June 17, 2020

Dear Friends in Christ,
 
It was heart-warming to see so many of you this past Sunday as we re-opened our parish doors for private prayers on the Feast of Corpus Christi. I missed you! But praise be to God, I will be seeing more of you as we re-open for daily and weekend masses starting Friday, June 19. We are closed until Friday, so we can take every precaution to ensure your safety when you return.

 

Embracing our Christian Spirituality – “I Am Third”

Re-opening our parish involves many moving parts and unknowns. In these times of pandemic, we are rediscovering what it means to be church and learning as we go. Re-opening with a physical distancing 30% capacity restriction requires continued patience and sacrifice. If we commit ourselves to the value of humility, best summed up as “I am third” – God first, others second, me third, we will not only get through this, but become the holy people of God. We’re in this together so let’s be patient, kind, and loving to one another.

 

Mass Resumption Schedule

As mentioned in Thursday’s communication, please find below the mass resumption schedule:
 
In-church daily masses resume starting Friday, June 19, 2020 at 8:30 a.m. on first come basis
 
In-church weekend masses resume starting June 20, 21 and mass times are as follows:
Saturdays 5:00 p.m.  
Sundays    8:00 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m.

The Saturday 5:00pm is livestreamed (rebroadcast throughout Sunday and the week).

We look forward to seeing you again and welcoming you back with open arms! However, our church will not be as you remember it.  COVID-19 protocols will be in place and sections of the church will be cordoned off to respect physical distancing protocols. Experiencing the church under restrictions may be difficult and unsettling.  But in these changing times, I invite you to lean on the certainty of God’s constant and unchanging love. We are praying for you; please pray for me and the pastoral team.

 

What to Expect

The protocols we have put in place are for your safety and the safety of others. This is what you can expect:

 

Reserved Seating for Weekend Masses

Given the physical distancing 30% capacity restriction, our parish can accommodate only a fraction of its regular capacity. To make the experience of worship welcoming and sacred, we have implemented reserved seating through Eventbrite. On first read, this may feel very uncomfortable, but it has been put in place to manage long lines, limit unnecessary contact, avoid the disappointment of being turned away if a mass is already at capacity, and facilitate contact tracing should the parish have a COVID-19 case.
 
Please visit our website at www.stpatrick.on.ca and follow the easy step-by-step instructions to reserve a seat for you and your family. Please call the Parish Office if you do not have a computer, or access to the internet, or are uncomfortable using technology. We have set aside a limited number of seats for this purpose. Please note that given capacity restrictions and the size of our congregation, you may not find available seats when you go to reserve yours. It may be that you can only attend in-church mass every 4-6 weeks.  We ask for your patience and understanding as we are still in a pandemic and are being asked to make continued sacrifices.

 

Before leaving your Home

• As an extra precaution, we encourage you to take your temperature at home before coming to church.
• Please wash your hands for 20-30 seconds with warm, soapy water before leaving your home for church.
• Please consider whether it is safe for you to attend. We ask you to stay at home and join us for online mass if:
  • You are sick.
  • You have travelled and returned to Canada in the past 14 days.
  • Have any COVID-19 symptoms, including fever, cough, severe fatigue, loss of appetite, shortness of breath and muscle aches.

Where to enter the Church

• Entry into the church will be through the back doors. The front doors and front parking lot of the church will be blocked off.
• As you enter the driveway, please proceed to the parking lot at the back of the church. You can access the back door from there.
• Expect a line-up with physical distancing markers on the ground.
• The church will be closed between masses for sanitization. It will be opened for entry after everything has been properly sanitized from the previous mass.

 

Upon entering the Church

• As you enter, a volunteer will ask to see your electronic or printed Eventbrite ticket.
• COVID-19 signage will be in place throughout the church.
• Pew seating, which respects Provincial and Archdiocesan restrictions, will be clearly marked. 
• The accessibility-friendly washroom will be open for emergency use only for one.  One person or family at a time should be in the washroom. If occupied, you will be asked to line up in the designated area. Wash your hands with warm, soapy water after using washroom facilities. Please practise physical distancing outside the washroom.

