Hi Mallory Sunday Masses will continue to be online. We will celebrate daily Mass with the readings for the day. you can find the online Mass information on the home page. Thank you, Ami
Welcome! As you are aware, the archdiocese has begun the re-opening of our church for public worship and the celebration of the sacraments. We are excited to begin to see something we have all been looking forward to these past months.We will begin with the celebration of Mass during the week on Tuesdays , Wednesdays and Thursday. Masses on Sunday will begin on July 4/5th Saturdays: 5pm, Sundays: 8:30am, 10:30am, 5pm. Masses will be limited to 100 people.
Before you arrive at Mass:
We ask that you wash your hands for 20 seconds with warm water and soap before coming.
Please wear a face mask and bring a small dispenser of hand sanitizer for your use. Children under two years old are not required to wear masks. Children between the ages of two and five we ask that parents determine if they should wear a mask.
Do not bring at items that contain bleach as they will damage the pews. Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the Mass time.
Mass Arrival Procedures:
Masks should be worn as soon as you exit your vehicle.
As you enter the church, someone will greet you and ask to see a printed copy of your reservation or a copy on your phone. If you do not have a reservation receipt, the greeter will ask you to wait to the side. If there are available seats when Mass begins, a staff member will direct you to it.
Please follow the staff member through the atrium and enter our worship space. You will be directed to your seat beginning from the front of the sanctuary. If you come with other members of your household, you may sit together, but the group must be 6 feet from anyone else.
Mass Procedures:
During Mass, please avoid any physical contact with anyone. There should be no physical contact during the Our Father or the Sign of Peace.
We will not pass the collection basket. Rather there will be a basket at the baptismal font for any offering. However, we strongly suggest that you make use of one of the easy ways to support our parish that can be found on the front page of our parish website: https://middsouthcatholic.org/
Communion Procedures:
At Communion time, we strongly encourage you to receive Communion only in the hand out of regard for the health and wellbeing of yourself and others.
Please use hand sanitizer prior to leaving the pew.
You will be clearly directed to the proper Communion station. Please remember to keep social distance as you approach Communion and as you return to your pew. Tape on the floor will help you with this.
Approach the minister of Communion, extend your hands to receive the Body of Christ. Following the arrows on the floor, step to the side where you will see an “X” on the floor. Stop there. Remove one side of your face mask. Consume the Eucharist. Put you face mask back on and return to your seat.
Mass Dismissal Procedures:
At the conclusion of Mass, ushers will direct you to the side doors of the church beginning with the side sections and concluding with the center sections.
We ask that you not remain in your seat for any private prayer, but that you leave and return to your car. Please do not cluster in the parking lot.
Additional Information:
After Mass, we will clean all the pews, all doorknobs and surfaces that have been touched. The bathrooms will be disinfected as well.
Following CDC guidelines, we ask that if you are in any of the “at-risk groups”, you not come to Mass.
The live stream Sunday Masses will be at 8:30am on Sundays starting July 4/5 on https://shcsouthbury.online.church/ Facebook and our website.
God Bless You!
Will the Priest also wear a mask during the service? I am asking because recent studies have shown that the virus can travel and stay in the air for several hours. The droplets can travel 6 feet but the virus is a very tiny particle and like other respiratory viruses can travel by air and stay there for hours. All you need is one person without a mask to infect the congregation. It also sends confusing messages when you allow an exception to the rule.
I appreciate your comments about the value of wearing a face mask as an effective way to safeguard against the corona virus. I want to offer a few points that have shaped my decision not to wear a face mask while presiding at Mass.:
• I value the wearing of a face mask and do so whenever I am interacting with people and am unable to keep social distance.
• The archdiocese in its guidelines for priests and ministers in the sanctuary during Mass says that the priest and any ministers in the sanctuary, such as the reader, should not wear masks, but keep social distance from anyone else. If they distribute Communion however they should like other ministers of Holy Communion, wear face masks then.
• I wear a mask whenever I am in closer proximity to the congregation at Mass such as when processing in or out or when I preach (normally from the middle aisle) in order to safeguard them.
• The Center for Disease Control (CDC) indicates that the face mask does not substitute for the distance of at least 6 feet from anyone else. When I am in the sanctuary I believe that I am more than 6 feet from anyone else and I try to be very conscientious about that specifically so that I do not endanger the congregation at Mass.
• I place the elements for Communion (bread and wine) away from the center of the altar and cover them with a “pall”, a liturgical cover, to also avoid any spray touching them.
I do not do this in order to make an exception for myself to the CDC and the State guidelines. Rather, following the guidelines of the archdiocese for the way we celebrate Mass, I see it allowing for the particular role I play at Mass as the presider leading the worship. Without a mask covering my mouth, I believe I can project my voice via the microphone better when leading the prayer of the Mass.
Once again I appreciate your concerns and your willingness to express them. I hope that you find my response to be helpful.
Hi Rachel, please use this link to register for mass or email Mary Korsu mkorsu@shcsby.org or call her at 203-264-5071. We look forward to seeing you Saturday!
carole deroberts
August 20, 2020 at 7:45 pm - Reply
I would like attend the Sunday, August 23 9:00 mass what do I need to do?
Hi Carole- please use this link and follow the instructions to reserve your seats. If you have any difficulty please call 203-264-5065 and Mary will assist you.
Just curious if there will be masses celebrated on Sunday at all? I’m pretty sure the weekday masses aren’t the same readings as the week s correct?
