Reopening Mass at Saint John's
OFFICE OF THE PASTOR
Dear parishioners of Saint John’s,
It is with great joy that I announce to you that a plan for a safe return of Public Masses here at Saint John the Baptist Catholic Church has been formulated. This plan follows closely the guidelines and protocols published by the Archdiocese on May 26, 2020. These protocols were developed in cooperation with national medical experts. These are designed to help keep us all as safe as possible, while expressing our freedom to worship God in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
To that end, I present to you the steps of our COVID-19 Preparedness Plan, which will help us get started on the path to reopening. The Plan Administrator is Jonathan Brandtner (952-492-2640). Please pay particular attention to the first three. It is vitally important that those who are at most risk, not attend. Each of us needs to make prudent decisions to minimize the risk of infecting ourselves and others.
General Principals
People aged 65+ are strongly encouraged not to attend Public Mass at this time, as we have been told they are most vulnerable to negative effects of the virus.
People of any age who have preexisting conditions that would put themselves in increased danger are strongly encouraged not to attend Public Mass.
Individuals, or families who have members who are showing symptoms of an illness (high temperature, cold-like symptoms, etc.), are strongly encouraged not to attend Public Mass.
The obligation for Sunday Mass remains suspended as long as the pandemic continues. While it was always a mortal sin to deliberately miss Mass before the pandemic, in these times that moral obligation has been lifted and until further notice from the Archbishop, it is not a sin to miss Mass during this time.
Mass will continue to be broadcast on YouTube & Facebook as long as the pandemic continues.
The number of people allowed to come to Mass will be limited to ¼ the capacity of our Church - which is roughly 125 people.
All bathrooms onsite will be inaccessible. They will be closed, and off limits. Please do not come expecting to be able to use the public restroom at Church. The requirement to fully sanitize the bathroom after each person, makes it impossible for us to open them for any reason.
Social distancing must be followed. Families or Individuals must remain 6 feet apart from other families. Family members who live in the same household may congregate with one another, and sit next to each other in the pew. Ushers will help to keep people properly distanced when they are being seated.
Collection baskets will be placed in the entrances and exits of Church for people to drop-in their envelopes.
All other areas of the building apart from the lower gathering space and main Church, will be made inaccessible (adoration chapel, Louis Hall, upper gathering space, etc). The adoration chapel door will remain locked and will not be available as an entrance into the building.
The balcony will be roped off, and inaccessible to the general public (it may be used for emergency overflow, at the Ushers discretion.
Upcoming Schedule
The first public Mass since the start of the COVID pandemic will be on Sunday, May 31st at 10:00am (Pentecost Sunday).
The first 125 people are admitted, and when we reach capacity we will not be able to allow anyone else in.
No communion during or after this Mass.
We are considering this a “soft opening” to be sure we have everything in place, and see if we missed anything that might need updating.
Most Holy Trinity Sunday - June 6 - 5:00pm (no music) & June 7 - 8:00am (no music) & 10:00am (Music)
Communion will be distributed after all Masses - stay in your pew, kneel down when Father comes to your row.
Daily Masses will restart on Tuesday, June 9 at 6:15pm and will follow the regular schedule.
Daily Mass congregants will follow all the same rules outlined in this email - entering via the Gathering Space doors, and waiting outside until those doors are propped open (do not touch door handles - respect a 6 foot distance between individuals or families).
Daily Mass congregants, however, may exit via the Gathering Space.
Corpus Christi Sunday - June 13 - 5:00pm (no music) & June 14 - 8:00am (no music) & 10:00am (Music)
Communion will be distributed after all Masses - stay in your pew, kneel down when Father comes to your row.
12th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Father's Day) - June 20 - 5:00pm & June 21 - 8:00am & 10:00am
Communion will be distributed after all Masses - stay in your pew, kneel down when Father comes to your row.
13th Sunday in Ordinary Time - June 27 - 5:00pm & June 28 - 8:00am & 10:00am
Communion will be distributed after all Masses - stay in your pew, kneel down when Father comes to your row.
Admission to Mass
All Masses will be based on a first-come-first serve model. Once we get to our limit of 125, we must cut the line off and ask the remaining people to come back to another Mass.
You will be escorted to a seat by an Usher. You must sit in the seat given to you. You will not be able to sit in your “regular spot.” Please be patient and flexible as we work together to follow the necessary protocols.
Those requiring handicap accessible seating will be accommodated.
