7. We ask those who have more flexible schedules to please attend one of the weekday morning Masses.
8. If you are not attending Mass on Saturday evening or Sunday, we ask that you please continue to ‘keep the Lord’s Day holy’ by viewing the Mass on our Our Lady of Consolation Facebook page or from the parish website.
ARRIVING FOR MASS
1. Please plan to arrive a minimum of 20 minutes before Mass. As you approach the church building please remember to maintain a minimum social distance of 6 feet in every direction from others who are not members of your own family.
An EventBrite reservation only guarantees your seat at Mass if you arrive a minimum of 10 minutes prior to the start of Mass. Available unfilled spaces, at 10 minutes to Mass, will be filled with walk-in guests on a first come, first serve basis until Mass begins or we have reached our legal capacity (which ever is first).
2. Face masks will be required for all individuals except for those who are unable to wear one for medical reasons. Children under two years of age are not required to wear a mask.
3. You are encouraged to bring your own hand sanitizer for you and your family to use during Mass. All guests are asked to apply hand sanitizer
a. As you arrive
b. During the reception of communion c. As you leave
4. In case of rain, please come prepared with rain gear as lines for entrance will still be outdoors.
5. The Baptismal font and all Holy Water fonts will remain empty.
6. Please park in the South Parking Lot or the new parking lot.
7. The only entrance that will be open is the entry located by the parish office. All other doors will be locked at all times.
SEATING AT MASS
The required social distancing will unfortunately not permit us to sit in our ‘preferred seats’. Every other pew will be marked off as unavailable. Seating will not be permitted at the ends of the center aisle in order to provide 6 feet of distancing for the processional and recessional communion lines.
1. Ushers can assist you with seating. Members of the same household may be seated together. Seating will be staggered to accommodate couples, singles, families.
2. It is important to follow the staff and ushers’ instructions which will enable efficient and safe seating for all, as well as ensure that Mass begins on time. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
3. For public health purposes, the hymnals, missalettes and any other shared resources have been removed from the pews and commons.
4. Pews have been marked with 6-foot distance using blue tape. Please use these as a guide to remain properly social distanced in the pews. Ushers may ask you to adjust seating if needed.
THE CELEBRATION OF MASS
1. The Mass of the day will be celebrated in the normal fashion with the following exceptions:
a. There will be no passing of the collection basket. A basket will be located in the gathering space where you may place your offering before or after Mass.
b. The gifts of bread and wine will no longer be brought forward in procession.
c. There will be no exchange of the sign of peace.
d. Reception of the Precious Blood will not be offered during this initial phase.
e. Do not hold hands during the Our Father. You may hold hands with your direct family if you wish.
RECEPTION OF HOLY COMMUNION
1. Ushers will excuse you from your pew to the Communion line.
2. Black tape markings will mark the distance to be maintained between individuals on the Communion line.
3. Please leave your mask on as you come forward to receive Communion. You may not wear gloves if receiving Communion in your hand.
4. Signage is located at the 12-foot mark, please apply hand sanitizer at this station.
5. As you approach the 6-foot signage please stop and wait for the priest or Extraordinary Ministry of Holy Communion to say, “The Body of Christ”, respond “Amen”, remove your mask and then come forward to receive Holy Communion. Replace your mask after consuming the Body of Christ, before processing back to your seat.
6. You are discouraged from receiving Holy Communion on the tongue for hygienic reasons, but if you choose to do so, please extend your tongue far enough so that the minister does not accidentally touch your tongue. After the distribution of Holy Communion on the tongue, regardless of whether contact has been made, the communion minister will sanitize their hands.
DEPARTURE FROM MASS
1. Following our closing hymn, ushers will excuse you from your pew beginning from the back row.
2. Please exit the church promptly. Unfortunately, we cannot congregate in the gathering space and maintain the proper 6 feet of social distance.
3. Please only exit through the main door where you entered.
4. Upon leaving you are encouraged to sanitize your hands, and wash with soap and water when you return home.
KEEPING OUR CHURCH CLEAN
1. To the best of our ability we will maintain the cleanliness of our church.
2. Between each service, volunteers will wipe down the pew tops, door handles, sinks and water fountains with disinfectant wipes.
3. Upon leaving, we ask that you please assist us by not leaving any articles in the racks or pews.
a. Any items left in the pews will be discarded.
b. For the safety of our parish family, we cannot allow items to be placed in the “lost and found” box
4. In order to reduce the rooms that must be cleaned, and to ensure the safest environment for all of our guests, all multi-stall bathrooms are closed. Single stall bathrooms in the Elizabeth Ann Seton Room and in the foyer across from the chapel may be used.
5. A volunteer signup is forthcoming if you are interested in helping. Once the final details have been completed and we make it through our first set of Masses, we will promote a volunteer sign up through the parish-wide email.
ADORATION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT
1. We are excited to announce that our Chapel will be open for Perpetual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament exposed in the Monstrance.
2. Please follow marked seating locations on the pews.
3. Only 10 people will be allowed to adore at one time.
4. Masks must be worn at all times.
5. Please use the provided sanitizing wipes to sanitize where you sat upon leaving.
6. Please do not leave any shareable resources in the adoration chapel.
7. With the chapel being available for prayer, the main sanctuary will not be available for private prayer to reduce the need to continually clean that large of a space.
8. If you must open or close the curtain, please use hand sanitizer BEFORE and AFTER touching the curtain.
9. If you change your prayer placement while in adoration (i.e. used the kneeler and moved to the pew, etc) please clean the used space before moving.
10. The Chapel will be sanitized by a parish staff person a minimum of once per day.
Please call the parish office (616-866-0931) if you have any questions or to make your reservation for Mass. Please visit the parish website for additional information and a “Welcome Back” video showing what to expect when you arrive at Mass.
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