Hello Dear Parishioners,

It has been almost two months since we have returned to a public Mass. Following the directives of the AOD we have gone from being allowed 25% percent capacity to 50% percent capacity which, for our parish is 450 people.

Each week we have steadily grown in person Mass attendance as we adjust our lives to living in this pandemic.  Despite the growth of attendance we have not yet reached our 25% capacity at any of our Masses.

As your pastor and spiritual father my main concern is how you are doing spiritually, emotionally and physically during this pandemic.  I have been able to see and speak with some of you personally but I want to hear more. 

I invite you to take a very brief survey which can be found in the email blast, and parish website. Paper copies will be available in the parish office and in the vestibules.  The Survey is anonymous and hopefully the results from the survey will give us deeper insight so our pastoral staff, including the three priests, can find ways to better serve you. 

Allow me to speak for a moment to those of you still joining us for mass via livestream.  As a reminder, Archbishop Vigneron has dispensed Catholics in the archdiocese from their Sunday obligation to attend Mass until September 6^th and we will continue to offer our parish livestream Mass at 10:00 AM each Sunday. 

This technology is a beautiful gift and we thank you for joining us however I want to encourage you to utilize this technology in a way that truly helps you spiritually.  Hopefully our habits are constantly forming us into the people God desires us to be.  How we pray via livestream is no different.   Here are a few suggestions to help you have a full and active participation in the livestream Mass:

• Wear your typical Sunday Mass attire at home when viewing the Mass.

• If you are physically able to do so, participate in the postures of Mass by standing, sitting, kneeling at the appropriate times.

• Respond to the prayers at home just as you would if you were attending in person.

• Avoid consuming food and beverage during the Mass.

• Put other distractions like cell phones, social media and the like aside while viewing the livestream Mass.

I know that many of you must continue to participate via livestream due to health reasons and precautions but I also want to ask that you prayerfully consider when and if you could/should return to in person masses.  I mention this because as your pastor I want you to fully receive all that God has to offer.

This leads me to share some reminders about our in person worship here at Our Lady of Sorrows Parish: Precautions have been in place for your safety since the Solemnity of Pentecost which was the first Sunday Public Mass.

So, as a reminder here are safety measures in place.

• The CDC recommends that anybody with respiratory illness or an active cough or temperature should stay home.
• There is signage outdoors before you enter reminding everyone to wear a mask and to social distance. Our parishioners have been so generous in making masks just in case a parishioner may have forgotten theirs. Connor Robeck, a parishioner who is working on his Eagle Scout Project made 1000 face masks for the use of our parishioners.
• There is black tape on the floor to encourage social distancing during the reception of Holy Communion.
• Every other pew ribbon off so that persons can social distance 6 ft. apart from each other.
• Please remove your mask before you receive Holy Communion.
• There are hand sanitizers in each entrance of the church building.
• Sanitization of the pews, doors, doorknobs, and bathrooms are done before and after each Mass including week day Mass.
• The Mass times on Sunday have been changed to allow time to sanitize. The present Mass times are 8, 10, and Noon.

Generally speaking I believe that most of us would agree that wearing a mask is uncomfortable and tedious however it is a small inconvenience in exchange for returning to Mass and keeping our more vulnerable parishioners safer.  Jesus reminds us that being a Christian is about sacrifice and picking up our crosses.  Simply put, wearing a mask at mass is an act of Charity toward those around us. 

These past number of months have challenged all of us in many ways.  Please know that the entire staff and I are here to listen and assist you through this time as much as we can.  Over the past several weeks I have enjoyed seeing many of you return to worship God at Mass.  Since I cannot see your complete face due to wearing a mask I see the smile in your eyes.    

Jesus tells us in the gospels to not be afraid.  He is with us.  So, let us be faithful not fearful and continue to share a bit of gospel joy each day!

Weekend Mass Assistance