Crowd Management
Doors will be propped open - please do not touch the door handles.
2 Ushers or Greeters will be at the doors counting the number of people coming in, and will show you to your seat.
Entry into Church will be from the Gathering Space doors - do not try to enter the Church from the West doors.
When Mass is over, you may not exit via the Gathering Space, but must exit from the back of Church - the West doors.
Every other pew will have a sign blocking it off. Please do not sit in the pews that have been blocked off. Separating every-other-pew helps us maintain the 6 foot social distancing requirement.
Individuals and/or Families must arrive no earlier than 30 minutes before Mass begins. Doors will not open until 30 minutes before Mass begins. This is necessary because we need time between each Mass to sanitize the pews and allow it to dry.
If you desire to pray the Rosary before Mass, please do so privately and not as a group.
Please wait in your cars until you see the doors open - do not congregate outside the doors together.
Doors will be closed 5 minutes before Mass is to begin, and no one will be allowed in after doors are closed.
Personal Hygiene
It is resolutely requested that all people wear masks throughout Mass to prevent spread of the disease.
Hand Sanitizing stations will be available in the Gathering Space and in back of Church at the doors. Please sanitize your hands before and after Mass, and avoid touching your face and mouth while on premises.
All volunteers must wash their hands before helping in their role, and be cognizant of what they touch.
The temperature of all volunteers will be taken upon arrival by the Sacristan assigned for that Mass.
Liturgy
Due to the fact that more air-borne particles are present when people sing, congregational singing is strictly prohibited.
There will be no hymnals in the pews.
For those who might have a hymnal at home, please leave it there - do not bring it to Mass.
There will be no congregational hymns.
There will be no singing of the responsorial psalm, nor singing of the parts of Mass.
Printed bulletins will be available on tables at the exits after Mass at the back of Church.
The Holy Water fonts at the doors will remain empty.
Bread and wine will not be brought forward - they will already be up on the credence table.
A collection will not be taken. Baskets will be available in the Gathering Space before Mass, and in the back of Church after Mass, to drop in your tithe.
There will be no communal sign of peace.
For the time being, there will only be instrumental music.
The 5pm & 8am Masses will not have music for the time being.
Communion
Starting Sunday, June 7, Communion will be distributed after Mass has concluded.
At the end of Mass, Father will change into Cassock and Surplice, and come to distribute communion. He will sanitize his hands, and wear a mask.
He (and likely an Extraordinary Minister) will come between the pews, in the open pew that separates individuals and families.
As Father or the EMHC approaches your pew, and/or the pew behind you, kneel down on the kneeler to receive Holy Communion (if he is in the pew behind you, please kneel down so that he doesn’t bump into the back of your head.) Father will either distribute communion to you on your tongue or in your hand. The kneeling is necessary so that we are not face-to-face as Father dispenses Holy Communion.
It has been proven that it is no more, nor less dangerous for someone to receive on the tongue or on the hand. The key to reducing transmission is Father having clean hands, and not touching your hands or tongue.
It is also the case that gloves do not help to prevent spread of germs any more than a clean hand that does not come into contact with the communicant, so Father will not be wearing gloves.
Please hold out your hand FLAT. This is very important. If you have your hand curled up, or cupped, Father will ask you to flatten it. If you do not, he will not give you communion. You must hold your hand flat so that he does not touch you and spread germs from one person to another.
Receive the Lord reverently and when your pew is completed, you may leave out of the back of Church (West doors).
Father will begin distributing communion at the back of Church, so that those who have received can exit out the back without walking past anyone.
There will be no communion to the homebound, nor will Father give you communion to take to another person outside of the Church.
Other
Adoration will remain suspended for the time being until proper protocols can be developed and implemented to make a safe reopening.
I’d like to reiterate that those who are 65 and older, or those who have preexisting conditions that would make them more susceptible to increased complications from the illness, are strongly encouraged to stay home.
I’m very excited to have everyone back at Church! It will certainly be different in the beginning, but I suspect we will get back to ordinary one day. Some of the changes we are forced to make, are actually forcing us into a more proper theological understanding of the Mass and how we are to approach it. Yet more proof that God is working in all this.
It is my desire that we all stay safe during this rollout. Whether we agree with these protocols or not, it is a good exercise in humility and obedience to follow them. Your patience and graciousness are requested, so that we can all keep a good attitude about this next step. If you see something that you think needs adjusting, please bring it to my attention.
Thank you very much, and may God Bless you!
Father Neil - Pastor