Dear Brothers and Sisters:

It looks like we are soon going to be able to begin to reopen our churches. This will be a limited to gatherings of 50 or less by State and Diocesan guidelines. I am communicating the plan that we have for at least the first week of June.

This is our plan for Week 1 because we’ll have to evaluate how things worked out the first week and then adjust our plan for Week 2 and beyond. And, I expect that there will be a number of issues after the weekend of June 5-7 (notice we usually talk about a 2 day weekend, but now, let’s consider a 3 day weekend for Sunday Masses—more about that later). We will offer “anticipated” Sunday Masses beginning Friday evening in all three parishes…

This is going to be a long letter, so let me put the proposed Mass schedule up front in case you don’t have the time to read further:

St. Anne:

Friday 5pm

Saturday 8 am and 4 pm

Sunday 8 am, 9:30 am, and 11 am

St. Anthony: (All Masses and Sunday Celebrations are in the Lower Hall Chapel)

Friday 5pm

Saturday 4 pm

Sunday: 8 am (Deacon led Sunday Celebration in Absence of a Priest)

Sunday: 9:30 Mass

Sunday 11 am (Deacon led Sunday Celebration in Absence of a Priest)

Sunday 4 pm (Deacon led Sunday Celebration in Absence of a Priest)

Our Lady of Perpetual Help:

Friday 5 pm

Saturday: 8 am, 4 pm, and 5:30 pm

Sunday: 8 am, 10:15 am and 12:00 noon

Please attend only ONE of the above options, including the Friday evening and Saturday morning options which will “anticipate” the Sunday celebration. So, if you attend Mass on a Friday evening, for example, please do not attend an additional Mass on Saturday or Sunday.

With this plan, we have moved from 7 weekend Masses to 19 worship opportunities in order to accommodate groups of 50 or less in compliance with the State of Maine directives. We hope that will accommodate the initial response on the first weekend of opening.

That said, we cannot, by State law, permit more than 50 people into the church building at any one time. How do we “flatten the curve?” And, of course, there lies the challenge. And here is where we will need to work together. You may well be told that there is no room in the inn—but we’ll try to do our best to accommodate you at the next Mass or find some other creative solution. If you are travelling at some distance, my advice is that you arrive early. At least for the start, we are not implementing a “ticket” or “reservation” system, (because of a number of problems with such an approach—too numerous to mention) but will implement this if it becomes apparent that this is a better way to proceed.

The doors of the church will be opened approximately 30 minutes before the first Mass as usual, but subsequent Masses and Sunday Celebrations may experience a delay because seating, surfaces, bathrooms, and doorway utilities will need to be sanitized before the next group can enter the building. Thus, we may only be able to begin admitting parishioners 15 minutes before the 9:30 and 11:00 am Sunday Masses at St. Anne’s and Our Lady’s, at the 11:00 am Sunday Celebration at St. Anthony’s, and at the 5:30 p.m. Saturday Vigil Mass at Our Lady’s. If standing in line outside of the church, please maintain proper social distancing.

Communion will be offered to parishioners. Please follow the directions that will be given at each church prior to communion. Communion must be received in the hand and not on the tongue (for obvious reasons). The cup will not be offered. Parishioners should feel free to attend Mass without receiving communion.

The Bishop’s dispensation from the Sunday Mass obligation remains in effect. The 4 p.m. Saturday Vigil Mass and the 8 a.m. Sunday Mass will continue to be live-streamed. Those in the high-risk category, including the health-compromised and those over the age of 65 are advised (not required) to stay at home. Many parishioners will not yet feel safe and comfortable returning to live Masses at this point in time, and this is perfectly understandable. Come back when you are ready.

How will things look like?

Everybody MUST wear a mask or mouth and nose covering before entering the church and while in the church building, except when receiving communion. No exceptions can be made. The priest or deacon will not be wearing a mask during Mass to facilitate clear communications, and the reader will remove his or her mask while reading for the same reason.

Please use rest room only when absolutely necessary.

In place of the offertory collection, a large basket will be placed at the exit door of the church where you will be able to deposit your offering if you are not participating in the We-Share electronic offertory service.

There can be no after-Mass social gatherings for the time being. We need to ask all parishioners to exit the building immediately following Mass to allow us the sanitize the facility before admitting parishioners for the next Mass.

At all three churches, there will only be 46-47 individual chairs (since the ministers must be included in the total count of 50), each placed six feet away from surrounding chairs. There will be no kneelers available (less surfaces to disinfect between Masses). The Assembly will be asked to stand during the Eucharistic Prayer (those who experience difficulty standing may remain seated). Spouses and families may choose to group their chairs closer together (please return the chairs to their original position after Mass).

There will be only one entrance and exit door at each church.

Our Lady’s: Use the front courtyard entrance.

St. Anne’s: Use the front (Main Street) entrance. The lower level doors will not be opened, and the entire lower level, including the staircase, will be closed. Please reserve all front parking spots (including roadways) for those with disability plates/tags.

St. Anthony’s: Use the lower hall entrance. The front doors of the church will not be opened, nor will the elevator be accessible. Please reserve all lower parking lot spots for those with disability plates/tags.

Weekday Masses

We will resume the regular weekday Mass schedules at each of our churches beginning Monday, June 1, 2020. The above procedures will apply to weekday Masses. With the exception of the Friday 5 p.m. Mass at St. Anthony’s, we anticipate that parishioners can attend multiple weekday Masses.

So, that’s the plan. Please keep in mind that we may need to make some adjustments to these procedures as time goes by.

Wishing you all God’s blessings. Stay safe.

Cordially,

Fr. Lou