PASTOR'S MESSAGE
May 23-24, 2020 - Ascension of Our Lord
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
We are going to be opening up some here at Holy Family:
1. Drive through confessions. Upcoming times: Sat., May 23rd from 3:30pm-4:45pm. We'll have two priests. Upcoming dates will also be Wed., May 27th from 7pm-8:30pm and Sat., May 30th from 3:30pm-4:45pm.
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
We are going to be opening up some here at Holy Family:
1. Drive through confessions. Upcoming times: Sat., May 23rd from 3:30pm-4:45pm. We'll have two priests. Upcoming dates will also be Wed., May 27th from 7pm-8:30pm and Sat., May 30th from 3:30pm-4:45pm.
2. The Oratory will be opening up at 9am on Tues, May 26. Current signed-up adorers will be sent a sign-up genius to sign up again for new time slots where they are alone or they are with a group they were quarantined with. ALL OTHER PARISHIONERS, IF YOU WANT TO SIGN UP FOR THE ORATORY, please go to www.holyfamilychurch.com and scroll down to the "adoration" icon and click on it and follow the instructions to sign up as a SUBSTITUTE and someone will contact you to instruct you on all the ways we are making this ministry safe through disinfecting after each person, etc. If you have questions please call the parish office at 301-261-7399 and leave a message with extension 21 and your questions will be forwarded to the Adoration leadership.
3. The Church is not opening from 11am-1 pm as earlier posted. Holy Family Chapel is open for prayer. We are reopening using all the protocols that other parishes in the area are using.
• Limit of 10 people.
• Please wait if there are already ten people inside.
• If you come to the chapel and there are more than 10 people please call Fr. Andy’s cell at 410-703-4566 and he will come down.
• Please sit at one of the ten spots where there is blue painter’s tape on the pews. All marked spots are where the pews meet the exterior walls.
• PLEASE WIPE OFF WHERE YOU WILL SIT WITH THE SANITIZING WIPES BEFORE YOU SIT DOWN AND NOT AFTER.
• Please use hand sanitizer before leaving.
• Please use gloves if they are helpful to you.
• You are required to wear a mask. If you don’t have a mask please take one. If you borrow a cloth mask, please put into the basket labelled “used masks.”
5. We now can have weddings, baptisms and funerals in our church buildings as long as we don't go over 10 people.
6. AS FOR MASS HERE AT HOLY FAMILY: We are waiting for the okay from Anne Arundel County, and we don't know when that will be....but right now, we have looked at the many many issues that are entailed in making Mass IN the church building safe (Archdiocese wants only 30% capacity in the church -- which means only 125 people in the church, so we would need overflow in the hall where they would simply watch a livestream of the Mass....restaurant-style individual seating of people by ushers at all entrances....the need to clean the church and hall thoroughly after every Mass....the need to provide masks for all people entering the building if they don't have them -- or they are turned away...the need to regulate use of rest rooms and the need to clean the bathrooms after each and every use, etc., etc.).
AND WE HAVE DECIDED, FOR NOW, THAT WE WILL HAVE MASS OUTSIDE IN THE BACK LOT. PEOPLE WOULD NEED TO BRING CHAIRS AND PARK OUT BACK. WE WOULD HAVE PEOPLE HELP YOU SEE WHERE TO PARK. IF THE WEATHER WAS BAD YOU MIGHT NEED TO RETREAT TO YOUR CAR.
THERE WILL BE STRONG WI-FI TO FOLLOW THE MASS FROM YOUR PHONE. AND SPEAKERS FOR THOSE WITHOUT CELL PHONES TO PARK UP FRONT -- But those w/o cell phones....please try to borrow a cell phone for these parking lot masses, it'll make things easier....
I'll say Mass under a tent on the back balcony.
With this method: No limit on attendees. And no cleaning up after Mass. And you are safe with your family sitting on your own chairs. And we are in the open air.
We will also CONTINUE TO LIVESTREAM MASS and to encourage people who may have compromised immune systems to know that they have dispensation from the Church to watch Mass on Livestream only.
MORE ON THAT LATER -- with more information on how we will handle singing, getting communion and any kind of collection.
IN the meantime....let's remember our blessings and that Jesus loves us and that the saints are praying for us. Frankly, I love you too and feel so very blessed to be in our parish. And I know Deacons Doug and Moise and the whole staff feel the same way. THANK YOU for the extraordinary response you have made to the on-line offerings we have had....it's been amazing.
