STEP ONE: RE-OPENING THE CHURCH FOR PRIVATE PRAYER

 

IMPORTANT DATE:

OPENING OF THE CHURCH: The church will be opened for private prayer beginning Monday, June 8, daily from 9:00am to 12:00pm. A parish staff member or trained volunteer will be present to greet all visitors. People will be asked to keep their visits brief, no more than 30 minutes. The Blessed Sacrament will be exposed every Friday from 9:00am to 12:00pm.

 

DEEP CLEANING: The church itself will undergo a regular deep cleaning. Disinfecting will happen several times each day and always before and after services. An industrial “cold-fogger” will be used to do this quickly and effectively.

 

SANITIZING: Hand sanitizer stations will be placed at the doors of the church so parishioners can maintain clean hands before entering the church and after exiting.

 

CHURCH ENTRANCE: The Eshelman Avenue doors will be used for ALL ENTRANCES into our church where a staff member or trained volunteer will be available for assistance. All other doors of the church will be used for EXIT ONLY (handicapped may access grotto door). Signs will be used to clearly mark entrances and exit doors.

 

FACE COVERINGS: As has become standard operating procedure, the use of masks is obligatory and must be worn. Please bring your own face covering. We will have limited numbers of coverings available at the church entrance. If you don’t adopt a face covering, for whatever reason, you will not be allowed entrance.

 

SOCIAL DISTANCING: To ensure safety, the pews in the church will be clearly marked for limited seating and in conformance with a minimum of six feet separation (married couples and families living in the same house may sit together). Sections of the church will also be restricted from use.

 

 

 

STEP TWO: THE CELEBRATION OF PUBLIC MASS

 

IMPORTANT DATES:

 

The celebration of public Mass will resume:

 

SATURDAY, JUNE 13 – 5:00pm English Vigil Mass

Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi)

 

SUNDAY, JUNE 14                                                           

7:00am English Mass                                                      

9:00am English Mass

11:00am English Mass

12:30pm Spanish Mass

 

MONDAY, JUNE 15 – Weekdays Morning Masses resume

8:15am Monday – Friday

 

SATURDAY, JUNE 20 – CONFESSIONS resume

3:00pm – 4:30pm

(Confession will be available every Monday and Saturday)

 

A NEW TEMPORARY SUNDAY MASS SCHEDULE: For the time being, we will celebrate one Saturday evening Vigil Mass and four Sunday morning Masses. This new temporary schedule is necessary to allow a complete cleaning of the church interior between Masses.

 

ATTENDANCE: The state has limited the number in any given service to 25% of the building’s capacity or 100 people, whichever number is less.  We are very limited on the number of parishioners who will be able to attend any given service.  Plus, for some time at least, we will continue to live-stream two Masses on Sundays. A priest, staff member or trained volunteer will be stationed at the entrance doors so the number of those entering does not exceed 100 people.

 

We ask anyone who is sick, 65 and older, who are imuno-compromised or who have underlying health conditions or who merely feel uncomfortable attending to PLEASE NOT COME. Note that the Archbishop has granted a dispensation from attending Sunday Masses until further notice.

 

RESERVATIONS: We will implement a reservation system for all who wish to attend Sunday Mass. Parishioners must register:

  • Online via our website (www.smmlomita.org) or by
  • phoning the Parish Office (310/326-3364).

Please indicate Mass preference and number of people attending. Please note your first choice of Mass time may be filled so we ask for your understanding. All reservations for weekend Masses must be submitted by Saturday at 12 Noon.

 

Please remember ENTRANCE to the church will be via the Eshelman Avenue doors only. We recommend you arrive fifteen minutes before your reserved Mass time to allow sufficient opportunity for seating directions.

 

DURING MASS:

  1. Parishioners should be punctual, (in order to secure a place and because the church doors will be closed after the beginning of Mass). Moreover, we ask everyone to remain until the final blessing to maintain a safe and orderly exit.
  2. The lectors will use a mask in the assembly, removing it to proclaim the Word, while also adopting gloves when handling the Lectionary.
  3. There will be no offertory procession, no shaking of hands at the Sign of Peace and no distribution of the Precious Blood.
  4. Collection baskets will be placed at the steps of the sanctuary where at the time of the collection the faithful may come forward (from the back) and drop in their offerings.
  5. For Holy Communion, each priest will use a mask and will sanitize their hands before and afterwards.
  6. For Holy Communion itself, the assembly will come forward, as usual, from the back, maintaining social distancing in line. Each person should lower their mask and allow the priest/minister to carefully place the consecrated host onto the open palm of their hands.
  7. For Holy Communion, it is not permitted to receive the Sacred Host with gloves on.
  8. Also, Communion on the tongue is not being allowed at this time.
  9. After receiving Holy Communion, the faithful should replace their mask once again and return to their pew.
  10. The choir will consist of a musician and a cantor. Missals will not be available, so familiar songs and temporary worship aids will be used.
  11. When Mass is over, dismissal will take place by rows, from the back, as at communion time. Everyone will need to vacate the church so it can be sanitized for the next service.
  12. Although we would like to socialize afterwards, all please proceed directly to your cars.

 

 

TEMPORARY WEEKDAY MASS SCHEDULE

MONDAY through FRIDAY—8:15am  beginning Monday, June 15

Parishioners are asked to consider a weekday Mass as an alternate to Sunday Mass attendance.

 

Please note that there will be no Saturday morning Mass to allow us time to schedule postponed Masses such as funerals, baptisms, First Communions, Weddings, Confirmations etc.)

 

 

 

TEMPORARY CONFESSION SCHEDULE

MONDAYS and SATURDAYS: 3:00pm to 4:30pm (beginning Saturday, June 20)

Our three priests will be available to celebrate the Sacrament of Penance (Confession). To respect the privacy of those confessing and to maintain appropriate distancing from the priest confessor, temporary areas for Confession will be located in the (1) sacristy, (2) Blessed Sacrament Chapel, and (3) Bride’s Room. Queueing will take place inside the church and the priest confessor will escort each penitent to the area for Confession. After confession is completed, the penitent may exit from the nearest door (the sacristy and chapel can access the adjacent doors to exit).

 

 

OTHER MASSES AND SACRAMENTS

First Holy Communions, Confirmations, Baptisms, Funerals, Quinceneras etc. will be scheduled in communication with our parish office, Faith Formation Team etc. in conformity with social distance and attendance regulations. Please note these celebrations may take place on weekday mornings.