Revised COVID-19 Prevention Mass and Sacramental Procedures for St. Joseph Parish

Introduction

Since the Parish resumed providing Sacramentals after the March, 2020, shut down, we have relied heavily on the use of open air environments and social distancing to not only prevent the spread of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), but to also ease the anxiety of catching the disease from and by those participating. To date we are incident free, due in no small part to the near 100% compliance by our worshipers. However, with weather trending toward inclement, we feel it is time to modify some of our practices while reminding everyone of the safety procedures which we are to follow to meet our goal of preventing the spread of COVID-19.

Hand Sanitizer

The best information available about the transmission of the COVID-19 is that it primarily takes place when mucus droplets containing the virus are dispersed by an infected person, either directly onto someone’s eyes, nose, or mouth, or onto a surface which someone touches before touching their own eyes, nose, or mouth. It is for this reason that the three preventative measures everyone should follow are wearing a mask, avoiding touching their face, and cleaning their hands thoroughly and often. 

To aid in the final task, hand sanitizer dispensers are positioned at all of the exits from the Church, as well as the entrances to Father Miller Hall, Father Blake Hall, and the Church School Building. Our recommendation is that before entering our buildings, individuals put on masks, then apply hand sanitizer immediately after entering the building. When departing we recommend the reverse procedure of applying hand sanitizer, then removing face masks after leaving the building.     

Masks

By State and Diocese order, those entering our Church and other buildings belonging to the Parish need to wear a face covering mask. We’ve recently had several questions about what constitutes a mask, and for the purpose of our safety plan, we rely on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) definition.

To summarize, a mask must have at least two layers of fabric, be fastened across the top of the nose and underneath the chin, and worn so as to cover the primary sources of nasal mucus droplets, which are the nose and mouth. To emphasize, if we can see your lips or nostrils, you are not wearing your mask properly! By this definition, a bandanna style cloth tied behind the head does not meet the definition of a mask. Currently the CDC is evaluating gator-style cloth coverings for their effectiveness but does not yet consider them appropriate for use as a mask to prevent the spread of the Novel Coronavirus.   

Confessional

There is very little guidance from the Diocese, and even less from the State, regarding guidelines for where to hear Confessions. Best practice to prevent the spread of disease is to have a location with adequate ventilation. Currently the Vestibule of the Church is being used. This location was chosen because of its size and ample ventilation provided when all the doors are propped open. Along with the cloth privacy divider in use, and both the Priest and Penitent wearing masks, there exist several layers of protection. With the change in the weather, leaving the vestibule doors open will no longer be practical and confessions will once again be heard inside of the existing Church confessional.. 

The existing confessional is now updated with several features meant to similarly provide layers of protection needed for the close contact of the confessional. First, an exhaust fan is installed in the confessional ceiling which will produce negative pressure and constantly draw fresh air into the confessional. Second, an acrylic screen is installed over the existing wood screen positioned between the Priest and the Penitent. This will divert not only droplets but deflect air flow between the sides of the confessional. Because the acrylic shield also reduces sound transmission, the third improvement is a two way intercom installed to help both parties to be able to hear each other without raising their voices. The fourth and final improvement is the addition of acoustic foam panels on the walls of the confessional. This is not an improvement for safety, but for privacy and will reduce the transmission of sound into the Church. As an aside, the cushion on the kneeler is also freshly laundered. A hand sanitizer is placed outside of the confessional and the Penitent are asked to apply sanitizer before entering and after leaving the confessional.  

Entering and Exiting the Church

Our volunteers have taken wonderful care of the Church, spraying down the pews, door, and restrooms with the CDC specified 1000ppm diluted bleach solution after each Mass. Doing this makes sure that before the next service takes place, any bacteria or viruses left behind are addressed. This practice will continue as long as the threat from COVID-19 continues, and to make sure it can be done in a timely and effective manner, we need to vacate the Church in a timely manner. This is accomplished by having worshipers enter from the West doors (those closest to the parking lot) and exiting through the East doors (those closest to Main Street/Route 12). Those wanting private prayer time in the Church should utilize the time before Mass. We discourage worshipers from lingering inside of the Church to catch up with each other. That can be done outside while disinfection takes place. 

Currently at the conclusion of Mass, the Priest and Deacon distribute the Eucharist to those celebrating the Mass in the parking lot who come to the West Church doors, and to those with accessibility issues who park in the courtyard on the North side of the Church. There is no plan to terminate the radio simulcast of the Mass broadcast to our parking lot. In consideration of the weather turning colder, we want to reduce the distance those participating in their cars need to walk while providing the Priest and Deacons a warm, enclosed place to distribute the Eucharist. 

