I am happy to share that, as of Tuesday, June 16th, public Masses will resume at Holy Family Church. As you may know, starting that week, religious services in Prince George's County may now resume at 25% of a building's capacity. Since our church can hold 800 people, this effectively means that we will be able to have public Mass for all our parishioners at the usual times again. The only restrictions that remain are the need for social distancing and certain precautions and efforts to reduce the risk of exposure to the virus and to sanitize and clean surfaces and materials.
Starting this Tuesday, June 16th, public daily Mass will resume, continuing each week, Tuesday - Friday, at 9.00am, in the main church; and beginning the weekend of the 20th/21st, public Sunday Masses will resume. All are welcome to attend.
We will have Sunday Mass at the usual times, which will continue each weekend, provided we have enough volunteers to usher during Mass and clean the church afterward. If we do not, Sunday Mass times will be eliminated, until we have enough volunteers.
We need six volunteers for each Sunday Mass (Sat 4.00pm; Sun 8.00am/11.00am). Volunteers will help usher during Mass, and help clean-up afterwards. (Clean-up should take about 30 minutes.) Please sign-up if you're willing and can commit to faithfully being there, week after week. The sign up sheet can be found here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1VsIEPUOtwc2jslP2U8_HDnQr5VvxJBTSd0-0zqO1KMc/edit?usp=sharing
I have prepared a list of guidelines, given at the end of this letter.
But in general, the guidelines can be summarized as follows: the dispensation from the Archbishop from attending Mass on Sunday is still in effect, so you are under no obligation to go to Sunday Mass at present; if you are especially at risk, you are encouraged to stay home; adults and teenagers are required to wear a mask when inside the church; enter church and go straight to your pew, and do not congregate in the aisles or entrances; places to sit will be available in every other pew, with masking tape marking which pews are open for seating; going up to Communion will be guided by the ushers, and will occur at the very end of Mass, after the final dismissal; receive Communion as usual, but do not say "Amen", so as not to expel any breath; once you receive Communion, proceed directly to the exit, leaving the church; bathrooms will be available, but use at your own risk, and cleaning supplies will be provided that you must use to clean the toilet and sink yourself, after every use; the offertory collection will be taken up as usual during Mass; after Communion has ended and all the congregation has left the church, volunteers will clean the pews with full-strength Pine Sol.
Otherwise, I'll explain the rest during Mass, as needed. Soon enough, we'll all get the hang of it. It may be strange, the way Mass will be celebrated now: it will be quicker and quieter in general, with no socializing and few signs of physical affection beyond a wave and smiling eyes, but it will be worth it!
In Christ,
Fr. Matt Fish
Instructions for Resuming the Public Celebration of Mass at Holy Family Parish
The following guidelines principally pertain to the celebration of Sunday Mass. The following guidelines generally apply for daily Mass as well, unless otherwise noted.
Sunday Mass (if enough volunteers to usher and clean are available) will be offered at the usual times of 4.00pm on Saturday and 8.00am and 11.00am on Sunday.
Daily Mass will be offered Tuesday – Friday at 9.00am (with Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament on Friday from 8.00am – 9.00am).
Confession will be offered in the back pew of the church, during Adoration on Fridays in the church from 8.00am to 9.00am, as well as after daily Mass on Tuesdays through Fridays, as needed. Confession will not be offered before or after Mass on Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning, as the priest and ushers will be busy preparing and cleaning the church for the celebration of Mass.