Dear People of God of St. Dominic Parish.
We missed seeing you at church and are so happy to
welcome you back from the weekend of June 20/21. While as you enter and get
into the Church, you recognize that things may not look or feel the same as
they did before. Some may find this awkward or uncomfortable. Others may wonder
why we have these new measures at all. We want to assure you that these
temporary measures are only in place to make sure you stay healthy. We also
want to assure you that we have done everything we can do to protect your
health while you are at church. The church is thoroughly sanitized before every
Mass thanks to a team of volunteers. More volunteers are always needed to ensure
the cleaning process is quick and effective. If you are willing to help before
this, or any other Mass, please contact the parish office .
We will be having weekend masses as usual,
Saturday- 5.00pm. Sunday- 9.30am. and 11.30am. I request the elderly people,
those who are sick and feel uncomfortable,
for your own health benefits, stay at home and watch the live stream
masses online until the situation becomes fully normal. Family members can sit
together. Kindly Note: With 6 ft. Physical distancing the church may hold the
limited seating capacity for each mass.
A few
notes about the Mass:
- While not mandatory, we strongly encourage you to wear non-medical grade masks or face coverings to church. If you are unable to wear a face covering for the entire Mass, please consider wearing it when entering and exiting the church and while lining up for Holy Communion.
- Where possible, please maintain six feet or two metres of physical distance from other parishioners who are not members of your household.
- We will not have communal singing during Mass at this time.
- All children’s ministries during Mass are cancelled at this time.
- The offertory basket will not be passed around. If you are able, after Mass please leave a donation in the baskets at the back of the church. Also, please consider signing-up for Pre-Authorized Giving on the Archdiocese of Toronto’s website, which is a convenient way to support the church whether you are present or not. Thank you for your generosity!
- At the Sign of Peace, please nod or bow to your neighbours rather than shaking hands.
- If you suddenly feel sick during the Mass, please leave the church for the safety of all parishioners. If you learn that you or a member of your household have tested positive for COVID-19 within 14 days of attending Mass, please contact our local Public health agency and the parish office. We will protect your identity, except in conversation with public health officers or to stop the spread of the virus.
- At Holy Communion, we ask
that you follow direction of the ushers. You can use the lines on the floor to
maintain physical distancing. Please stop at the mark that is six feet or two
metres from the priest or Minister of Holy Communion. If you are receiving a
blessing, please cross your arms and receive the blessing from that spot. Then
you can return to your seat. If you are receiving the Eucharist, please stop at
the six-foot or two-metre spot from the altar. The priest will say “The Body of
Christ” and you will reply “Amen.” With your mask on, approach the priest or
Minister of Holy Communion. Receive the Eucharist. Move to the spot marked on
the floor to your left or right, remove your mask and consume the Eucharist.
Then put the mask back on your face and return to your pew.
- After extensive consultation with medical professionals specializing in pandemic management, Cardinal Thomas Collins, Archbishop of Toronto, has decided that Holy Communion on the tongue will be temporarily suspended in order to stop the spread of the virus. We will return to this practice for those who wish to receive in this way as soon as we are able to do so.
- We will not distribute the Precious Blood at this time. We understand that this may be a lot of information to process and it may feel odd. However, we will help you navigate these changes. We’ll all do the best we can. After months away from our parish, these temporary measures allow us to celebrate together once again in a way that we can protect one another. We thank you for your understanding and co operation. It will be great to see you all once again.
Thanking
you in advance, for your cooperation and Support.
God bless
us and Mary our Blessed Mother mama Mary pray for us.
Fr. Terry.
St.
Dominic Parish
Mississauga
