Lockdown Extension
On February 8, 2021 the Province of Ontario announced an extension of the Second Provincial Emergency measures to address the COVID-19 pandemic. The stay-at-home order continues to be in effect for all areas of the Archdiocese until at least February 16, 2021.
We hope and pray that on February 17th (Ash Wednesday), we will be able to resume having gatherings in the church with attendance at 30% capacity. With the response framework that was released yesterday, churches can gather at 30% capacity in any zone (Control, Restrict, Protect & Prevent), except when the zone is in Lockdown, which is where we currently find ourselves.
Until we move out of lockdown:
Daily Mass: We will continue to livestream and have a 10 person capacity (by registration only). Until the 17th, spots for daily Mass will be filled by those who are already on the waiting list from these past weeks.
Confession: We will continue to hear confessions on Friday Nights from 6-7pm as well as our normal time on Saturday 3-4pm.
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament: We will once again have a time for you to come to the Church to pray from 10am-2pm on Sunday February 14th (10 person limit, no registration needed).
Distribution of Holy Communion in the Parking Lot: 11am-12noon on Sunday February 14th. We were able to distribute Holy Communion this past weekend to somewhere between 150-200 people. We adapted and came up with a system which should work in the event it snows again next weekend.
Moving out of the lockdown:
Ash Wednesday on February 17th: We will open registration early for you to attend Mass with 30% capacity with the understanding that in the event of an extension of the lockdown, we will only offer a livestream Mass. We plan on having a 9am Mass and a 7pm Mass that day. Then, regardless of the lockdown ending or being extended, we will distribute ashes outside in the parking lot from 4:30pm-5:30pm that day. This will be similar to how we distribute Holy Communion on Sundays. In the event the lockdown is extended, we will also provide an additional time during that day to distribute ashes.
Sunday Mass: Due to the lockdown extension those who were registered to attend weekend Mass on February 13th/14th will no longer be able to attend as our 10 spots are now full. We will however start Registration for February 20th/21st this weekend in hopeful anticipation that the lockdown will be soon lifted. When the lockdown is lifted we will continue weekend registration as we have been doing these past months, at 30% capacity.
Stay tuned for further updates as they unfold. Know of our prayers for you and your family.