New MASS Details

Parishioners who have underlying health conditions or who are over 60 years old are STRONGLY encouraged to avoid attending Mass. Those who are symptomatic or who have been exposed to another with the virus within 14 days are not permitted to enter the church. All are asked to check their temperature at home before coming to church.

The dispensation from Sunday Mass obligation will remain in place for all Catholics in the Archdiocese until further notice.

Our live stream Masses will continue for the foreseeable future, both Sunday Mass & Daily Mass

Although we are now allowed to fill the church up to 50% capacity, we still have to practice social distancing by roping off every other pew. Once church is “full”, parishioners may go to our Parish Hall where we can accommodate 100+ people. Mass will be live streamed in the Hall and Holy Communion will be distributed.

The church and parish hall doors will not be kept open so you will be opening the doors to enter church and the parish hall. There are hand sanitizers available at all doors of the church and parish hall. When the church fills, a red flag will be placed outside and overflow will be directed to the parish hall. When the hall fills, a red flag will be placed outside.

St. Joseph Parish has acquired a New Disinfectant spray for our Church and Parish Hall. This new disinfectant only requires application every 90 days. Daily sanitization is no longer required. The bathrooms, sacristy, St. Joseph Room and other parts of church will still be cleaned daily as normal.

The Archdiocese is very strongly encouraging that everyone wears a mask throughout the whole Mass rather than only when walking in or out of the church. There will be no congregational singing at the 5:00 PM & 7:00 AM weekend Masses for the foreseeable future. People attending these Masses are still encouraged to wear their masks throughout the Mass. But if this proves a major difficulty, you may remove your mask when seated in the pew.

There will be congregational singing at the 8:45, 10:30 and 12:15 Sunday Masses.  Consequently, everyone attending these Masses is required to wear masks throughout the duration of the Mass. Whenever we have an all school Mass at 8:00 a.m. during the week, everyone in attendance will have to wear a face mask.

According to CDC and Archdiocesan guidelines, masks are to be worn by persons 2 and older.

Families may sit together in the church and parish hall. In the church, every other pew will be cordoned off. Families are requested to maintain a distance of 6 feet from the next family in a pew. In the hall, rows of chairs will be 6 feet apart and chairs within in the rows will be 1 foot apart. Two chairs should be left empty between families. Please do not move the chairs in the parish hall.

Holy Communion can now be received on the hand or the tongue. Those who wish to receive Communion on the tongue must receive it from the Mass celebrant only. Keep a distance of 6 feet from the person in front of you. Aisles will be marked where to stand. Leave your mask on to protect the communion minister and the other hosts they are holding. Bow and respond “Amen” as normal. Extend your hands to receive the host. After stepping away from the minister, remove your mask and consume the host, then replace your mask. No Precious Blood will be available until further notice. If you need a low-gluten host, special arrangements are to be made with the pastor.

Collection baskets will be placed in the aisles of church & the parish hall. Please place your envelope in the basket prior to entering a pew in church or a row of chairs in the hall. You can always give online through Faith Direct.

Sunday Nursery, Children’s Liturgy of the Word, and Catechesis of the Good Shepherd will be suspended until further notice.

Everyone should exit church in an organized manner, wearing masks and observing 6 feet distance between each household. After the recessional hymn, please leave the church building and parish hall immediately into the parking lot. Please do not linger in the gathering area.

The Missals will be removed from the pews. A printed worship aid with the music for Sunday Mass is available on our parish website. You are encouraged to print copies at home and bring them with you to church; limited copies will be available in church. We ask that you take your sheet home and recycle it.

Holy Water will not be out to make the sign of the cross when entering and leaving church until further notice. Although there is holy water in the baptismal font, please DO NOT use it.

Meetings and events on parish grounds are still suspended until further notice. We encourage our organizations to continue online meetings through ZOOM.

The Adoration Chapel is still open 24/7. Hours of Exposition of the Most Blessed Sacrament will be Monday 8:30 AM – Tuesday 6:15 AM, Wednesday 8:30 AM – Thursday 6:15 AM, and Friday 8:30 AM – Saturday 7:45 AM. No more than 6 people in the Chapel.

Unfortunately, once the Church and Parish Hall are both full, we will not be able to accommodate additional people. We will be monitoring Mass attendance very closely and consider how best to meet the needs of our parish.

The Ushers will determine when the church has reached capacity based on social distancing guidelines. Once the church is full, a red flag will be placed outside the church, and overflow will be directed to the Parish Hall.