVP your anticipated attendance at Mass to Sally at 952-405-7229. Please note only RSVPs will be taken to ensure the safety of parishioners, staff, and Fr. Mike. Once we reach capacity for a certain day, you will be asked to consider another day. Additionally, you will be asked to reserve one day at a time, and reservations will be accepted after 12:00 noon each day for the Mass the following day. Again, please enter through door #3 only.
• Fr. Mike will begin to hear confessions on a more regular basis again at 4:00pm each Saturday, beginning May 23, on the patio outside of door #1. Those who wish to celebrate this sacrament can park near door #1, wait for the person who is celebrating the sacrament to be finished, and then come forward to receive the sacrament face-to-face or in the alternate way, with arrangements provided for both. Again, please wear a mask.
• We ask all parishioners to prayerfully consider the directives of Governor Walz, as stated in his prepared remarks on Wednesday: And now we are asking people who have underlying conditions and who are over 65 years old to take extra precautions. We are not requiring it, but it is strongly encouraged that if you are able to stay home - continue to stay home.
• This afternoon, Archbishop Hebda released an update regarding public Masses - Letter
CLICK HERE, Video
CLICK HERE.
I acknowledge that these changes and ways of being are challenging, and I appreciate the generosity put forward in your care for each other. We are, and will continue to be, a blessed faith community.
Wishing you blessings on this springtime weekend!