Letter from Fr. Kieran

Dear Families of St. John Vianney,

As you have heard, the parish has reopened the offices this past week for parish business and we have been conducting daily mass in the hall. One of the advantages of being a Catholic Parish is we don’t have to be on our own for everything. We will begin Sunday masses on May 30-31. The Diocese of Phoenix after much consultation with political and health leaders including the Arizona Department of Health Services have laid out the requirements for the reopening of our parish churches. This has been the basis for what each parish must follow.

These include:

Decontaminating used surfaces, such as pews, doors, bathrooms etc. The parish is using a 24 hour anti-microbial. The building is decontaminated each evening after shutting down or each morning before opening up. On weekends, the church will be wiped down Friday night or Saturday morning, after the Saturday afternoon masses, and again after the morning masses on Sunday.

I recognize that we are a community at high risk. The following procedures will be in place for weekend masses:

1) Doors are to be propped open thru mass

2) We will try and keep Weekend masses to 30 minutes to decrease the amount of time

people are together

3) We are allowing 25% of seating capacity at a mass (that means not more than 125

people. Seating will be demarcated and pews roped off

4) Ushers will direct one section of seating forward for communion maintaining proper

distance

5) Ushers will direct one section of seating at a time for departure maintaining proper

distance

6) Masks will be required for all entering the church building

7) All those distributing communion will be wearing masks and wash/purify their hands

before giving out communion in the hands (there is no cup offered, no communion on

the tongue)

8) Baskets for collection will be at each door (none will be taken during the mass)

9) The sign of peace is suspended as well as the greeting before mass

10) Commercial filters are different that residential systems. We are replacing our filters

this week

11) Music will be limited for communal singing

12) Mass times have been changed to better accommodate people: Saturday at 4:00p.m. and 5:00 p.m.; Sunday at 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.

Please remember if you have flu like symptoms, cough or fever, or not feeling well, please stay home. Please follow safe distancing rules and wash/sanitize your hands regularly.

The bishop has dispensed individuals from the obligation of attending mass on Sunday for the time being. We will continue drive thru communion until mid- June.

Peace, Fr. Kieran