Welcome Back St. Joseph Families-6-12-20

Updated
June 12, 2020
Dear St. Joseph Parishioners,
Greetings of peace! 
Welcome Back St. Joseph Families. We missed you all! 

Public mass at St. Joseph Parish will resume on June 8, 2020, at 8:30 am for our daily mass. Sunday Masses will resume on the weekend of June 13-14 on the Feast of Corpus Christi.   

We have already prepared our church for public masses in accordance with the Diocesan and State guidelines. The following directives would be observed:

• Our regular Mass time from Monday to Saturday is at 8:30 am.

         Saturday Vigil is 5 pm.
         Sundays are:
         8:00 am, 10 am, 12:30 pm (Spanish), and 4:00 pm.

• With the advice of the Pastoral Council, we will be moving the 4:00pm mass from our mission church in Foresthill to Auburn so that we can accommodate more parishioners. The 4:00 pm mass will be in Auburn until the end of Covid-19. We will continue to live stream our 10:00 am mass.  
•  Mass attendance will be limited to 60 people in every mass on Sundays in accordance with government directives and health authorities. It is on a first-come, first-served basis. If we reach the seating capacity, we will ask you to wait for the next mass. This includes the celebrant, essential ministers, cantors, musicians, lector, and altar server.  
• Social distancing must be practiced at all times (minimum of six feet apart except members of the same household).  
• A general dispensation from the Sunday Mass obligation will remain in place.  
• Vulnerable and 65 years of age and older are advised to continue with the shelter-in-place.  
• Anyone who has symptoms or feelings of sickness must stay home.  
• Only specific pews are available for seating to observe social distancing.  
• Cleaning and sanitizing of the church (pews, restrooms etc) would be done after each mass.  
• Sanitizers will be provided on the entrance and exit doors of the church, but we highly encourage parishioners to bring their own personal sanitizers.  
• The use of masks is required for all attending Mass and must be worn the whole time, except for children under two years of age and anyone who has difficulty breathing. 

 
Before Masses:

• Only the main doors of the church would be available for entrance and the side door for exit.
• Please arrive 30 minutes before mass for temperature checks.
• An usher would ask your name and phone number for contact tracing record.

• To ensure social distancing, please wait for the ushers to assist you where to sit. 

 
 At Masses:

• No sign of peace, no presentation of the gifts by the faithful, no distribution of the Precious Blood. No holding of hands during the Our Father, Holy water fonts are emptied.  
• Cantors would be utilized instead of the choirs.  
• Social distancing would be maintained during communion procession, please follow the signs inside the church.  
• Single file communion line only.  
• Communicant is to receive communion wearing the mask, receive the host on the hand, step on one side and consume the Body of Christ.
• Donation baskets will be in front of the Divine Mercy Image. Please drop off your Sunday offerings as you exit the church. You could also make an Online Donation, Please chick Here or mail it at 1162 Lincoln Way, Auburn CA 95603.  

After Masses:

• Avoid unnecessary socializing after each mass.  
• Follow the direction of the ushers on where to exit.

May we be guided by the virtues of hope, prudence, humility, patience, understanding, and charity as we navigate this re-opening process. Let us continue to keep each other close in prayers.

We need volunteers to help us sanitize the pews after each mass and to usher. If you are interested, please contact Maria Pena at [email protected]
 
Thank you so much for your cooperation and understanding.
 
God Bless and Stay Safe!
 
Fr. Carlo Paul G. Tejano
Parochial Administrator