PASTOR'S UPDATE
Updated on July 26, 2020
Mailing to Registered Parishioners
Check he weekly Parish Life Update
This is temporarily taking the place
of the Sunday Bulletin.
Parish Office Church Hours Holy Mass
Confessions Pastoral Care Giving
IMPLEMENTING
AOB PHASE 2
Archdiocese of Baltimore (AOB) Phase 2 began on Saturday, May 30, 2020.
REMAIN STEADFAST IN FAITH
Our Lenten theme is, “Steadfast: Growing as a Resolute Christian.” Let us pray for each other as we continue to be steadfast, growing as resolute Christians. We trust in God's steadfast love and mercy during every circumstance.
WHY ARE WE DOING THIS?
To follow Archdiocese of Baltimore directives to comply with the Governor's Executive Orders. Our nation is attempting to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus. We want lessen human suffering and the burden on the health care system.
I. PARISH OFFICE
[Updated June 13, 2020] The Parish Office is open the the public from Monday to Friday (9 AM - 5 PM). You must wear a mask to enter the Parish Office, per the State of Maryland and the Archdiocese of Baltimore. So that the Parish Secretary may serve others who also need assistance, please be considerate of the time.
MASS INTENTIONS
The Parish Office is receiving Mass intention requests. You can visit the Office or make your request via mail or email. Suggested donation is $10. At this time, we will assign the intention to the next available date. We are not able to accommodate specific date requests.
APPOINTMENTS WITH PASTOR
Call Father Harris (410-922-3800, ext. 6) or you can send an email (rharris@archbalt.org) to arrange to meet over the phone. Confession cannot be heard via telephone or via video conference.
II. CHURCH BUILDING OPEN FOR PRIVATE PRAYER
Updated July 10, 2020
Tuesday 9 AM - 10 AM
Tuesday 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Thursday 9 AM - 10 AM
Saturday 2:30 PM - 4:00 PM
Other times will be announced soon.
The parish needs volunteers who will serve as monitors for one or two hours. Please let Father Harris know If you are willing to serve (rharris@archbalt.org).
The Archdiocese of Baltimore requires a staff member or a volunteer to be on site to ensure compliance with the following regulations.
1. The Archdiocese strongly recommends those with pre-existing conditions and/or those who are age 60+ to avoid putting themselves at risk by coming to liturgies.
2. You must take your temperature at home before you leave. If you have a fever, or are sick, or suspect that you may have (or was exposed to) a contagious illness, please stay home and take care of yourself. If you are awaiting test results for COVID-19 or any contagious illness, you may not come to the parish campus, whether or not you have symptoms.
3. [Updated July 10, 2020] Only 50 persons can be in the church building (i.e., nave and narthex) at one time.
4. Persons aged 2 and older must wear a mask. If you bring a child with you, they must remain in one place.
5. You must sit in one of the designated pews and at least six feet away from another person, unless you are with someone who lives with you. For sanitary reasons, a person may not kneel or lay prostrate on the carpet or in the sanctuary.
6. After you have concluded your time with the Lord, the volunteer must sanitize where you sat or knelt and whatever else you have touched.
III. HOLY MASS
We need to recruit and train ushers and cleaning crew members as required by the Archdiocese of Baltimore.
Ushers guide people to enter, find seating, during the Communion Procession, and to depart. Offertory will be received in containers on a table after Holy Mass. You won't touch anyone or anything except opening the doors for Holy Mass. Can you help? Email Father Harris.
Cleaning Crew members will clean the church after Holy Mass. You would use sanitizing wipes on pews where people sat, sanctuary railing, sanctuary chairs, the top of the Ambo (pulpit), door knobs, and the restrooms (sink, toilet, door knob). We will provide the gloves and sanitizing wipes. You supply the mask. We don't envision it taking longer than 30 minutes. Can you help? Email the Parish Office.
Sunday Holy Mass with the faithful present (popularly known as "public Holy Mass) will resume on June 21. See below for details. We will continue to livestream Holy Mass and devotions.
The live-stream is on Facebook here.
You do not need a Facebook account to view it.
