**ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE FOR THE CELEBRATION OF PUBLIC MASS**
Additional Guidance for the Celebration of Public Mass Effective August 27, 2020 (Updated November 20, 2020)
• Obligation: The obligation to attend Sunday and Holy Day Masses is dispensed until further notice.
• Congregating: Parishioners are discouraged from grouping together either before or after Mass.
• Occupancy: Every other pew shall be blocked off to ensure proper physical distancing. Occupancy may not exceed 25% of the church’s fire code occupancy. For these reasons, we politely ask parishioners to register online for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Masses, and we further discourage “walk-ins” for these Masses. We expect our attendance to be at full capacity for each Mass that is offered, and therefore “walk-ins” risk being turned away.
• Mitigation Efforts: The health and welfare of the faithful are a top priority. Therefore, the faithful should refrain from unduly touching surfaces, respect physical distancing (especially in the Communion procession), use hand sanitizing stations before and after Mass, follow the directions for seating, and stay home if one or more in your family is sick, experiencing symptoms, or have recently been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. Several hand sanitizing stations are available at the entry of the Church. Church representatives will sanitize the church following every Mass.
• Gather and Dismissal: We ask the faithful to check in with a designated church representative upon arrival. An usher will seat the faithful in assigned pews. The priest will announce the dismissal protocol at the conclusion of Mass. A structured dismissal protocol may be necessary to ensure safety and physical distancing. Please do not gather in the church following Mass.
• Suspended: No holy water in the Baptism Font, no handholding during The Lord’s Prayer, no sign of peace, and no distribution of the Precious Blood during Communion.
• Masks: Out of compliance, prudence, and charity to all, facemasks are to be worn throughout the entire Mass with the exception of receiving communion.
• Hymnals and Missalettes: Out of compliance and caution, the use of these books is suspended.
• Singing and Choirs: The use of a cantor is prohibited except for the Christmas Eve and Christmas Day liturgies. No other singing is allowed.
