Welcome to St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church

Dear Friends,

I think now is as good a time as any to remind you of the Covid-19 protocols that are in place here at St. Catherine. Some of you may be suffering from Covid exhaustion and weariness and might even be letting your guard down. After having come this far, don’t give up yet! There is at least some light at the end of the tunnel with the arrival of the Covid vaccines; and the fact that more are on the way as pharmaceutical companies are making new ones available should give us all hope. Until it is much safer for one and all, please adhere to the protocols below. These protocols are for all gatherings here at St. Catherine of Siena, whether it is a Mass, a wedding, or a funeral. All other gatherings and meetings are not allowed at this present time. Thank you all for your cooperation as we continue to safeguard the health and safety of one and all.

Mass Protocols

• Mass is celebrated in the Parish Hall.
• There are only 65 seats available per Mass to allow us to follow the required physical-distancing protocols.
• Registration to attend Mass is required, no exceptions.
• Face masks are required, as is confirmation of registration (e-mail) to enter the building. Gloves and sanitizer are recommended. You will be required to submit to a non-contact temperature check at the door before entering.
• The door (parish office entrance) will be opened 30 minutes before Mass and closed 5 minutes prior to the start of Mass. If you arrive later than this, there will be no one at the door to open it, check you in and take your temperature. You must be on time.
• Please read the Scriptures for the Mass before you come, bring your own publication or download the Scriptures onto your electronic device, as there are no missalettes available.

Cardinal DiNardo has mandated that Holy Communion not be offered on the tongue under any circumstances. Only Fr. Niall will distribute Holy Communion to each person at his/her seat; there will be no Communion line. Once Fr. Niall moves to the next person, remove your face mask at that time, consume the Eucharist and re-mask.

Please note that Cardinal DiNardo’s dispensation from Sunday Mass obligation remains in place. This is particularly important for those parishioners who are older or may have underlying health conditions, making them more vulnerable to experiencing an adverse outcome should they become infected. It is also clear, however, that younger people are not immune, as we have discovered. This virus has no boundaries!

Until next weekend, take care and God bless,

Fr. Niall