You may have noticed the past couple of days that I have not been at daily Mass. The reason is that I have had a sore throat. Perhaps it is from the Sahara dust powdering the air, perhaps it is from wearing a facemask. My ears have been partially blocked and I felt some fatigue. 

Normally I would ignore it as a cold. But with increasing numbers of coronavirus infections in the area and out of concern for the people at daily Mass and for the parish staff, I thought it wise to call in sick. 

I am working on getting a nasal swab test to be sure whether it is a cold or the coronavirus. If the results are positive, I will be in quarantine. If the results are negative, it takes a couple more days to double-check. In the meantime, I am staying in the rectory with Maxie my dog. She hasn’t complained. Yet.

The parish staff and I have made plans so that there are priests for daily Mass and for the weekend Masses. We’ve tweaked where the deacon sits in the sanctuary and a few other things (see if you can notice) in order to maximize social distance between the deacon and priest and lector and cantor.

Seminole County now requires facemasks at public gatherings. Almost everyone at Mass has been voluntarily wearing facemasks. We are now requiring facemasks at Mass. We have extra facemasks available at the church entrance. I know that facemasks are uncomfortable and inconvenient, but they reduce the spread of the virus. 

Nativity has been taking prudent steps from the beginning to keep everyone healthy. In the church, we separate by pews and in the aisles by at least six feet, sanitize hands, and distribute communion at the end of Mass. We wear facemasks and keep six feet apart in the parish office. Staff members who have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for the coronavirus are sent home in quarantine. Following the advice of public health officials, these steps protect one another from spreading the coronavirus. Thank you! 

Those of you who have a chronic illness or take care of someone who is high-risk can view the Mass through the online livestream. The Sunday obligation is lifted for the pandemic. The daily Mass recording gets uploaded mid-morning. The Sunday Mass at 9:30 a.m. is available live and as a recording. The homilies are available separately as well. I know that viewing the Mass is nowhere close to being at Mass in person, but it’s a step so that we can all come back to Mass as soon as possible.

I’m acting out of an abundance of caution. I ask that you do the same for one another. At 4th of July gatherings with people outside your household, consider eating outdoors. If indoors, wear facemasks and keep distance. I will keep you posted about my test results. Now it’s time to study for the test!

In Christ,

Father David

The Parish Office will be closed on Monday July 6th in observance of the Independence Day Holiday. We will still have Daily Mass as usual.

In your travels for the 4th of July, explore Mass at a different church. Check out www.masstimes.org to find a church. I recommend calling the church to confirm any recent changes in Mass times.

Have a safe holiday weekend!