Welcome Back to SAM!!
Dear Friends,
The time has come at long last to take the first steps back to Mass and reception of the Eucharist. Your patience and outreach have been exemplary. Thank God for your faith and tireless goodness! These have been difficult days for us all. Fr. Don, Fr. Rob and I have been praying for you each day as we celebrate Mass; and we have relied on your continuing prayers for us as well. So I wanted to share some thoughts with you as we move forward and take our tentative steps in this new world in which we find ourselves.
Again, thank you for your patience and understanding. We didn’t take any pandemic courses in the seminary so many years ago, so this is new territory for us all. We have also been trying to follow the many protocols that have been issued by the State of Ohio and the Diocese of Cleveland – protocols that have been issued for our health and well-being. As always, please read them carefully on the Diocesan website and realize that we are applying these regulations pastorally and specifically in each parish. Every parish is different with regard to architecture, seating, etc. So it’s not ‘one size fits all’ as you can imagine!
I wrote the following to our EMHC (extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion), and I share it with you now to keep you up to date:
Message from Fr. Lanning/Resumption of Public Masses-Invitation to Serve
Dear Friends: The day is finally here! The Bishops of Ohio and our Diocesan Administrator, Fr. Donald Oleksiak, have announced that churches of our diocese may begin to reopen for the celebration of public mass beginning with weekday mass starting on Memorial Day, Monday May 25, 2020 (see Letter to the Faithful, attached). The plan prepares us to celebrate the solemnity of Pentecost the weekend of May 30-31, when Sunday mass will be celebrated publicly.
Please note: The dispensation from the obligation to attend Sunday mass remains in effect. The Church continues to be cautious and concerned for all who are vulnerable – the elderly and those with serious health issues – and anyone who feels that they would put their health at risk by coming to church. Those individuals should stay home and continue as they have been for their own safety. Anyone who is not feeling well should NOT come to church. If you do not come to church or attend mass, God understands; it is NOT a sin. God wants us to care for ourselves and one another in the best way possible.
In fact, I am very sad to tell you that one of our wonderful extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion (emHC’s) was hospitalized for the virus and sadly passed away. He did not get the virus from being in church, but from his job. I asked his family if it was OK to share this with you, and the family said they would very much like us to know this.
The pandemic is serious. We all need patience until a time when we can return to a more normal life. Please keep your fellow minister who passed away in your prayers.
Coming back to public celebration of mass will look and feel very different from what we are used to, at least for the foreseeable future. The Diocese and the State of Ohio have provided numerous guidelines designed to provide a safe environment, including maintaining social distancing and instructions for the distribution of Holy Communion (see attached Guidelines-PostPandemic). Each parish must implement these guidelines specific to their physical space/architecture, keeping the health and safety of all at the forefront.
Here at St. Angela’s we are taking steps to assure that the return to public masses will be safe for all and proceed as smoothly as possible. A copy of the banner we are planning to hang at the southeast/handicapped ramp entrance to the church (the only entrance that will be open for mass) is also attached. We’re trying our best to make sure that everyone feels welcome coming back to mass, but within the constraints being imposed upon us for everyone’s health and safety.
You will see from this week’s bulletin and updated website what the schedule of masses will be for the first week and then, after that, from Pentecost onward. For the foreseeable future, we will not be utilizing the Ministry Scheduler for emHC’s. Since the number of mass attendees will be limited to approximately 100, we will probably be able to use two emHC’s at every mass.
If you feel uncomfortable exercising the ministry of emHC, we understand; this is not a problem. All emHC’s will be mandated to wear both face masks and latex gloves for the distribution of Holy Communion. We are restricted to the host only, and we are going to urgently recommend that everyone take Communion in the hand.
If you are willing to serve at a mass you are attending, please stop by the sacristy once you enter the church for mass and let the celebrant know that you are there and available. Instructions to emHC’s and the congregation will be given as mass proceeds to guide all, especially during the first several weeks back in the church when the process will be new and unfamiliar.
We’ve talked with other pastors and parishes and everyone is going through the same thing. We understand this may be challenging but we ask for everyone’s patience and for making sure that this works for the safety of all involved. Once again, the obligation to attend Sunday mass has been set aside for the time being. May God keep us safe. We rely on the intercession of the Blessed Mother, who is the Health of the Sick. And certainly our parish patron, St. Angela Merici.
