Letter from Fr. Marc – Public Masses continue to be suspended at Mary Our Queen
My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
On April 24th, the Governor unveiled plans to loosen the state’s coronavirus restrictions for churches to resume services beginning on May 4th. With this in mind, the Archbishop gave pastors the discretion on how and when to resume liturgies. Details of the Archdiocesan guidelines and safety measures can be found online at: https://archomaha.org/guidelines-and-safety-measures-as-of-may-4th/.
In the guidelines and safety measures as of May 4th by the Archdiocese, the Archbishop stated the dispensation from the Sunday and Holy Day obligation remains in effect and all other parish and school activities remain restricted. This includes after-Mass gatherings such as coffee and rolls, funeral luncheons, wedding receptions, etc. In a private communication to the pastors in our Archdiocese, it was stated that “Pastors must understand that they are responsible for the safety of those who attend liturgies”. After speaking to several pastors in the West Omaha Area, several leaders in our parish and staff, as well as taking to heart the survey that was conducted in our parish, I have made the difficult decision that our Parish is not ready to begin Mass on May the 4th. According to the survey of our parishioners, over 80% who participated in the survey feel it is too early to begin Mass as well.
Several factors fed into this difficult decision:
- Safety – First of all, the safety of the parishioners, staff, priests and deacons are most important. I cannot in good conscience risk the health of anyone, considering that the number of coronavirus cases continue to rise in our city.
- The ability to disinfect all public areas of the building including the Church and restrooms after every Mass.
- A proper plan to maintain the 6-foot distance rule at all times.
- The distribution of communion while maintaining the safety of all, as well as maintaining social distancing guidelines
- Accommodating all who come to Mass given the limited seating capacity because of the 6-foot distance rule.
The Church is not the building, but the people. We are a people gathered together by the Eucharist. When we receive the Eucharist, we become what we receive which is why we are always sent forth to proclaim the Gospel at the end of every Mass. There is a hunger for the Eucharist. The emptiness of the Church and School speaks volumes. I miss all of you. I long for the day we can gather to celebrate our faith, our community and our life. We will do our best to prepare to implement our safety measures and how we can accommodate everyone coming for Mass. We will continue to consult the leaders in our parish to determine a date we can finally celebrate the Eucharist together. In the meantime, we invite you to join us on our Masses that are live streamed through our YouTube channel.
Please know of my prayers for you and your family. Please kindly keep me in your prayers that I may make the best decision for our parish community.
God’s Blessings,
Fr Marc
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