Reopening for Mass

June 10, 2020

by Msgr. Panke

We are happy to announce that beginning this Friday (June 12th) we will begin to have public Masses in the church again, just in time for the Solemnity of Corpus Christi!

Please see the letter below from Msgr Panke with important information about Mass times, procedures and guidelines and opportunities for Holy Communion outside of Mass.

Also see the video with helpful information about procedures and guidelines for the reopening.

There will be more information tomorrow with a link for the signups.

Dear Friends in Christ,

I am happy to inform you that Archbishop Gregory has authorized parishes in Montgomery County to hold public Masses of 10 persons or less, and to have a brief communion rite, which we will hold as an outdoor “drive-in” service. Mother Teresa famously said, “If you can’t feed a hundred persons, then feed just one.” We should be grateful in our hearts that communion will be offered to those faithful that wish to receive and in particular on this weekend when we celebrate the Solemnity of Corpus Christi. Below are some important details so please read them carefully.

We will begin on Friday June 12th. The schedule and sign-ups for the services are below, and can be found on our website. As the guidelines change, and we gain more information about the best way to hold these services, there will be changes, so please refer to the website for updates.

Dispensation from Sunday Mass and Recorded Mass

The dispensation from Sunday will still be in effect.
No one is required to attend Mass, or receive communion.
If someone is not well, please do not venture out.
If someone is in a vulnerable population, you may want to consider staying home.
We will continue to record or live stream Masses

The Importance of Safety and Health

The Archdiocese has set up strict guidelines for Mass and the reception of communion which we will follow here at SJN. These guidelines can be found on the website. A few important items to note.
Please wear a mask when coming to Mass or when one is in the receiving line for communion.
Please wash your hands before coming to Mass and use disinfectant before entering the Church and before receiving (when possible).
The faithful are strongly encouraged to receive in the hand during this time of pandemic though there is no strict prohibition to receiving on the tongue.
The Clergy/Minister will disinfect their hands before giving out communion and afterwards. If there is any contact with hands or saliva, the clergy/minister will pause and disinfect his hands each time.
Social distancing will be in effect. The church has completely been set up to ensure social distancing and there are guidelines in effect for the communion rite as well.

Holy Mass

There will be a “Sign-Up Genius” (simply a platform to take reservations) placed on the website where one can sign up for Mass. Only 9 persons per Mass are allowed under current regulations. I am hopeful this will open up soon. Please sign up for only one Mass per week.

The Mass times were discussed with our task force and below is the scheduled agreed upon. The reasoning involves the necessity of a manageable cleaning schedule and the ability for persons with a wide range of schedules to receive the Eucharist. We also have to leave space for other sacramental rites such as First Communion, Confirmations, Weddings, Baptisms and Funerals.

The Mass times will be:
Monday-Friday at 6:30, 9:00 AM
Saturdays at 9:00 AM
Sundays at 7:30, 11:00 AM, 2:30 PM (Spanish)

If you are attending Mass, please arrive 15 minutes early and park in the upper parking lot (near the Marian Shrine). You will enter via the side entrance where one normally accesses the indoor adoration chapel. Once the door opens you will be given instructions on where to go and where to sit.

The bathrooms should be used only in situations of absolute necessity. Please prepare beforehand. Only one person at a time will be allowed to use the facilities.

Masses will be brief, and many options either cut out or reduced to limit the time spent in the space. You are asked to leave very soon after Mass (feel free to make a brief act of thanksgiving) in order to clean and prepare for the next Mass.

Communion Rite:
For those attending the communion rite. There will be a very brief “drive-in” communion rite after each Mass in this current phase of our reopening. The rite will occur rain or shine. Please enter via the Warfield Road entrance and you will be instructed where to park. No reservation is necessary for the communion rite.

The priest will make his way to the front of the adoration chapel after Mass with the hosts. The rite takes only a few minutes. It will be very difficult to hear the rite, but you may follow along by downloading the rite found on the website. Those attending should wait in their cars until instructed. Please keep social distancing and be patient. You may leave any time after receiving communion.

The times to arrive for the communion rite are as follows. No reservation is necessary.
Monday- Friday 6:45, 9:15 AM
Saturday 9:15 AM
Sunday 8:00 AM, 11:30 AM, 3:00 PM

Special Needs
If there are any special needs before attending the Mass, such as the need for a low gluten host or any handicap needs, please contact one of the priests a few days before.

One final thought
This plan, I am sure, is by no means perfect. This has been discussed with a number of people and this is the agreed upon way to move forward in these early stages to keep everyone safe and to follow the guidelines given out by the Archdiocese. My overall goal at this stage is simple…to get the Blessed Sacrament to those who desire and are able to receive Him while prudently keeping everyone healthy. I pray that the numbers available to come to Mass will increase soon.

Know of my prayers for you all.

In Christ,

Msgr. Panke