What it Means When St. Charles Borromeo is “Opening”

Welcome back for in-person public services!

Remember that we are not a place but a people. Therefore, opening is only to our physical place. We are not opening as a people because we never closed as a people of God. We’ve been open because we’ve continued to learn about Jesus, worship Jesus in liturgy, and live in service to Jesus by serving others – both our families and neighbors.

Let our physical opening remind us and our fellow parishioners to always keep safe. As an act of love, allow for every move, every step, and every action you make inside our Church be for the protection of yourself, your family and others.

The facts and science about the Corona Virus remain: COVID-19 is a pandemic; the virus is still transmittable from person to person; and there is no vaccine and no cure yet for the disease. With this in mind, here are measures our community has put in place to ensure the protection of you and your family. Please read it thoroughly to help prepare your family for our in-person Masses.

Additionally, keep up-to-date with our church directives and mass scheduling during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure your family receives the latest information.

P.S.  Would you be willing to help? Volunteers are needed to help sanitize the church before and after Masses. If so, please contact Mary Hengl at Mary@stcharlesborromeo.org. Thank you!

Safety Procedures While Attending Mass

1 — WHEN PARISHIONERS ARRIVE AT MASS

  1. Please arrive 15 minutes prior to Mass. Doors will open 20-minutes before Mass begins.

  2. Doors will be propped open to avoid risk of touching door handles.

  3. Parishioners enter through the front main entrance only.

  4. Temperatures will be checked at each entrance doors using temporal scanners that do not touch a person’s face or forehead. If your temperature is above 100.2, you will be asked to return home.

  5. Hospitality Ministers will verify the ticket/message to the list of reservations to maintain 100-person seating capacity and allow for reverse contact tracing should someone who attended Mass report ill with COVID-19.

  6. Parishioners will provide and wear their own face masks and are encouraged to bring their own personal hand sanitizers. Sanitizers will be available if needed.

  7. Seating will be in pews only and Hospitality Ministers will seat each person or household according to social distancing guidelines. No one will be allowed to seat themselves (parishioners may be sharing a pew with others, but social distancing will be required).

  8. Households will not be seated until everyone in their household is present and they will be asked to wait outside the church in a socially spaced area.

  9. Non-registered/RSVP persons will be asked to wait outside the church in a socially spaced area in case of a no-show. If there are any no-shows, a parishioner or family will be seated up to the 100-person capacity limit.

2 — DURING MASS

  • Keep your mask on; there will be no congregational singing

  • The Precious Blood (Cup) will not be offered to the Deacon(s), Extraordinary Ministers or congregation.

  • The distribution of Holy Communion will take place immediately after the conclusion of Mass, after the dismissal, with communion and recessional song by cantor only.

  • Communicants will be directed to follow two marked and designated Communion lines made on the floor starting in the vestibule and through the church to the Communion station and to the exits.

3 — HOW TO RECEIVE COMMUNION

Follow direction of Hospitality Minister

  1. With your mask on, step up to a marked spot next to a round small table and stand at arm’s length from the Priest, Deacon or Eucharistic Minister.

  2. Minister says, “The Body of Christ”; you answer, “Amen”, bow slightly, remove your mask and stretch your hands with one open-palm on top of the other.

  3. Minister gently drops host on your palm without touching your hand.

  4. Take the host with the bottom hand and consume the Eucharist; put your mask back on and exit as directed by the line on the floor to the rear east or west exits of the church.

Most Important Note

The dispensation from the obligation to attend Sunday Masses continues until further notice. You will still be blessed if you follow our Livestream Mass at 9:30 AM on Sundays and/or not attend Communion after Mass at 10:30 AM. If you are at high-risk (elderly or with underlying health conditions) please continue to stay home praying with us online. May God bless, protect, and keep us all as a people and not a place.

 

How to reserve your seat

Parishioners will be required to register at least 24-hours in advance. You can RSVP by clicking the links:

Or by calling parish office at (925) 447-4549 during office hours.

Please note: Reservation capacity for outdoor Mass is 100 people, Reconciliation — 6, Adoration (Exposition) — 150, and Adoration (Benediction / Reposition) — 90.