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Dear St. Christopher Parish Family,
Along with the rest of you, I have been waiting patiently for our parish life to begin to return. Even more, I have been longing to be reunited with Jesus in the Sacraments, as I am sure you are longing as well. Most important of anything for us as Catholics is receiving God’s incredible gift of offering himself in Holy Communion, because, as we have learned and we believe, we are united with Jesus physically, his body and blood and soul and divinity. And when we do this, we are being physically and spiritually united with each other. It is what truly makes us one family as adopted daughters and sons of our loving Father.
Fr. Edson has asked that I make sure all the details and instructions from the diocese be addressed for the gradual reopening of the parish in a way that will provide reasonable precautions against the further spread of the coronavirus. I will share the protocols with you in a moment but must also remind you that even if every precaution is followed perfectly, there is still an inherent health risk with returning to church. The bishop wants to remind you that the obligation to attend Sunday Mass every week is still suspended for everyone in the diocese until further notice. If you choose to return, you are accepting the risk.
The first step will be this Sunday, May 24th, which is the Solemnity of the Ascension! The public celebration of Mass is still not allowed for this weekend, however, the bishop has granted permission for the reception of Holy Communion outside of the church building. As Catholics, we believe that receiving the Eucharist should not be separated from the celebration of Mass. So, what the bishop and Fr. Edson are asking of us is a commitment to watch the Mass via the internet or television prior to receiving communion. The Mass from St. Christopher will be streamed via Facebook at 10 a.m. in English and 11:30 a.m. in Spanish, as it has been the past several Sundays. If you cannot tune in to either of those Masses on Facebook, there are many other options, including Mass with Bishop Weisenberger, which you can find at the Diocese of Tucson website, or any number of Masses online. Just search YouTube and you will find one. Also check out EWTN if you have cable, or Fox News offers Mass from St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York. Make every effort to participate in a Mass from the safety of your home. Following the 11:30 online Mass this Sunday, Holy Communion will be offered here at the parish. You will receive detailed instructions when you arrive in the parking lot. Please make sure that you follow these protocols, which include but are not limited to:- Maintain a distance of six feet while you are waiting.
- Use face masks.
- Use hand sanitizer.
- Consider checking your temperature before you leave home. If your body temperature is over 100 degrees or if you feel ill in any way, please practice the charity of staying home. Be assured God will provide grace for the sacrifice you are making for the safety of your parish family.
- Observe silence and prayer while on the church grounds, both prior to and after receiving Holy Communion.
- Only the Body of Christ will be offered, and not the chalice of the Blood. Remember that when we receive either one, we receive both.
- The Body of Christ will be offered only in your hands, and not on the tongue at this time.
- You must consume the Eucharist in the presence of the Extra-ordinary Minister, so please do not try to walk away before consuming the Blessed Sacrament.
- Please avoid touching the Extra-ordinary Ministers of Holy Communion.
I would also ask you to help spread this message to your fellow parishioners, those you think may not access the internet or check their email regularly.
I hope you are as excited as I am in anticipating the coming weeks, and being able to finally come back to worship Jesus the way we have for centuries. Fr. Edson and I are very grateful for your prayers and support during this time, and we can’t wait to see everyone again.
May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
Mark Lenox
St. Christopher Parish Office Manager