The greatest leader, the greatest servant

Limited seating at our Sunday liturgies, and an understandable anxiety over little ones being able to sit through the whole of the Mass has meant many of our families with young children have not been attending; and those who come also have missed out on a special time with our children’s catechist, Katelyn–it’s been suspended as part of the our COVID-19 protocols.

Katelyn has responded to their need to hear and understand God’s word on their terms despite the restrictions we currently operate under as a parish ministry. So, she’s going online!

Please click this link for instructions on having your children participate in Sunday’s Children’s Liturgy of the Word via Google Classroom.

Seating for Mass as per capacity rules set by the Provincial Government: no set percentage of capacity, but a requirement that all in the worship space be able to social distance from people from another household. So, this will mean seating in alternating pews (don’t sit in yellow-marked pews), and in the long central pews, keep two meters/six feet between persons of different households. This will translate into seating for 100 comfortably, and with a reasonable and effective limit of 150 depending upon how the congregation breaks down into households in attendance.

Sanitation and hygiene: Masks to be worn in the pews. We will cease wiping down the pews after each liturgy. Hymnals will be returned to the pews, and other printed materials are now allowed.

Choirs are still not permitted: just a single instrumental musician and a cantor are allowed.

Changes to the Mass:
We will resume the communion dialogue with each person coming to receive the sacrament, i.e. the celebrant will no longer raise a single host prior to the communion rite and say, “the body of Christ.” He will now say this to each person receiving, as will any assisting Eucharistic minister.
Reception on the tongue is allowed. However, those wishing to receive on the tongue must come forward after all others who have received in the hand; they must come only to the priest celebrant.

Social gatherings that follow a religious service (e.g. funeral receptions in the parish centre, coffee hour following Mass, and so on), are currently being discouraged. Outdoor gatherings are limited by the ability to social distance — so events in the parish garden have a reasonable limit of 100. Small meetings (e.g. CWL executive) may be held if virtual meeting is not practical. Social distancing and other health and safety protocols to be followed.

For the immediate future, we will continue to stream/offer a recording online of the whole of the Sunday mass.

Confessions will now be available at their usual scheduled time of 4 to 4:45 p.m. Saturdays. A ventilating fan has been installed in the confessional in the church. Penitents are to wear masks in the confessional; as will the priest-confessor.

The dispensation from the Sunday obligation is still in force.

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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 are in need of assistance, or know someone who is,  please call the Parish Office at 905-628-2880 and follow the auto-attendant menu.