 

During weekend masses

Seating. A volunteer will direct you to an available designated seat. Seating will be at the ends of the pews, with the middle section marked with a yellow tape to delineate the 6-foot required physical distancing protocol. Each pew has been identified with minimum and maximum numbers by household.  The pew sign may read 1-3 people from the same household OR 2-4 people from the same household.
Music. Other than a cantor and accompanist, there will be no singing at mass until further notice. Please note that there are no hymnals, missals, or devotionals in the pews.
Offertory. If you have not yet signed up for online donation, drop your offertory envelope in the basket at the exit doors as you leave the church after mass. To give without increasing the risk of COVID-19, sign up for online donation at www.stpatrick.on.ca.
Sign of Peace. We ask you not to hold or shake hands during any portion of the mass. You may offer a Sign of Peace to others through a nod or bow.
Eucharist. Please listen carefully to announcements regarding reception of the Holy Eucharist. Based on extensive consultation with medical experts specializing in pandemic management, the Catholic bishops of Ontario have decided it is necessary to temporarily suspend Holy Communion on the tongue in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in our parishes. Communion on the tongue will be restored as soon as it is safe to do so.
You are asked to receive Holy Communion in your hand by placing one on top of the other and allowing the Eucharistic Minister to safely place the Body of Christ on your hand without contact. You will move to a safe physical distance as designated, remove your mask, consume the Holy Eucharist, and replace your mask before returning to your seat.
Dismissal. Please be patient exiting the church, follow volunteer instructions, and practise physical distancing. Once Mass is concluded, parishioners are asked to leave promptly, while respecting the space of others.  Please follow the directions provided at dismissal and departure – the exits are different than those you are accustomed to. You are asked to leave the church using the two exits on either side of the altar/sanctuary.
Lighting a Candle. Before mass, you may light a votive candle but please sanitize your hands after lighting a candle and practise physical distancing. Please note that you will not be able to light a candle after mass to prevent blocking the exits.

 

Reminder COVID-19 Protocols

The following physical distancing, sanitizing, and safety protocols have been put in place. Please adhere to these protocols for your good and the good of your neighbour.

 

• Please take a temperature check before leaving for church. If you have the slightest fever, or are feeling sick, please stay at home.
• Please wash your hands, according to COVID-19 washing protocols, before leaving for church.
• Please wear a mask and keep it on the entire time you are at the church.
• Please sanitize your hands before entering the church. There will be clearly marked sanitizing stations. 
• Please always practise physical distancing. There will be clearly marked signage on the pews and floors.
• We will be sanitizing high contact surfaces after each mass.
• Again, please use the accessibility-friendly washroom only if absolutely necessary.
• The Parish Office remains closed until further notice.

 
I know there are many restrictions and protocols, but I pray that it doesn’t rob us of the spirit of our Eucharistic celebration. This is our time, as a People of God, to give all praise, honor, and glory to God – our creator, redeemer, and sanctifier. This is the Good News and our great joy. Let us practise, “I am third,” and be patient and kind to one another.

Dispensation from our Sunday Obligation

As a reminder, the Cardinal continues to dispense Catholics from our Sunday obligation. Therefore, if you are not yet feeling comfortable to attend mass in our church building, or if you are not feeling well, have a pre-existing condition, or are considered to be in a high risk category, then we respectfully ask you to continue to experience church in your home through our online mass and resources. 

Weekday masses

We will follow the same protocols as the weekend masses but there will be no reserved seating or music. Attendance at mass will be on a first come basis.

Confessions

Confessions are available by appointment and physical distancing protocols are in place.

We’re In this Together

In closing, this time of pandemic offers a new springtime for our church. People’s lives have been turned upside down and this shift has made them vulnerable. This leaves a crack for God to enter and move heads and hearts. People who have been away from the church may give it a second chance. If they try us out, let them experience a community that notices them, welcomes them, invites them, and befriends them in the example of our Lord. Let us be that vibrant, loving community who live for God and others and together, let us become what we were meant to be, the salt and light of the earth.
 
God bless you,
 
Fr. Dominic Barber
Pastor, St. Patrick's Parish
Please visit our website at www.stpatrick.on.ca for re-opening communications.