1.    The Bishop’s dispensation for all Catholics from their Sunday obligation to attend Holy Mass remains in place: THE FAITHFUL ARE UNDER NO MORAL OBLIGATION TO ATTEND MASS AT THIS TIME.
2.    Do not come to Mass if you are sick or have any symptoms that even resemble the symptoms of COVID-19.
Persons with any of these symptoms MUST remain at home:
·       Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
·       Chills
·       Repeated shaking with chills
·       Muscle pain
·       Headache
·       Sore throat
·       Loss of taste or smell
·       Diarrhea
·       Feeling feverish or a measured temperature greater than or equal to 100.0 degrees Fahrenheit
·       Known close contact with a person who is lab-confirmed to have COVID-19.
Persons who have had these symptoms  MUST NOT come to Mass until:
·      at least 3 days (72 hours) have passed since recovery (resolution of fever without the use of fever- reducing medications);
·       and the individual has improvement in respiratory symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath);
·       and at least 7 days have passed since symptoms first appeared.
3.     ALL VULNERABLE INDIVIDUALS SHOULD CONTINUE TO STAY AT HOME. Vulnerable people are individual 65+ years old or have any critical health conditions such as such as hypertension, heart disease, kidney disease, lung disease, asthma, autoimmune disorders, and those undergoing cancer treatments.
4.    Members of households with vulnerable residents should be aware that they could carry the virus back home.
5.    Due to the restrictions of 25% of occupancy, we will only be able to accommodate 125 people per mass.
6.    Please, call the Parish office during regular business hours 9AM-5PM (Tuesday - Thursday) and 9AM-3PM on Friday to let us know that you are interested in attending Mass.
1.    Let us know  specifically how many people will be attending mass. This number cannot change at the last minute.
2.    DO NOT LEAVE A MESSAGE ON THE ANSWERING MACHINE FOR MASS OR EMAIL US. You will not have a seat unless you talk to someone.
3.    Do not come to mass  until you receive confirmation that you can attend.
4.    Members of both parishes in town must go to the church where they are registered.
7.    Please,  wear a mask to mass, for your protection and the protection of others.
8.    Please, observe the designated seating areas.
1.    There will be one pew between each row to be used
2.     Families will sit together.
3.    There must be 6 feet between households if sitting at opposite sides of the same pew.
9.    Maintain at least a 6-foot in the Communion procession, and when arriving for and leaving Mass.
10.At the Communion procession only one pew at a time will come forward.
 
11.There will be  no physical contact at the Sign of Peace.
1.    Please, limit yourself to do a head bow, which is the traditional and religiously significant and appropriate way to greet people during the Liturgy, as you see the priest, deacons and altar servers ordinarily do during Mass.
12.Please, deposit your offering—regularly gathered during the collection—in the basket at the foyer. There will be two baskets, for 1st and 2nd collection.
1.    Remember that you can also send your financial contributions by mail or direct deposit through our website DONATE tab.
13.At the end of Holy Mass, please leave the Church and do not linger socializing at the foyer or outside at the entrance.
14.Father will not be able to greet you before or after Mass. Please, be reasonable and do not be personally offended. If you must talk to him call the office to make an appointment.
15.We will try to have hand sanitizer available in the foyer of the Church. However, we are asking you to help us by bringing your own pocket size hand sanitizer bottle and use it as needed. Also, remember that washing your hands with soap and water remains an effective way to deal with COVID-19.
1.    Please, wash or sanitize your hands before entering the church or after touching any common surface.
16.Although for Holy Communion is strongly recommend that you receive on the hand, the Diocese has determined that it can be received on the tongue at the discretion of the communicant. 
1.    If you receive in the hands, please extend your hands and keep them flat (not the natural cupping way of the fingers).
2.    As has always been the case, we  receive Holy Communion, we  do not take Holy Communion. Under no circumstance reach out with your hand to take (snatch) the Sacred Host from the hands of the minister.
17.We will not be using Missals or Hymnals at this time.
 
Tuesday, May 5, 2020 the Parish Office will be open during regular hours. However, we ask that if you can conduct your business by phone or email, please do so.
 
As this situation changes we will be updating our website at  www.standrewlufkin.org and our Facebook page. Please, send us your email address if you do not receive this email and would like to receive an email update. Please email  secretary@standrewlufkin.org. We ask that you forward this email to other parishioners.