Important Update from the Cardinal

The Latest Information (and finally some promising news)...

On April 27 the Governor began to allow businesses and entities to gradually reopen. After reviewing the state directives with experts in our area, Cardinal Dinardo today began to give an outline for the gradual reintroduction of parish life in our Diocese. St Mary's will implement his plan in the following way...

First and foremost, the Cardinal stated that the OBLIGATION to attend mass is STILL SUSPENDED. People are not required to attend mass on Sundays. He is very conscious of the fact that our presence and behavior not only has an effect on us but on others around us, especially the most vulnerable in our community, while allowing us the ability to express our faith.

Starting Thursday April 30, the Day Chapel will be opened for prayer from 9 AM to 3 PM each weekday. There is limited seating (17 chairs) in the chapel due to the guidance of the Cardinal. The chapel can be accessed ONLY by the west side door of the church (by the sidewalk near the outdoor rosary path). People are asked to sanitize their chairs after use. Sanitizer is provided at the Chapel. The use of masks is highly encouraged. The rest of the Church will need to be isolated for use at weekend masses, including the restrooms.

There will be no adoration of the Blessed Sacrament on Friday May 1 due to the fact that people would be required to be in the chapel the entire time for the protection of the Blessed Sacrament. However, the chapel will be opened Friday as mentioned above from 9AM to 3PM.

The Cardinal asked that a number of measures be put into place in parishes before a limited number of mass are celebrated with congregations. One of those is the requirement that churches be marked and monitored as well as other health measures to protect the faithful. We are currently working to have these things in place soon.

St Mary's is hoping to begin public celebration of the mass with daily masses the later part of the next week. When the weekend masses become public again, they will do so with a reduced schedule in the interim.

In the meantime, this weekend, we will continue to have mass online after 4:30 on Saturday May 2. Since our capacity will be limited for the foreseeable future we will continue to provide online mass for those who are unable to attend.