COVID-19 UPDATE & IMPORTANT INFO FOR RESUMING MASS & CONFESSIONS
Masses will resume at 1/3 seating capacity on Wednesday, May 27th, with Mass at 8am at St. Agnes!
The Mass schedule will be as follows:
Tuesday: 5:30pm, St. Agnes
Wednesday: 8am, St. Agnes
Thursday, 5:30pm, Sacred Heart
Friday, 8am, Sacred Heart
1st and 2nd Saturday: 4pm, St. Agnes.
3rd, 4th, & 5th Saturday: 4pm, Sacred Heart
Sunday: 8:30am, Sacred Heart
Sunday: 10:15am, St. Agnes
We strongly encourage our locals to attend during the week, and we invite all guests and visitors who are comfortable doing so to join us on the weekends!
We will be following strict protocols for capacity, cleaning, social distancing, and communion.
PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING:
Who should come to Mass?
We look forward to everyone coming to pray again communally and spiritually, however, due to social distance requirements, we can only seat a third of the capacity of our churches. Even though we will sit using social distancing guidelines, households can still sit together. This number is about 90 for Sacred Heart and about 133 for St. Agnes.
The obligation to attend Mass is still dispensed, so you are not obligated to attend. However, you are still required to keep holy the Lord’s Day. You can do this by praying the Mass online/TV, making a spiritual communion, and spending time in prayer.
Those who are locals to Walker and Hackensack, we encourage you PLEASE to attend Mass once during the week, thus allowing the weekends for visitors for the short term. We will be livestreaming our Mass indefinitely at 10:15am on Sundays.
In addition, we strongly encourage those over 65, and those with pre-existing health conditions to stay home and avoid public gatherings, including church.
Do not come to church if you are sick, coughing, sore throat, fever, shortness of breath, if you have been exposed to a sick person, or if you are caring for someone who is sick.
What are the Mass times?
Weekend Mass Schedule will resume with pre-COVID times & locations. Weekday Masses will be 5:30pm Tuesday and 8am Wednesdays at St. Agnes, and 5:30pm Thursdays and 8am Fridays at Sacred Heart. Please come only once/week at this point, as we are still observing only ⅓ capacity. If necessary, we will keep you informed of how we will limit the seating capacity for our two parishes.
What can I expect when I arrive?
Please come early. Avoid chatting or talking inside. Do not give handshakes, please remain 6 feet apart at all times. Wash your hands with sanitizer as you enter and sit in a designated pew starting from the front to the back. Please follow blue arrows on the floor for entrance and exit. Go to the bathroom before you arrive, bathrooms are for emergencies only. Please be patient and flexible.
What should I bring?
You should bring your own hand sanitizer, if you have it, mask, and gloves. Following CDC guidelines, the Minnesota Bishops strongly encourage everyone who enters the church to wear a mask. Masks help protect you and reduce the possibility of spreading a sickness you may not know you have. Masks cannot be placed on children under 2 years of age.
You may bring your Mass missal/iphone with Mass readings (apps such as ibreviary, Laudate). Hymnals have been removed.
What will change with the Mass?
The essential qualities of the Mass will remain the same, but there will be adjustments. You will notice less contact between Father and altar server. Since singing is the fastest way to spread the virus, there will be no congregational singing at this time. There is no sign of peace, and no distribution from the Chalices.
We will not be taking a collection during Mass. If you wish to make a financial offering to the parish, baskets will be at the entrances of the churches for you to use. Go here to give online: https://www.stagnesandsacredheart.com/automated-giving
Will I be able to receive communion?
Yes, but you are not required to receive if you do not feel comfortable. Communion will be at the end of Mass. At that time, Father will encourage those who wish to leave to exit through the side aisle. Practice social distancing as you leave. When Father is ready, he will encourage those who wish to receive communion to come forward, starting from the front of church, the communicant will come forward with clean hands and step to the first blue line available. All other communicants will follow, keeping 6 feet apart. Father will gesture you forward, pull down your mask to receive, and then go back to your pew for prayer and reflection or exit through the side aisle. You cannot wear gloves when you receive communion.
Expect that we will move between “phases” if the church authorities deem it appropriate. Please continue praying for an end to the coronavirus. Thank you for all of your patience and flexibility as we work through Phase 2 together!
The Confession Schedule:
Saturdays: 11am, St. Agnes, outside on the office sidewalk (totally safe!)
Saturdays: 3:30pm at the location of Mass.
Confessions at St. Agnes will be outside, rain or shine, on the office sidewalk.
Confessions at Sacred Heart will be in the "family room."
Confessions are ALWAYS AVAILABLE BY APPOINTMENT. Call or text the number for pastoral emergencies: 218-656-0535