Pastor’s Piece – June 13

I apologize for any confusion earlier this week for information found on the webpages and or parish bulletin regarding the schedule. It’s tough getting back into the swing of things. Please, note well. Mass times for the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, June 14 are 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.

Some things worth reviewing for the participation in Mass at SSM:

  • Those attending Mass in the church nave, narthex, front porch and parking lot are to come to Communion at the altar rail.
  • Please, make a single-file line in the main aisle.
  • Follow the tape markers on the floor for social distancing.
  • Where the aisle widens there are two tape markers abreast.
  • The side you choose directs you to which side of the altar rail from which to communicate.
  • Regarding the altar rail:
    • There are six Communion stations (three on each side of the main aisle).
    • Each Communion station is properly spaced from social distancing and has a pad for kneeling.
    • One may receive Communion 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.
    • 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.
    • Those in the parish hall, please, wait for me to bring Communion to you at your place.

With a video feed to the parish hall, a speaker system to the hall and exterior of the church, and a video of the 8am Mass on the inter-net, I was relieved last week not to have transmitted the Mass via FM radio. This particular medium has been waning in popularity since public Masses are now available in our area. Therefore I’m discontinuing its use. I can easily enough enable it for a need. Just let me know beforehand.

 

Regarding the video feed of the 8:00am Mass. I am sorry that it didn’t arrive in cyberspace until about 10:30am. We are having difficulty uploading it quickly. We shall try some new ideas this Sunday, and hope for better outcome. This recorded version of the 8:00am Mass will be available on YouTube and Facebook hopefully from 9:30am-ish until Monday. You may find the link on our webpages: https://www.saint-stephen.org, https://www.katharinedrexelcc.org, or https://www.facebook.com/katharinedrexelcc

 

In preparation for Mass this Sunday, as you walk into church, look for a QR code posted on the columns 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. You have permission to look at your cellphone during Mass. I know that you’re not following the ball game. There are none.

Volunteers to wipe down pews, chairs and door handles after Mass to prepare for the next one are welcome.

For all of you at SKD who are concerned about getting back to our routine at Bull Run Middle School, my third apology this Pastor’s Piece but things aren’t any clearer to me this week than last week. I think that we can comfortably bet that July isn’t available. Interestingly it is a different story in Loudoun County and so I do not believe this to be a State issue. If anyone has an influence with Prince William County, please, apply some pressure. In the mean time come and be with the members of your parochial family in Middleburg. You’ll find familiar faces and some neighbors. Once again we should have some very pleasant weather for attending Mass with the windows open or sitting on our front patio.

The big news for SKD this week is that we now own the Mission Office, 4100 Mill Creek. Finally we can get to work on repairing the deck and hopefully have an event or two while the weather is still nice. The diocesan offices are beginning to open up this week, so I expect to have group meetings at the Mission Office by the end of June.

 

Christ’s Peace,

Fr. Murphy