Updated July 26, 2020
The Lord's Day
Saturday Holy Mass 4 PM
Sunday Holy Mass 7:30 AM 11 AM
Monday - Saturday
Rosary 8 AM
Holy Mass 8:30 AM
PUBLIC WEEKDAY WORSHIP
Updated July 6, 2020
Monday - Friday
Rosary at 8 AM
Holy Mass at 8:30 AM
You must follow the instructions for Sunday Holy Mass
except that reservations are not need (but only 52 may attend)
and to follow the volunteers' directions about the seating arrangements.
PUBLIC SUNDAY HOLY MASS
RESUMED JUNE 21
Updated on July 26, 2020
Saturday at 4 PM
Sunday at 7:30 AM & 11 AM
Only 52 people per Holy Mass.
Sunday Holy Mass: reserve a seat.
At this point, we have enough volunteers to serve as ushers and cleaning crew members to resume Holy Mass with the faithful present(popularly known as “public Holy Mass”). But the schedule is modified at this stage.
Public Sunday Holy Mass will resume on Sunday, June 21 at 7:30 AM and 11 AM at this stage. The 11 AM Holy Mass will be livestreamed.
Why not Saturday at 4 PM & our full Sunday schedule (7:30 AM, 10:30 AM, & Noon)?
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The schedule was created due to volunteer availability.
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11 AM was chosen to combine the 10:30 AM & Noon at this stage.
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When we have enough volunteers available for Saturday at 4 PM, we will resume it.
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The same regarding the full Sunday schedule.
Why are you waiting until June 21?
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I had announced the possibility of June 7 or 14, but we did not have enough volunteers to proceed.
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We need time to inform parishioners via mailing, the website, Flocknote, Instagram, and Facebook. Obviously, the mailing to registered parishioners will take several days to arrive at their residences. A copy of the mailing will be posted on the website.
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We need time to educate everyone about expectations (e.g., take your temperature at home, wear a mask is a requirement, no physical contact, etc.).
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We need time to finalize a sign-up protocol that will be fair to internet users and non-internet users. Only 52 spots will be available per Holy Mass due to the Archdiocese of Baltimore directive that only 1/3 capacity can be filled.
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We need time to train ushers, who will be doing things differently in directing people to their seats, the Communion procession, and the dismissal.
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We need time to train our cleaning crew members.
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We need time to communicate with our liturgical ministers and to train them. At this stage, only lectors will be assigned. Communion Ministers will begin to serve in mid-August. The Archdiocese strongly recommends not having Altar Servers at this time.
What is the musical format for the Sunday Holy Mass?
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7:30 AM will remain spoken.
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11 AM will have music but no congregational singing per Archdiocesan directive and the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It will be mostly instrumentation with a few selections offered by the Cantor. The Gloria, Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, the Eucharistic Acclamations, etc. will be spoken.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR ATTENDING
PUBLIC HOLY MASS
1. The Sunday Mass Obligation continues to be suspended. The Archdiocese strongly recommends those with pre-existing conditions and/or those who are age 60+ to avoid putting themselves at risk by coming to liturgies.
2. Check your health condition. You must take your temperature at home before you leave. If you have a fever, or are sick, or suspect that you may have (or was exposed to) a contagious illness, please stay home and take care of yourself. If you are awaiting test results for COVID-19 or any contagious illness, you may not come to the parish campus, whether or not you have symptoms.
3. Children must observe social distance norms. If you bring children, they must be able to stay in one place. Otherwise, for the sake of their health and the health of others, they should not come to Holy Mass. For social distance reasons, the multipurpose room is not available.
4. Only 1/3 capacity. For religious gatherings, Governor Hogan set the maximum at 1/2 capacity with social distancing norms followed. Archbishop Lori has set the maximum in Catholic churches at 1/3 capacity with the same conditions. At Holy Family Church, this means about 50 persons. We will explore whether we should also have one Sunday Holy Mass in the Hall.
5. Wearing a mask is required for persons aged 2 and older.
6. Greeting others: While we will be happy to see others, greet them with words and a wave. Please do not congregate, hug, kiss, shake hands, etc.
7. Restroom protocol: You must follow the provided instructions to clean the area after use.
8. Seating protocol for Sunday Holy Mass: You must sit in the designated pews. Persons who live in the same residence can sit together. Otherwise, you must sit six feet away from the nearest person. The church multipurpose room will not be available.
