COVID UPDATES

Living with COVID at Saint Jude Parish
 
Current Status:
1. Most church members and visitors who are adults have been vaccinated. The CDC feels strongly that the vaccines are effective against all current variants of COVID and so those vaccinated are personally safe even as they can transfer the virus to others (though at a more limited level).
2. Some adults due to their health cannot get successfully vaccinated.
3. Most children do not qualify for the vaccine until probably September or October. They are less likely to get seriously ill but that is still possible and they are susceptible to the newer variants including the rapidly moving Delta variant which carries more risks.
4. Our space has many COVID restrictions that can be adapted to the rapidly improving situation found in number one.
 
Therefore:
1. For weekend Masses, we will not use a sign-up system and have seating in every other pew for additional capacity. We will maintain a goal of social distance and section off the church to masked mandatory or optional sections: The masked mandatory section will be in the back third of the main part of church (and glassed rooms) and the two side shrine areas and will be marked by blue painter tape. The mask optional section will be the front two thirds of the main section of church and marked by green painter tape. This will allow masked people to not have unmasked people sitting behind them. All families should sit at least three feet from each other but find their own seating. We will continue moving the communion ministers out to the people. We have brought back paper bulletins distributed after Mass next to the collection baskets.
2. The weekday Mass times are: Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 6:45 AM; Tuesday and Thursday at 9:00 AM and Saturday at 8:15 AM. We will process up to the altar for these Masses while maintaining social distances.
3. For meetings with adults and with any age outdoors, masks are optional. Keep a mask with you so that a person who has the need for people to wear masks can reasonably ask people to make that accommodation.
4. We will continue monitoring the situation in our area for infection rates and possible new dangerous variants that might change this plan.

MASSES OF CHRISTIAN BURIAL

R.C.I.A.