Email from Fr. Joseph – Dispensation Lifted!

Greetings!

The dispensation from Mass attendance has been lifted, and the duty of healthy Christians to gather on holy ground to worship God shoulder to shoulder has returned!

Whereas the Evil One provokes us into isolation, God has called us to communion. While the Enemy incites us each to imagine a god unto ourselves, the living God has revealed Himself as a Heavenly Father calling His family to table for the Feast of Heaven and Earth.

With the decreasing number of cases, the bishop has felt it safe to ease some of the restrictions for Mass. It is not yet as it was before the pandemic, but it is a step in that direction. Below are some of the changes. The quotes come from the bishop’s memorandum dated May 26, 2021.

• We’ve removed the blue painting tape cordoning the pews. Reasonable distancing is still encouraged. If you are nervous about people sitting too close, the chairs continue to be more distanced from each other.
• “Those who are sick, vulnerable, or who care for others… are encouraged to refrain from going to Church”.
• The dispensation from Sunday Mass and Holy Days of Obligation “still applies to those who are sick, elderly, homebound, experiencing great difficulties or other serious risks/concerns in coming to the Church.” These faithful are reminded to still keep holy the Sabbath. Streaming Masses will continue.
• Masks are recommended, but not required.
• “In-person gatherings of the faithful in Church may resume with no size limits” if we practice “physical distancing, the use of mask or facial covering and hand sanitizing/washing.”
• “Holy Communion will continue to be offered in the hand as the preferred practice.” There are some notes permitting communion in the mouth with due caution.
• “Distribution of the Precious Blood remains suspended during the pandemic time.”

It is a beautiful to be able to see so many faces and smiles. I could be mistaken, but it seems I’m exchanging smiles at supermarkets and restaurants than ever before. With more and more people getting vaccinated, surviving COVID, or in some cases both (like myself), fewer people are wearing masks and more people are getting out and about. Life is slowly returning to normal, and it’s amazing. I look forward to seeing your beautiful faces!

God bless,

Fr. Joseph

P.S. There is a clergy retreat this upcoming week. Therefore, there will be no Confessions or Mass this Tuesday. Please keep us in prayer!