Seating protocol for Weekday Holy Mass: You must follow the direction of our volunteers. enter the church nave by way of the double door nera the center aisle. Individuals sit on the left of the center aisle. Households sit on the right of the center aisle.
9. Offertory Collection will be at the end of Sunday Holy Mass. Your monetary gifts will be placed in designated buckets after Holy Mass as you leave the building.
10. Our Father: Please do not hold hands with others while we pray The Lord’s Prayer.
11. Sign of Peace: It is omitted.
12. Communion Procession: Follow the priest’s instruction. No one may remain in the pew. Those who are not receiving Holy Communion will receive a blessing.
Volunteers needed: We need men and women age 18+ to serve as ushers and on the cleaning crew. You must bring your mask. We will provide the other material. We will provide training.
We look forward to the day in which these precautions will not be necessary.
Sunday Holy Mass: reserve a seat.
IV. CONFESSIONS
Updated July 26, 2020
Saturday 2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
Other times will be announced soon.
The parish needs volunteers who will serve as monitors to ensure compliance with directives and to sanitize areas. Please let Father Harris know If you are willing to serve (rharris@archbalt.org).
1, The Archdiocese strongly recommends those with pre-existing conditions and/or those who are age 60+ to avoid putting themselves at risk by coming to liturgies.
2. You must take your temperature at home before you leave. If you have a fever, or are sick, or suspect that you may have (or was exposed to) a contagious illness, please stay home and take care of yourself. If you are awaiting test results for COVID-19 or any contagious illness, you may not come to the parish campus, whether or not you have symptoms.
3. Only 10 persons can be in the church building (i.e., nave and narthex) at one time.
4. Persons aged 2 and older must wear a mask. If you bring a child with you, they must remain in one place.
5. Confessions will be heard in the sacristy and outside. Signs will direct you to the sacristy and where to stand in line, keeping six feet away from the next person in line.
6. Please keep your confessions to the point. The priest may have a pre-existing medical condition. If you desire further conversation, please arrange to speak with he priest over the telephone or via video conference. We are here to serve you.
7. If you sit or kneel in one the designated pews, the volunteer must sanitize where you sat or knelt and whatever else you have touched. For sanitary reasons, a person may not kneel or lay prostrate on the carpet or in the sanctuary
8. If you use the restroom, you must follow the provided instructions to clean the area after use.
Learn what the Church teaches about making an Act of Perfect Contrition when sacramental confession is not available here.
V. PASTORAL CARE
APPOINTMENTS WITH PASTOR
Call Father Harris (410-922-3800, ext. 6) or send an email (rharris@archbalt.org). Usually your issue can be handled by phone or email. This include counseling via telephone. Confessions cannot be heard via telephone or via video conference.
PASTORAL EMERGENCIES
Per Archdiocese of Baltimore directives, anointings by priests not serving as hospital chaplains are only to be offered in cases where the individual is actively dying.
BAPTISMS
[Updated May 28, 2020] Baptisms may be scheduled. Only 40 persons can be in the church, which includes the priest or deacon. Persons ages 2+ must wear a mask and follow the protocols given by the priest or deacon. These protocols will be provided in writing to the parent(s) and summarized before the ritual begins.
Parents can participate in a Baptismal Preparation Conference now if this is your first child t be baptized. Contact Mrs. JoAnn Harvan-Chin (joann.harvan@archbalt.org or 410-922-3800, ext. 5).
FUNERALS
[Updated May 28, 2020] Funeral liturgies (whether a Holy Mass or outside of a Holy Mass) are permitted in the church. Only 40 persons may be present, which includes the priest, any assisting ministers, and funeral home staff. Due to the risks involved for the clergy and the family, the Archdiocese has prohibited physical greetings by the clergy. To avoid further risk of contagion, there will be no singing. Other protocols of Holy Mass (see below) must be followed.
VISITING HOMES
Per Archdiocese of Baltimore directives, we cannot visit homes at this time. This is to protect the homebound. Some of us may be carrying a virus even if we do not have symptoms.
HOSPITAL VISITS
Per Archdiocese of Baltimore directives, the priests cannot visit the hospital unless there is a person actively dying and the hospital allows us to visit.
BOOK OF INTENTIONS
[Updated on April 25, 2020] You can add your prayer request to the Book of Intentions in the narthex. Learn about it here.