As of July 29, priests may visit hospitals to provide the Sacrament of the Sick and Viaticum (Last Rites). At this time only priests “on call” (each hospital has a schedule of areas priests designated for their facility) are to administer these sacraments, and to do so between the hours of 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. Requests for these sacraments must come through hospital staff, not family members, and are to be made only in extremis (danger of death).

Mass will be celebrated Saturdays at 5 p.m. and Sundays at 9 and 11 a.m.

Sanitary protocols are to be followed:

maintain social distancing (6 feet / 2 meters)

strongly recommended that a mask be worn

use hand sanitizer upon entering the building

follow the directions of the ushers with regard to entering, seating, communion, etc.

if you are experiencing any cold or flu symptoms, stay home! (Covid-19 Online Self-Assessment)

READ FR. WHITFIELD’S PASTORAL LETTER RE: WORSHIP BEGINNING JUNE 20 & 21 – pastoral letter – June 16_2020

A parishioner was conscientious enough to forward us this link having attended one of our first masses since lockdown. Noting how people were awkward about what to do with their masks at communion, a link was sent along for our information. Please have a read and apply the lessons, not just to Mass, but everywhere.

How to wear a mask.

Following yesterday’s announcement by Provincial Premier Doug Ford of the next steps in the phased return of Ontario to something approaching normalcy in its civil and economic life, the Bishop of Hamilton, His Excellency, the Most Rev. Douglas Crosby has given directives to the parishes of the Diocese of Hamilton with regard to the offering of worship.

While the opening of churches goes into effect midnight of Friday, June 12, the Diocese of Hamilton’s parish churches will not open for any congregational worship prior to Tuesday, June 16. Public liturgies can not exceed in attendance 30 percent of the building’s seating capacity. No worship will be offered until mandated preparation with regard to cleaning and sanitary protocols are in place, volunteers trained in the new protocols, and church worship spaces prepared. St. Augustine’s anticipates this will mean our earliest offering of a public Mass will be on the weekend of June 20-21. We will evaluate our state of readiness and do our best to announce the Mass schedule in a timely manner. The diocese expects a sharp decline in attendance, and parishes have been advised to not add Masses at this time until demand can be reasonably ascertained.

It is to be emphasized that this is not a “reopening” of the parish. The administrative offices remain closed until further notice. There will be no educational or fellowship programming in the Parish Centre. The offering of the Mass, and other opportunities for prayer are still constrained by directives from civil provincial authorities, and it is beyond the control of the diocese to amend any of these restrictions. Worship will only be permitted once an extensive list of preparations has been completed and verified by diocesan authorities. Given the parish’s small staff, volunteers will be needed to meet this fundamental requirement. While parishioners are encouraged to offer their time in this endeavour, please be aware that we are also restricted in terms of the numbers of people to be working on this preparatory work. So, you may volunteer, but the pastor may have to graciously refuse your offer! However, that offer of help will likely be accepted with regard to the actual offering of worship as extra ushers, etc. will be needed according to the bishop’s latest guidelines.

The celebration of Corpus Christi with exposition of the Blessed Sacrament in the parish gardens will proceed, Sunday, June 14 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The faithful are encouraged, if in good health, to visit and pay their respects to our Lord in the Eucharist. This will not be a time for extended adoration, but an opportunity for some prayer as one passes through the garden behind the Parish Centre.

For a summary of the guidelines, and a message from our bishop, please click the link below for the official text.

2020 LETTER TO PARISHIONERS, June 10 – LOCKED

While its stores have been closed, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVP) has continued its valuable and life sustaining work through the whole period of the COVID -19 lockdown. While observing the necessary protocols, our parish Vincentians have done visits and provided material help to people of our community in need. That need is sure to grow as the economic impact of the pandemic and the lockdown manifests itself in lost jobs, closed businesses, etc. So please remember the society and its need for financial support through the end of the lockdown period and into the summer months. Parishioners can put a little extra in their offering, and designate it for SVP and the relief of those in need.

If you’ve been by the parish church at 8. 9, noon, 3, 6 or 7:30 recently, you would have heard the curious chiming of our St. Michael bell. It neither rang the hour nor the Angelus (three triple tolls) but a seemingly arbitrary number of tolls. The company that installed our bell ringing system in the early 1960’s, I.T. Verdin of Cincinatti, Ohio sent a representative to us who looked it over and concluded that, in addition to needing some general servicing and repair, the system could use an electrician to sort out some failing switches. This was the cause of the failure to toll correctly.

In steps Ryan Rozario (pictured above). He’s getting married at St. Augustine’s in August, and is understandably concerned about the arrangements in light of the Covid-19 lockdown. Having stopped by to discuss the matter, he was invited, as an electrician, to have a look at the bell. After almost three hours of fussing with switches and circuits in the dark and dust of the bell tower, he got the striking mechanism to sound the Angelus once again!

God bless and thanks to Ryan! And all the best on his wedding day!

McMaster Humanities professor Bonny Ibhawoh named to UN expert group: read the story here.