Hi All,
Our first public Mass this morning went smoothly and everyone was cooperative. Thanks to all who signed up for that 9 AM Mass and all who served it including the new usher and cleaning teams. There are a few things we noticed and wanted to clarify for everyone. When registering for Mass:
- Register everyone that lives in the same home, all those you're "quarantined" with. Register the total count under one person. You can all sit together and that will help the ushers with seating assignments.
- If anyone in your family is serving in the sanctuary for the Mass, scheduled to lector, altar serve, cantor, or do the tech ministry, don't include that person in your count, but note it in the comment when registering your family. Those serving will have a seat in the sanctuary, so there's no need to have a separate count for them with your family seating.
- Those schedule to clean should register since they will need a seat during Mass. Those scheduled to greet or usher should also register, or be willing to stand if needed. These can also be noted in the comments when registering, but the count should include them.
Also,
- For those needing a low-gluten hosts, we'll see how this all goes. For now, please arrive early enough to alert the priest or ask an usher to alert the priest before Mass that you will be needing a low-gluten host to receive. This is more critical now that the cup is no longer available for you to receive from.
- Please stay in the seat the ushers ask you to sit in and do not move around.
- You will need to wait for the usher to invite your pew to leave one at a time to maintain social distance and keep aisles mostly clear. Do not cross or walk through a Communion line for any reason. We are asking everyone to receive Holy Communion on the hand, (without gloves) these first few weeks at least.
- Unfortunately, for those wanting to pray after receiving Holy Communion, you will not be able to do so in the Church, at least not immediately after Mass. We'll need to sanitize and clean. On weekdays you'll be able to go back in after that is completed, but not on the weekend, as there will be another Mass, or likely a baptism after the last Mass on Sunday. The only exception to this will be at St. Januarius tonight when we will sanitize after the devotions to St. Anthony and St. Jude.
This may be the first of many notes as we adapt to all of this. It was so nice to see people in Church this morning. I'm sure the other priests will agree and be as happy as I was this morning to see folks. Looking forward to seeing all of you eventually.
In Christ,
Father Kevin