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  2. Letters From The Pastor
  3. Update from Father Jim/First Weekend of Public Mass – Emailed May 25, 2020

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Update from Father Jim/First Weekend of Public Mass – Emailed May 25, 2020

    *Please see below from a letter that Fr. Jim sent to those Mass helpers, emHC, Lectors and Ushers.

    Dear Helpers, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Lectors and Ushers,

    Thank you for attending the meeting after the 10:00 AM live streamed Mass yesterday. As we get ready for the opening of weekend Masses at IHM, here are a few comments and points of interest for all of you to remember.

    1. If you are the scheduled LECTOR you could be seated, not in a pew, but in one of the servers’ chairs by the pulpit. This would save a seat for a parishioner. If a LECTOR comes with their family it will be up to you to sit either with your family or alone in a server’s chair. PLEASE NOTE: if the deacon is ON for the Mass in which you were scheduled, he will do all of the readings! Thank you for this understanding.
    2. There will be no gathering in the Portage Trail vestibule of ministers of the altar before the Mass begins as there will be NO ENTRANCE PROCESSION and NO RECESSIONAL.
    3. IHM will need 4 of you to arrive ½ hour beforehand to “guide” worshipers into the church following the marked floor pattern.
      One of you at the east parking lot doors
      One of you at the west parking lot doors
      One of you at the east Portage Trail Door
      One of you at the main doors
      Each of you will have a “people counter”. When you reach 75 at your entry door HALT THE ENTRY PROCESS and look into church and check out the seating availability. Use kindness and good judgement to allow others in or if you have to, you must say we are at capacity. PLEASE NOTE: I have communicated to the parish that after this first weekend of Masses, I will consider adding more masses. But, I have also flock-noted to all that if you are a typical 4:30 PM SATURDAY VIGIL Mass goer or an 8:00 AM Mass goer to NOT come to this first weekend at 10:00 AM or 4:30 PM on Sunday, thus saving seats for the typical 10:00 AM and 4:30 PM Sunday mass goers. So I am hoping this situation of an over capacity crowd will not happen to us! Likewise, it has been mentioned, if one is over 60 years old to stay at home for now.
    1. There are 10 designated communion stations. I will not be giving out Holy Communion, except to each of you at the foot of the altar. Make sure you go to the sanitizer to clean your hands BEFORE and AFTER communion distribution. NO GLOVES ARE NECESSARY FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF HOLY COMMUNION. After all have received from me, I will then (with the help of the deacon) bring you your ciborium.
    2. I will need some of you to stand near each collection basket to guard it during the Mass or keep an “eye” on it. I will presume some of our regular 10:00 AM ushers may be here to help. Please bring them to the sacristy after everyone has left.
    3. Know that I will gently guide the dismissal process which is to be row by row.
      CENTER NAVE all moves to the LEFT through the pews
      TABERNACLE NAVE all moves to the LEFT through the pews
      HOLY FAMILY NAVE all moves to the RIGHT through the pews
    4. We will need to sanitize the pews after Mass. Head to the choir sacristy to get supplies.

    Thank you for this extra help and may you experience many healthy blessings,
    Father Jim

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