We are grateful that public Masses are resuming this weekend, May 30 & 31 and the following weekday Masses!  (Please note the new Saturday Mass time: 5:45 pm)  However, recognizing that COVID-19 is still a threat, many precautions will be taken as follows:

• The weekend Mass schedule: 

• The live-streamed Masses will be:  4:00 p.m. Saturday at St. Mary and 10:30 a.m. Sunday at St. Joseph.
• Those who are in an at-risk group (over 65, have lung or heart condition, etc.) are encouraged strongly to consider staying home and watching on TV or live-stream.
• Those who have had COVID-19 or its symptoms or have had contact with a person diagnosed with COVID-19 in the last 14 days should not enter the church.
• The Madison Diocese directs that attendance in church will be limited to 25% capacity (105 at St. Mary, 150 at St. Joseph) with empty pews between occupied pews and people not in the same household keeping 6’ apart.  With distancing, we may not reach 25% capacity.
• Those who come first will be seated first.  Ushers will direct the seating.
• If people come after we reach maximum attendance, which we don’t expect will happen, they are encouraged to watch on screen at home or attend a weekday Mass.
• In the Madison Diocese, we are dispensed from the obligation to attend Sunday Mass for now, so please do not worry about deciding to stay home and watching Mass on screen.
• Weekday Masses will be public, and they will also be live-streamed.
• It has been a while since many of us received Communion.  Please be reminded of the 1-hour fast and the importance of receiving only after confessing all grave sins.
• There will be no congregational singing.  We will speak the Gloria, the Responsorial Psalm, the Alleluia, the Holy-Holy-Holy, the Memorial Acclamation, the Great Amen, and the Lamb of God.  There will be a cantor and keyboardist who will sing some songs (opening, offertory, Communion, closing) so that we can listen.
• Communion will be only in the form of bread.
• There will be a special traffic pattern for Communion and dismissal which the priest will describe at the start of Mass.  All worshipers should follow the direction of the ushers.
• Those who wish to receive Communion on the tongue should be at the end of line and receive from the priest.
• There will not be a procession of the bread and wine.
• There will not be a sign of peace.
• All of us are encouraged to wear masks.  The priest will not wear a mask while he is in the sanctuary, but he will wear one while distributing Communion.  Ushers will wear masks.
• Anyone who distributes Communion will hand sanitize immediately before distributing and wear a mask.
• There will be hand sanitizer at several places in church which people may use at any time.
• Anyone who sets up items before Mass (books used by readers, Communion vessels, etc.) will have washed or sanitized hands.
• There will be three stationary collection baskets at St. Mary.  Ushers will conduct the collection using long-pole baskets at St. Joseph.
• Gloves are not to be worn by those receiving Communion.
• There will not be missalettes. You are encouraged to read the readings before Mass at home.  The scripture citations are printed every week on the last page of the bulletin.