June 15, 2020
Phase Two will begin on Monday, June 15th, 2020, and permits
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The celebration of weekday Masses, Funerals, Baptisms, and Weddings.
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No more than 50 people in attendance for each celebration including officiating clergy.
Phase Three will begin on Sunday, June 21st, 2020 beginning with the vigil Mass on Saturday, June 20th, 2020.
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Dispensation is still in place for all those who may not wish to attend Sunday Mass at this time.
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The population at our Sunday Masses is not to exceed 50% sitting capacity of the Church. Therefore our parish has established a registration system to help us monitor the number of people that will attend each Mass.
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Please go to Eventbrite to register which Mass you would like to attend. You will also find the link on our Website or call the Parish Office between 9 am – 4 pm.
General Guidelines to be followed during these phases
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Those who are at risk because of underlying health issues and/or age are strongly encouraged to avoid the risks posed by attendance at public celebrations of the Mass.
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Those who show symptoms of COVID-19 or who have been exposed to another infected person are not permitted to enter the church for 14 days.
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Please check your temperature at home before coming to church.
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Please sanitize your hands as you go in and out of Church. No handshakes, hugs, etc.
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Church doors will be propped open before and after Mass to prevent people from touching the door handles, knobs, or push plates.
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All hymnals and missalettes have been removed from the pews. We will continue to project hymns and responses on the screen.
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We must all wear a mask at Church and maintain 6 feet of physical distancing between households.
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Entrance into the Church will be through the central aisle only. Please let the Ushers show you where to sit.
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All ministers, including music ministers and choir members, must maintain six-foot physical distancing.
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There will be boxes in the vestibule of the Church for Sunday Collections. Please drop your envelopes into one of these boxes as you enter the Church.
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No physical contact is allowed during the sign of peace. A simple gesture, such as a bow or nod, is recommended.
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To minimize movement, you will receive communion (the Precious Body only) in your pews. For this reason, two rows of empty pews will separate occupied pews.
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Communion is permitted only in the hand and any physical contact must be avoided.
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Eucharistic ministers must be masked and sanitize their hands immediately before and after distributing Communion.
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After Masses, please exit through the side aisles beginning with people seated in the back rows, and make sure to maintain the required physical distance between households.
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Ushers will not hand out bulletins. Please pick up one as you leave the Church.
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Pews will be wiped down after each Mass.
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We will continue to Livestream all Parish Masses so that those unable to attend may maintain a spiritual connection with us during Mass.
March 22, 2020
*Extraordinary Urbi et Orbi Blessing in Response to Coronavirus*
- JIM FAIR
PRAYER
Pope Francis has called for all Christians throughout the world to join in praying the Our Father on Wednesday, March 25, 2020, at noon.
He made the appeal after praying the noonday Angelus on March 22, broadcast from Apostolic Library in the Vatican.
The Pope also announced that on the following Friday, March 27, he will preside over a moment of prayer on the sagrato of St Peter’s Basilica, the platform at the top of the steps immediately in front of the façade of the Church, reported Vatican News.
“I invite everyone to participate spiritually through the means of communication”, he said.
The ceremony will consist of readings from the Scriptures, prayers of supplication, and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament; and will conclude with Pope Francis giving the Urbi et orbi Blessing, with the possibility of gaining a plenary indulgence for all those who listen to it live through the various forms of communication. The blessing “to the City [of Rome] and to the World” is normally only given on Christmas and Easter.
The Director of the Holy See Press Office confirmed that the moment of prayer on Friday will be broadcast live from the Vatican, beginning at 6 pm Rome time. He noted that the plenary indulgence attached to the Urbi et orbi blessing is subject to the conditions foreseen by the recent Decree of the Apostolic Penitentiary.
“In these days of trial, while humanity trembles because of the pandemic’s menace, I would like to propose to all Christians to unite their voices to Heaven,” the Pope said after Sunday’s Angelus. “I invite all the Heads of Churches and the leaders of all the Christian Communities, together with all the Christians of the various Confessions, to invoke the Most High, Almighty God, reciting contemporaneously the prayer that Jesus Our Lord taught us. I invite all, therefore, to do so several times a day, but, altogether, to recite the Our Father next Wednesday, March 25, at midday – all together.
“On the day in which many Christians recall the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary of the Incarnation of the Word, may the Lord be able to hear the unanimous prayer of all His disciples that are preparing to celebrate the victory of the Risen Christ. With this same intention, next Friday, March 27 at 6:00 pm, I will preside over a moment of prayer in the courtyard of St. Peter’s Basilica, with the empty Square. From now on I invite all to take part spiritually through the means of communication. We will listen to the Word of God, we will elevate our prayer, we will adore the Most Blessed Sacrament, with which at the end I will give the Urbi et Orbi Blessing, to which will be annexed the possibility to receive a Plenary Indulgence.
My Dear Parishioners,
In an attempt to keep us spiritually connected and praying together, I have created a prayer meeting link for us to pray the Rosary together at 7 pm this evening.
Click the link below. Your mic and camera will be muted and turned off by default. Please leave those turned off. We will have Rosary Decade leaders whose mics will be on when leading their assigned decades. This arrangement limits reverbs.
You can join the prayer meeting in various ways:
1) Please join the meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
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2) You can also dial in using your phone.
United States: +1 (571) 317-3112
Access Code: 338-081-605
3) New to GoToMeeting? Get the app now and be ready when your first meeting starts:
May God bless you.
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Msgr. Anselm
March 17, 2020
My Dear Parishioners,
By the directive of the Archbishop of Newark, beginning March 18th, 2020, and until further notice, all public celebration of Sunday Masses, Daily Masses, and other forms of public worship, which includes our Bible Classes on Tuesdays, Wednesday Marian Devotions, 1st Friday and 1st Sunday Devotions and Adorations, Friday Stations of the Cross and Lenten Talks, and Saturday Morning Reflections are suspended until further notice.
My heart is very heavy as we must comply with these directives for the safety of us all. Let us stay in prayer for the world and for each other. Let us stay in compassion for those who have been affected and impacted by this virus; let us seek the face of God for forgiveness, healing, and restoration. May our social distancing not separate us from our emotional and spiritual connectedness.
I am looking into the possibilities of staying spiritually connected with you using all technologies available. We shall be communicating findings to you via email, texts, on our website and social media outlets. Please check these outlets frequently for updates.
I have you all in my prayers.
Msgr. Anselm
March 13, 2020
Dear parishioners,
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Msgr. Anselm our pastor at St. Michael’s Parish, Union, in compliance with the directives of the Archbishop of Newark, Cardinal Joseph Tobin, has directed that a message be sent out to notify all parishioners that all weekend masses this Saturday evening, March 14 and Sunday, March 15, have been cancelled, as precautionary measures to protect our parishioners from the Corona virus. Please click on the link below for further information on the archbishops directives:
Our pastor is encouraging everyone to follow a live-stream broadcast of Mass this Sunday, March 15th at 10:00 am on our Facebook page, which can be accessed by clicking the Facebook link.
Please note that Daily Masses, Stations of the Cross and all Devotions will still continue to hold until otherwise directed.
All parishioners are encouraged to stay in fervent prayers.
The decision to suspend weekend masses will be reviewed daily and any new guidance will be announced next week.
Please help spread the word.
Remain blessed.
Media Ministry