Peace to you!!!! AND WHILE I AM AT IT: WE ARE GETTING A BALTIMORE SEMINARIAN FOR THE SUMMER -- he begins June 7th. His name is Mr. Tre Bart. We are very happy to welcome him.
God bless you,
Fr. Andy
UPCOMING EVENTS:
God Bless,
Fr. Andy
3. The Church is not opening from 11am-1 pm as earlier posted. Holy Family Chapel is open for prayer. We are reopening using all the protocols that other parishes in the area are using.
• Limit of 10 people.
• Please wait if there are already ten people inside.
• If you come to the chapel and there are more than 10 people please call Fr. Andy’s cell at 410-703-4566 and he will come down.
• Please sit at one of the ten spots where there is blue painter’s tape on the pews. All marked spots are where the pews meet the exterior walls.
• PLEASE WIPE OFF WHERE YOU WILL SIT WITH THE SANITIZING WIPES BEFORE YOU SIT DOWN AND NOT AFTER.
• Please use hand sanitizer before leaving.
• Please use gloves if they are helpful to you.
• You are required to wear a mask. If you don’t have a mask please take one. If you borrow a cloth mask, please put into the basket labelled “used masks.”
5. We now can have weddings, baptisms and funerals in our church buildings as long as we don't go over 10 people.
6. AS FOR MASS HERE AT HOLY FAMILY: We are waiting for the okay from Anne Arundel County, and we don't know when that will be....but right now, we have looked at the many many issues that are entailed in making Mass IN the church building safe (Archdiocese wants only 30% capacity in the church -- which means only 125 people in the church, so we would need overflow in the hall where they would simply watch a livestream of the Mass....restaurant-style individual seating of people by ushers at all entrances....the need to clean the church and hall thoroughly after every Mass....the need to provide masks for all people entering the building if they don't have them -- or they are turned away...the need to regulate use of rest rooms and the need to clean the bathrooms after each and every use, etc., etc.).
AND WE HAVE DECIDED, FOR NOW, THAT WE WILL HAVE MASS OUTSIDE IN THE BACK LOT. PEOPLE WOULD NEED TO BRING CHAIRS AND PARK OUT BACK. WE WOULD HAVE PEOPLE HELP YOU SEE WHERE TO PARK. IF THE WEATHER WAS BAD YOU MIGHT NEED TO RETREAT TO YOUR CAR.
THERE WILL BE STRONG WI-FI TO FOLLOW THE MASS FROM YOUR PHONE. AND SPEAKERS FOR THOSE WITHOUT CELL PHONES TO PARK UP FRONT -- But those w/o cell phones....please try to borrow a cell phone for these parking lot masses, it'll make things easier....
I'll say Mass under a tent on the back balcony.
With this method: No limit on attendees. And no cleaning up after Mass. And you are safe with your family sitting on your own chairs. And we are in the open air.
We will also CONTINUE TO LIVESTREAM MASS and to encourage people who may have compromised immune systems to know that they have dispensation from the Church to watch Mass on Livestream only.
MORE ON THAT LATER -- with more information on how we will handle singing, getting communion and any kind of collection.
IN the meantime....let's remember our blessings and that Jesus loves us and that the saints are praying for us. Frankly, I love you too and feel so very blessed to be in our parish. And I know Deacons Doug and Moise and the whole staff feel the same way. THANK YOU for the extraordinary response you have made to the on-line offerings we have had....it's been amazing.
Peace to you!!!! AND WHILE I AM AT IT: WE ARE GETTING A BALTIMORE SEMINARIAN FOR THE SUMMER -- he begins June 7th. His name is Mr. Tre Bart. We are very happy to welcome him.
God bless you,
Fr. Andy
UPCOMING EVENTS:
- Sat. May 23, 3:30pm DRIVE THROUGH CONFESSIONS
- Sat. May 23, 5pm Livestream Mass
- Monday Scripture service and reflection and Tues - Fri Mass at 9am. But no morning services on May 25th and 28th
- Wed. May 27, 6:30-7pm Livestream Adoration and 7-8:30pm DRIVE THROUGH CONFESSIONS
- Thurs. May 28, 7pm Livestream Rosary and Mass for Marian Consecration
- Sat. May 30, 3:30pm DRIVE THROUGH CONFESSIONS and 5pm Livestream Mass
God Bless,
Fr. Andy