Pastor’s Piece – June 6

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It is time to gear up for another challenging Sunday in America. I just noticed that today marks the 76th anniversary of D-day. That should help us see that we are not unique in having challenges. And also help us see that our challenges pale in comparison. After all what’s a little riot gear and a N95 respirator mask to wear on the way to Sunday Mass in comparison to landing on a beach and scaling cliffs under the barrage of Nazi artillery, mortars and gun fire. We got this.

Nothing has changed regarding guidelines for Mass attendance. Nevertheless there are some things worth reviewing. I invite those attending Mass in the church nave, narthex, front porch and parking lot to come to Communion at the altar rail. Please, queue up single-file in the main aisle. Follow the tape markers on the floor for the spot to wait.

Regarding the altar rail:

  • There are six Communion stations.
  • They provide proper spacing, time for preparation and recollection, and speed.
  • Each properly spaced Communion station at the rail has a pad for kneeling.
  • One has the option to receive standing or kneeling but the pad is the location from which to communicate.
  • One may receive on the hand or on the tongue regardless of posture.
  • Look for tape on the floor for guidance as to where to stand while waiting for the communicant ahead to receive.
  • Wearing a mask for Holy Communion will require extra time that the altar rail provides, such as:
    – The removal and reapplying of masks.
    – A moment extra to recollect oneself for the great unique privilege of sacramentally receiving Our Lord.
    – I ask that the mask be lowered from one’s mouth when I present the Eucharist.
    – Counter-intuitively the altar rail will be faster because I am the one moving and therefore the whole congregation doesn’t depend on the speed of one individual communicant.
  • Those in the parish hall, please, wait for me to bring Communion to you at your place.

Last week I added a video feed to the parish hall, this Sunday there will be one more thing done differently. I’ve hesitated offering the televised Mass because of all the various other ways that I was making Mass available. Last Sunday went well and my new IT engineer, Kendall Parker is ready and willing to attempt to bring the Mass that I offer to cyber-space this Sunday.

Here are the details. It won’t be a live-stream. It will be a recorded version of the 8:00 AM Mass that will be available on YouTube and Facebook from 9:30 AM until 5:00 PM. You may find the link on our webpages: https://www.saint-stephen.org, https://www.katharinedrexelcc.org, or https://www.facebook.com/katharinedrexelcc

This may be the nearest thing to a Mass at SKD that I can offer for a while. I don’t know when we can return to Bull Run Middle School. The next hoped for date is July 12. That is a date arrived at by hope and assumption, not any concrete information. Until then, please, feel free to make SSM your home. Additionally, I’ll not be sending my homily out in the e-mail. I think me through speakers, television, radio and computer is enough of me.

We are in need of some help. I need somebody who can arrive at Mass fifteen minutes early, park his vehicle near the front door of the church, and be willing to give me his cellphone number in order to man the FM Transmitter in the car during Mass.

We still need volunteers to wipe down pews, chairs and door handles after Mass to prepare for the next one.

In preparation for Mass this Sunday, look for a QR code posted outside of the church and on our webpage. This will provide your smartphone with the lyrics to the hymns that we’ll be using. In addition we have limited disposable copies of these hymns printed for your use.

Mass times for the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, June 7 is 8:00 & 10:00am in English and 12:30pm in Spanish. There is no Saturday evening Mass of anticipation for Sunday. Daily Mass is 8:30am Monday – Saturday. Also, we have Spanish Mass, Wednesday evenings at 6:30 in Spanish before the Eucharistic Holy Hour starting at 7:00. The Sacrament of Penance is available in that hour.

Christ’s Peace,
Fr. Murphy