Saint Michael's Church

01/01/2022

12/11/2021

04/04/2021

4.4.21 SOLEMN EASTER VIGIL CELEBRATION WITH
BISHOP WITOLD MROZIEWSKI

03/09/2021

FREE COVID TEST EVERY SUNDAY FROM 9:00AM TO 2:00PM IN THE CHURCH BASEMENT - DONNELLEY ROOM.

07/06/2020

MASSES RESUME IN ST. MICHAEL’S
The Diocese of Brooklyn has provided us with guidelines that we must follow so that all
parishioners may feel safe as we celebrate Mass and open our Churches for prayer.

1. Churches will only be permitted to operate at 25%-50% of capacity and social distancing will be strictly enforced. Pastors must devise a system of ensuring the limit on the number of people in the church. The number is based on the current guidelines.
2. Everyone who enters church must wear a mask at all times. Those who do not want to do so should stay home until this requirement has been lifted.
3. There should be no entrance or recessional processions for any mass.
4. The music ministry is limited to the Organist or Guitarist and a Cantor who must practice social distancing.
5. There will be no missals, worship aids or other types of reading materials in the pews.
6. No bottles of water, cups of tea, coffee etc. will be permitted in church or snacks for children. Eating or drinking in church is prohibited.
7. Sunday mass schedules may need to be adjusted according to the needs of the community (increased number of masses or decreased number of masses).
8. Priest or people who are ill or in a comprised situation should not participate in a public mass.
9. All ministers for the Mass (Celebrant, Deacon, Lector, and Eucharistic Ministers) must sanitize their hands before Mass.
10. When possible, it is desirable to clean the Church after each Mass.
11. A single offertory Basket can be placed in a secure location in church for people to place their donations. Parishioners are to be encouraged strongly to use e-giving services for their donations.
12. Holy Communion is to be distributed by the celebrant, priests and Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion who will not wear gloves but should wear masks.
13. People should come for Communion in the normal way, observing at least 6 feet of distancing between them as they approach.
14. For Communion everyone in the pew must get up and approach the altar or Eucharistic Minister to receive Communion or to receive a blessing. Those who are not receiving Communion should place their hands across their chest to receive a blessing.
15. After distribution of Holy Communion, the Minister’s hands should be sanitized.
16. Only the Ministers for Mass may enter the Sacristy. No one else can enter the Sacristy.
17. All the restrooms in church are closed during the pandemic.
18. A separate lectern should be set up for the lector while the priest will use the ambo or pulpit.
19. Dress code: As we return to Mass please come dressed appropriately. In God’s house we dress respectfully. Church Dress is not the same clothes we use for the beach, for going to the park, or for playing soccer. In Church we should dress to meet our Lord and Savior.

05/26/2020

ST. MICHAEL’S CHURCH
CHURCH HOURS FOR PRAYER
7:30- 9:30 AM( UNION ST. ENTRANCE) Mon-Sat
6:00- 8:00 PM ( 41 ST. NEAR SACRISTY DOOR) Mon-Sat
12-1:30PM(UNION ST. ENTRANCE) Sunday

SILENT PRAYER : 10 PEOPLE ( 10 MINUTES)
MASK REQUIRED: NO MASK, NO ENTRANCE
EVERYONE MUST BE 6 FEET APART

PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH STATUES.
PRAY IN THE FRONT PEWS ONLY.
EXIT BY BLESSED SACRAMENT DOOR.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION.

05/26/2020

PLAN FOR THE REOPENING OF OUR CHURCHES
Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio is pleased to announce the Diocese of Brooklyn will slowly work towards going back to normal by opening the doors of the churches on May 26, 2020 for private prayer and devotion as well as for funerals and limited celebrations of baptisms and weddings. The following directives will apply in general and individual churches should prepare further directions which the faithful must adhere to when visiting a church.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE CHURCHES MAY OPEN THEIR DOORS ON MAY 26TH. IF A PARISH IS NOT PREPARED TO DO SO ON THAT DATE, PASTORS OR ADMINISTRATORS MUST EMAIL THE DATES THAT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO REOPEN.

