Due to the quarantine for corona virus back in the spring, all of our sacramental celebrations were postponed. We have now rescheduled them for this fall. Please mark your calendars with these new dates and times.
First Reconciliation   For all catechism students - Friday, September 25th at 6:00 PM in church.
                                           For all SCS school students - to be scheduled during school in September.
First Holy Communion   
          For SCS school students – Saturday, September 26th at Noon with rehearsal during school the week prior in church.

         For our catechism students with a last name A-L – Saturday, October 3rd at 10:00 AM with a rehearsal Sunday, September 27th at 2:00 PM in church.

        For our catechism students with a last name M-Z – Saturday, October 3rd at 12:00 PM with a rehearsal Sunday, September 27th at 4:00 PM in church. Confirmation Friday, October 23rd at 7:00 PM with a rehearsal on Sunday, October 18th at 7:00 PM in church.

Should there be a problem with one of these dates, please contact the rectory office.

There will be a few different things at church.  What you will find when you return to church?

·         We will be checking names at the door and taking temperatures.  Anyone with a fever above 100 degrees Fahrenheit will be sent home.  If you feel ill, please stay home.

·         There are hand sanitizer stations at the door to use when entering.

·         There will be no holy water in the fonts, no bulletins, booklets, or programs at the doors or being distributed.  Bulletins are available online at our website, MyParish App, or in print in the vestibule of the rectory.

·         There will be not missalettes or books in the pews.  We have eliminated all commonly handled materials.

1)      You are not required to attend!  Archbishop Blair has lifted the obligation to attend Masses until September.  If you’re older, immune compromised, have serious health issues, care for people who do, or are afraid to be in a crowd right now, then you are encouraged to stay home! 

2)      You must register for Mass before coming!  You may do this online, by going to July Masses - Sign Up

 Now that the churches are reopened for public liturgies for Sundays, we will resume hearing Confessions in Church.  The Reconciliation Room is open.  Please, wash your hands or use hand sanitizer before entering,  There is a HEPA filter over the grill of the screen, and the chair for face to face is 6 feet away from the priest.  Please note, you must wear a mask in the Reconciliation room and in church while there.  You must maintain six feet of distance between you and others waiting to enter.  Wait for the light to come on before entering.  We may need to wipe surfaces periodically between people.  

Beginning, Monday, June 8, 2020, the Archdiocese of Hartford will reopen churches for public Masses with some restrictions.

· Congregants must follow all social distancing rules, keeping a minimum of six (6) feet apart from others, not touching others, not gathering, and wearing face masks.

· Congregants may only sit in designated pews.  No more than two people in a pew (6 feet apart) who do not live in the same residence.

· People must register in advance before attending church.  They will go to—https://www.signupgenius.com/go/904054CADA72BA5FD0-daily   The link is on our webpage and Facebook group.  You may also trying calling the office to register during regular office hours (Monday through Thursday 9:00AM—3:00PM).

· Please be mindful of the needs of others to attend.  Do not register for all the Mass slots and leave none for others.  We ask that you kindly limit the number of Masses you attend each week to allow other to attend, until we see how it is working.

· Follow all guidelines about reception of the Eucharist, such as wearing a mask coming up, receiving on the hand, removing the mask to receive to the side, and retuning up the marked aisles.  No one will receive from the cup.  Anyone with gluten allergies must notify us they are in church at least 5 minutes before the start of Mass to prepare a gluten free host.

· No one may congregate to talk in the pews, aisles, or parking lots before or after Masses.  Social distancing must be kept while entering and exiting the church.

During the stay at home order, our church has been locked. (This was also do to issues with the heating system which was shut down in March.) While we await confirmation of when we may resume public Masses and liturgies, we will be opening up the church daily (starting Monday, May 25th) from 9:00 AM through 3:00 PM. This will give you time for private prayer. There will be a few regulations: 1) Use only the door at the ramp entrance closest to the Confessionals. Other doors will be locked. Do not go in or leave by any other doors. 2) If the doors are locked, try again later. It means the custodial are cleaning, we have someone doing repairs, or there is some other issue. 3) Please, only use a pew that is marked with a yellow Post-it note. They will be on the side facing the main aisle in the center, or the outside aisle heading for the exits on the outer pews. Do not sit or kneel in a pew without one. 4) Once you have used a pew, remove the Post-it note. Take it with you or throw it away. This will help us keep the church clean and ensure no one is using the same spot twice between cleanings. 5) There is no social gathering in the church and all people must maintain a minimum of 6 feet between individuals not living in the same house. Do not sit with your friends or others in the same pew. Masks are to worn at least when entering and leaving. We thank you for your cooperation. We are trying to be accessible while complying with health directives. Once liturgies are allowed, we will inform you.

Dear parishioners,
     In this unprecedented time of national emergency, we still want to join together in prayer.  While will must maintain social distancing to prevent the spread of Covid19, we can gather in virtual space.  Our parish has a Facebook group that allows for this.  I will be broadcasting Masses on our regular schedule of Masses through Facebook Live.  Our group is found at https://www.facebook.com/groups/104009621923/.  You will be able to watch it live with others in the parish at the same time, or you could stream it at any time later if you could not make the given time.  Masses will broadcast Mondays and Tuesday at 7:30 AM, Thursdays and Fridays at 12:10 PM, Saturdays at 8:00AM, and the weekend Mass I will broadcast at for the Vigil Mass time at 4:00 PM on Saturdays.  Rather than broadcasting three identical Masses, I will just do one on Saturday that can be streamed again on Sunday for those who prefer.  (The intentions for each Mass will be included in the live stream, and I will pray separately myself for each Mass intention.)  There are prayers for Spiritual Communion to be said at the time of Eucharist and the Prayer of St. Raphael – said in place of the Archangel Michael prayer at the end of Mass, for healing – written on the Facebook posts. 
 
Since our Bible study of Joshua has been put on hold, I need something to fill my time.  I cannot  continue that study, as not all of our class in online.  While we pause Joshua until classes can meet in person, I have a solution.  I will be doing a study of the Book of Tobit.  This is the book in which we meet the Archangel Raphael, patron saint of healing.  It is about people remaining righteous and faithful amidst crisis and health problems.  It is appropriate for the time!  I will stream a study on Facebook live on our group page Thursdays and Mondays at 1:30 PM, beginning Thursday, March 19^th.  I hope to see many of you there!
 
Be happy; be healthy; be holy!  God bless you all!   Fr. Joe