Hi Mallory Sunday Masses will continue to be online. We will celebrate daily Mass with the readings for the day. you can find the online Mass information on the home page. Thank you, Ami
Welcome! As you are aware, the archdiocese has begun the re-opening of our church for public worship and the celebration of the sacraments. We are excited to begin to see something we have all been looking forward to these past months.We will begin with the celebration of Mass during the week on Tuesdays , Wednesdays and Thursday. Masses on Sunday will begin on July 4/5th Saturdays: 5pm, Sundays: 8:30am, 10:30am, 5pm. Masses will be limited to 100 people.
Before you arrive at Mass:
We ask that you wash your hands for 20 seconds with warm water and soap before coming.
Please wear a face mask and bring a small dispenser of hand sanitizer for your use. Children under two years old are not required to wear masks. Children between the ages of two and five we ask that parents determine if they should wear a mask.
Do not bring at items that contain bleach as they will damage the pews. Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the Mass time.
Mass Arrival Procedures:
Masks should be worn as soon as you exit your vehicle.
As you enter the church, someone will greet you and ask to see a printed copy of your reservation or a copy on your phone. If you do not have a reservation receipt, the greeter will ask you to wait to the side. If there are available seats when Mass begins, a staff member will direct you to it.
Please follow the staff member through the atrium and enter our worship space. You will be directed to your seat beginning from the front of the sanctuary. If you come with other members of your household, you may sit together, but the group must be 6 feet from anyone else.
Mass Procedures:
During Mass, please avoid any physical contact with anyone. There should be no physical contact during the Our Father or the Sign of Peace.
We will not pass the collection basket. Rather there will be a basket at the baptismal font for any offering. However, we strongly suggest that you make use of one of the easy ways to support our parish that can be found on the front page of our parish website: https://middsouthcatholic.org/
Communion Procedures:
At Communion time, we strongly encourage you to receive Communion only in the hand out of regard for the health and wellbeing of yourself and others.
Please use hand sanitizer prior to leaving the pew.
You will be clearly directed to the proper Communion station. Please remember to keep social distance as you approach Communion and as you return to your pew. Tape on the floor will help you with this.
Approach the minister of Communion, extend your hands to receive the Body of Christ. Following the arrows on the floor, step to the side where you will see an “X” on the floor. Stop there. Remove one side of your face mask. Consume the Eucharist. Put you face mask back on and return to your seat.
Mass Dismissal Procedures:
At the conclusion of Mass, ushers will direct you to the side doors of the church beginning with the side sections and concluding with the center sections.
We ask that you not remain in your seat for any private prayer, but that you leave and return to your car. Please do not cluster in the parking lot.
Additional Information:
After Mass, we will clean all the pews, all doorknobs and surfaces that have been touched. The bathrooms will be disinfected as well.
Following CDC guidelines, we ask that if you are in any of the “at-risk groups”, you not come to Mass.
The live stream Sunday Masses will be at 8:30am on Sundays starting July 4/5 on https://shcsouthbury.online.church/ Facebook and our website.
God Bless You!
Hi Ami,
I would like a reservation to attend the weekday Mass on Thursday,July 16th.
Thank You.
Daisy Casale
hi Daisy,
Thank you. I will have Mary K. email you when that date is posted on Eventbrite.
Will the Priest also wear a mask during the service? I am asking because recent studies have shown that the virus can travel and stay in the air for several hours. The droplets can travel 6 feet but the virus is a very tiny particle and like other respiratory viruses can travel by air and stay there for hours. All you need is one person without a mask to infect the congregation. It also sends confusing messages when you allow an exception to the rule.
Thank you for your inquiry. The priests wear masks except when at the altar area.
I appreciate your comments about the value of wearing a face mask as an effective way to safeguard against the corona virus. I want to offer a few points that have shaped my decision not to wear a face mask while presiding at Mass.:
• I value the wearing of a face mask and do so whenever I am interacting with people and am unable to keep social distance.
• The archdiocese in its guidelines for priests and ministers in the sanctuary during Mass says that the priest and any ministers in the sanctuary, such as the reader, should not wear masks, but keep social distance from anyone else. If they distribute Communion however they should like other ministers of Holy Communion, wear face masks then.
• I wear a mask whenever I am in closer proximity to the congregation at Mass such as when processing in or out or when I preach (normally from the middle aisle) in order to safeguard them.
• The Center for Disease Control (CDC) indicates that the face mask does not substitute for the distance of at least 6 feet from anyone else. When I am in the sanctuary I believe that I am more than 6 feet from anyone else and I try to be very conscientious about that specifically so that I do not endanger the congregation at Mass.
• I place the elements for Communion (bread and wine) away from the center of the altar and cover them with a “pall”, a liturgical cover, to also avoid any spray touching them.
I do not do this in order to make an exception for myself to the CDC and the State guidelines. Rather, following the guidelines of the archdiocese for the way we celebrate Mass, I see it allowing for the particular role I play at Mass as the presider leading the worship. Without a mask covering my mouth, I believe I can project my voice via the microphone better when leading the prayer of the Mass.
Once again I appreciate your concerns and your willingness to express them. I hope that you find my response to be helpful.
Father Joe Donnelly
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A RESERVATION FOR SATURDAY 5 O’CLOCK MASS ON JULY 18TH.
THANK YOU. RACHEL SEGALE (1TICKET)
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mass-tickets-106807554270
Hi Rachel, please use this link to register for mass or email Mary Korsu mkorsu@shcsby.org or call her at 203-264-5071. We look forward to seeing you Saturday!
I would like attend the Sunday, August 23 9:00 mass what do I need to do?
https://www.eventbrite.com/o/sacred-heart-church-30372042412
Hi Carole- please use this link and follow the instructions to reserve your seats. If you have any difficulty please call 203-264-5065 and Mary will assist you.
I wish we had an outdoor mass option.