Oremus pro invicem. Soli Deo Gloria. Fr. Michael J. Lanning, Pastor
Re Lectors and other ministers, I think we should follow similar guidelines for the time being and as the weeks and months unfold.
First of all, we won’t be sending out lector schedules until we have more clear-cut information from the diocese and the State of Ohio about safety and security. That doesn’t mean we don’t want lectors. But I want you to share your ministry ONLY IF YOU FEEL SAFE AND SECURE ABOUT DOING IT.
I spoke with Mary Jo D. about this and said that we should need only one lector per Mass on the weekends when we resume the regular schedule May 30th and 31st. We want you to wear a mask when not speaking and have sanitizer available for you.
IF YOU WANT TO PROCLAIM THE WORD AS A LECTOR, PLEASE COME TO SACRISTY BEFORE MASS AND LET US KNOW OF YOUR INTEREST AND WILLINGNESS TO SERVE. The paperwork of trying to keep clear who’s interested and who isn’t could be a hassle for all of us! So this will be a simple way of having lectors for the time being. Thanks for understanding.
So for lectors:
One lector needed per Mass
Please stop by the sacristy and let us know if you want to serve
We will continue this until the next phase of mass attendance begins, whenever that is; no word yet
Remember that the obligation to attend Mass is still set aside for the foreseeable future
In all cases, please read the guidelines from the diocese that are attached to this memo
Now, for the schedule of Masses: As you may have already read, the first week of public masses beginning on May 25th are as follows:
FOR THE FIRST WEEK ONLY!
Monday, Wednesday and Friday: Masses at 6:30 a.m.; 11:30 a.m.; and 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday and Thursday: Masses at 11:30 a.m. only
No Saturday morning Mass this first week. We have some funerals this week.
Please remember: We are offering these multiple weekday masses for the first week only to help everyone get used to the new normal and to help you come back to mass and communion according to your own family and work schedules. We hope this is helpful for this first week only. After we begin the regular schedule on Pentecost, we will return to the normal weekday schedule of 8:30 a.m. Masses.
THEN BEGINNING MAY 30TH AND MAY 31ST
THE REGULAR WEEKEND SCHEDULE OF MASSES RETURNS ON THE WEEKEND OF MAY 30TH AND MAY 31ST, PENTECOST
OUR NORMAL / REGULAR SCHEDULE FOR MASSES IS
SATURDAY AT 4:30 PM
SUNDAY AT 7:30 A.M., 9:30 A.M., 11:30 A.M., AND 5:30 P.M.
As always, if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call.
Please remember that every parish is going through the same challenges that we are. As we apply the protocols to our situation, we again trust in your patience and understanding. I was personally very saddened to hear about the death of Alex Ordodi, our Eucharistic minister who died from the COVID virus. He contracted the virus through his normal work life, not from family or from church, etc. Those of you who knew him remember him as a fine and faithful man. He was selfless in his reaching out in ministry and seemed always so happy to serve. His family loved him very much, and they are grateful for your prayers. When something like this hits home, we realize again that this situation is very serious, indeed. That shouldn’t frighten us but keep us aware that we need to be cautious and follow the protocols laid out for us. With trust in almighty God and with loving concern for our fellow friends and parishioners, we will get through this. In the meantime, we pray and place our faith, our hope, and our love in the Most Holy Trinity.
So keep safe. We will be there with you as the church re-opens. And if you are concerned at all about your safety, don’t hesitate to stay home. God truly understands.
When you do come to church, remember that we will be keeping the 6 feet social distancing rule; families will be able to sit together in one pew, but if you want to be in a pew with others not your family, then you will have to keep the 6 feet rule. Masks are a necessity (your own or those we will provide); entrance to the church is limited to the southeast entrance by the handicapped ramp; sanitizer is available; communion is restricted to the host only. I do urge everyone to receive communion in the hand. If you go by the tongue, then we who distribute are expected to sanitize each time. Not a happy prospect!
Looking forward to seeing you. We will be helping everyone through these opening days. Check out the attached files. May God bless us. Saint Angela Merici, pray for us. Mary, Health of the Sick, pray for us.
Oremus pro invicem. Soli Deo Gloria.
Fr. Lanning