REOPENING SCHEDULE
​Stage 1: Opening of Churches for private prayer and devotion, Funerals, Baptisms and Weddings ​Stage 2: Limited Celebrations of Daily Mass (No date has been set yet)
​Stage 3: Limited Celebrations of Sunday Mass (No date has been set yet)
​Stage 4: Celebration of First Holy Communion and Confirmation (No date has been set yet)
​
The commencement dates of these stages (numbers, 2,3, and 4) will be announced in the next few weeks.

SILENT PRIVATE PRAYER AND DEVOTION
​The church will be open for a limited time period each day. Pastors will decide on these hours of opening based on the needs of the community. The church should remain open for no more than 4 hours each day. These hours should not coincide with the time a Mass is celebrated in the Church.
​There is to be no congregating of people (e.g. gathering to say a rosary together). There should not be more than ten (10)
​People in the church and there cannot be a group gathered.
​The faithful must not touch statues or other devotional objects in the church.
​Two ushers or other volunteers MUST be present in the church to assure that social distancing rules are observed and to
determine whether the church is getting too crowded.
Again, these rules will vary depending on the individual church’s needs and configuration. Parishioners should be made aware of these rules before the May 26th opening and by way of signage in the church itself.
Please note that some churches in high population density areas will not be able to open on May 26th as they may have to set a different timeline. Please ask your parishioners to be respectful of the decisions pastors and administrators will make basd on the requirements of their individual communities.

FUNERALS
The directives indicated above apply for funerals as well.
Funeral services will be permitted but are to be strictly limited to 10 people. The funeral service must be the Funeral Outside of Mass (the liturgy that is used for funerals during the Paschal Triduum). Holy Communion should not be distributed at these services.
Persons attending the funeral must be seated using social distancing norms (six (6) feet apart) except for members of the same household and everyone must wear a mask or face covering. Funerals should begin with the casket in place in front of the sanctuary and with the participants seated. There is to be no procession into or out of the church. No worship aids should be distributed or used.

BAPTISMS Baptisms will take place with social distancing guidelines being enforced and limited to 10 or fewer participants. The water must be changed for each baptism. Baptisms can be celebrated only with prior consultation with the Office of the Chancellor.

WEDDINGS
Weddings will take place with social distancing guidelines being enforced and, at first, limited to 10 or fewer participants. Weddings should be celebrated with the Rite of Marriage Outside of Mass. No Nuptial Masses should be celebrated at this time. Holy Communion should not be distributed at this time. Weddings can be celebrated only with prior consultations with the Office of the Chancellor.

ANOINTING OF THE SICK
Anointings will be celebrated with the usual safety measures in place. Priests will wear mask and gloves and the anointing will take place with the use of a cotton ball which is to be reverently disposed of after each anointing.
Any guidelines that are in place in hospitals or other institutions must be respected. There are to be no celebrations of communal anointing in church.

CONFESSIONS
Confessions will take place with the priest and penitent both wearing masks and remaining at least six (6) feet distant from one another. A space other than a traditional confessional might need to be used. A larger space will be needed. A barrier syster could be devised. Care must be taken to assure that no lines or groups form for confessions.

CHURCHES
-After the churches reopen for private prayer and devotion, the full reopening of the churches for liturgical celebrations will begin after the order for reopening of large gatherings has been given. This is important because of the danger of gathered crowds and the possible spread of the virus.
- With respect to the dates of the opening and use of churches, the four stages will be followed.
- One door should be opened for entrance into the church. However, all doors should be available for egress in emergencies.
- The church should be marked off with painter’s tape to show areas that adhere to social distancing guidelines.
- The elderly and all who are health-compromised MUST be advised to stay home. Communications to parishioners should tell them that anyone who feels sick in any way must stay home. Parishioners should be asked to take their temperatures before leaving their home and should stay home if the temperature is over 100 degrees.
- The church will have been measured and marked off, respecting social distancing norms.
- There is to be NO holy water in the fonts.
- Hymnals, missalettes and any other worship aids must be removed from the pews and stored away.
- Bulletins must not be distributed, nor should there be any literature available for people to take. Bulletins could be uploaded to parish websites.
- Parishioners must be advised of the requirement to wear masks which they will bring on their own from home. No one should be in church without a mask.
- Restrooms will be closed at all times.
- For the foreseeable future, parishes may not schedule any events which will draw crowds and make social distancing difficult.