Starting on October 17, 2020, the Priest will no longer be distributing the Eucharist after Mass. Instead, he will process to the back of the Church after Mass to make sure the exit process takes place smoothly while the Deacon distributes the Eucharist to the parking lot participants from the entrance vestibule to the Church School, which is located closer to the Parking Lot. The vestibule is large enough for recipients to enter through one door, then exit through the other. Those with accessibility issues in their cars on the North side of the Church will be the last to receive the Sacrament. They will be able to stay warm in their cars while the Priest or Deacon have a chance to dress warmly for the walk outside.

Overflow Seating

By Diocese instruction, our Church capacity is limited to a maximum 30% of rated capacity to allow for proper social distancing. The layout and dimension of our seating further reduces our available seating capacity to just 54 individual seats, which are marked by blue crosses. Members from the same household may sit closer to each other which increases our capacity to just over 70. We anticipate that the cold weather may compel more worshipers to come into the Church. There is also a possibility that the Bishop will rescind the dispensation from attending Mass for the Diocese, and the upcoming Christmas Season may also push our seating capacity to its limits. To meet the need for additional seating, modifications will soon be made to Father Blake Hall, the room below the Church. 

Currently the audio from the Church sound system is available to Father Blake Hall. There used to be a video camera in the choir loft which provided a signal to the TV in Father Blake Hall. Old timers remember that when that camera was installed, it had a tendency to break down if left powered up. A recent test of that camera revealed that it was not working. Even when it was working, it’s position provided very little detail of what was happening on the altar. 

A new camera will soon be installed at a location much closer to the altar, which will be paired with a larger TV which was just donated by a parishioner. Using the existing sound system and new camera and display, Father Blake hall will be set up for overflow Mass seating, which, with appropriate social distancing, should more than double our seating capacity. 

Religious Education

In coordination with Lisa Sachs, the St. Joseph Director of Religious Education, a separate safety plan for the Religious Education Program was developed, allowing for a hybrid teaching model with primary focus on in person learning. The first provision of the safety plan is changing the times of classes to make them shorter, thereby limiting contact time between students. The beginning of classes are also pushed back to 9:15am which will allow for after Mass communion distribution at the school entrance along Liberty Street to conclude before students utilize the same entrance to come to class. 

There will be someone at the school entrance taking temperatures of those entering the building. The CDC lists fever as one criterion for screening for COVID-19 and considers a person to have a fever if their temperature registers 100.4 or higher. Any student or teacher registering a fever at or above this benchmark will be denied entry. 

Teachers and students will also be required to wear masks for the entire time they are inside of the building. Each teaching area will be equipped with hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes. Class will terminate at 10:15 am. Exit from the school will be through the North entrance to avoid close contact between the students and those arriving for the 10:30 am Mass. Parents should meet their children along Commercial Street.

Conclusion

These new and restated measures outlined above represent the best management practices, developed with Federal, State, Local, and Diocesan guidance, and adapted based on Parish specific infrastructure and observed needs. Implementation of new or revised measures will take place beginning in October and should be fully implemented by Saturday, October 17, 2020. Staff and volunteers will observe effectiveness of all measures and alert the Compliance Officer of suggested modifications or observed conflicts.     

Prepared by: Edward Varga PE

St. Joseph Parish Coronavirus Prevention Compliance Officer

Approved by: Rev. Monsignor Martin Heinz

St. Joseph Parish Pastor

 

 

 

We want to thank everyone we've seen at daily Mass for how tolerant they've been with the new rules in place about signing in, wearing masks, and sitting in specific places. In the days to come we're sure to see more people coming to Mass, especially on the weekend. More people means more seating challenges, which is why we've come up with some illustrations showing how different groups of people can sit in the pews and what is expected during Mass.

We ask that when you arrive, enter the church through the western door along Liberty Street, or the western door by the handicapped parking along the north side of the church. The western doors are those closest to the Altar.

With the planned resumption of Masses at St. Joseph Catholic Church, and based upon guidance from the IDPH and Rockford Diocese, we have implemented the use of a low-power FM transmitter so Congregants may remain in their cars while Mass is being Celebrated inside of the Church and listen to the Mass as it is being said. So that congregants may follow along, our Music Director developed a Mini-Hymnal which can be passed out and disposed of after Mass. That Mini-Hymnal can be downloaded here.