COVID 19 Information

As we prepare to reopen churches for the Celebration of Public Masses here at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton parish, please be aware of the following:

• Be prepared for an “unusual way of celebrating Mass" [beginning May 20, 2020]. We are not back to “normal church.” There may be strange protocols that you are not used to, but they are there for your safety. It will be a time of patient learning with trial and error. Be prepared for reading signs everywhere for safety measures – they are posted for you to see.

• No Catholic in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis is required to come to Mass at all during this time. The Sunday obligation remains lifted until August 15.

• Everyone should recognize that there is an inherent risk in coming to church. As such, those who are 65 and over, and those with high-risk health conditions should remain at home. This is the population that is most vulnerable to the coronavirus. Of course, those who are symptomatic or have tested positive for COVID-19 must not enter a church until released to do so by their health care professional.

• The point is, do not feel guilty if you choose to not attend Mass. If you are sick, do NOT come to church. Otherwise, the decision is yours to make.

Please know we are still fighting the same COVID-19 virus, and it still poses threats to many people in a larger gathering like our church congregation. As responsible citizens with Christian charity, we will follow national guidelines, Gov. Holcomb’s plan, and the protocols set forth by  Archbishop Thompson to minimize all risks as much as possible – minimize – not eradicate!!

Safety measures that are strictly implemented at our parish churches:

1. To ensure a safe distance, we will occupy only 25-30% church capacity.

2. Pews are marked for seating; all movements inside the church are guided by markers. Follow directions offered by volunteers as well.

3. Masks are very strongly encouraged, and if you do not have one, please ask the volunteers.

4. Hand-holding, Sign of Peace, distribution of the Precious Blood, and Holy Water font, loud speaking, singing, and loud reciting are to be avoided.

5. Communion will take place at the close of Mass. This is not ideal and will be strange for many of us, but we do this to avoid congested areas and to ensure safe distance. We will enter the Church at one point and exit the Church. No movements are permitted within the church.

6. Most important: There are people committed to cleaning and disinfecting the church. Please help them by following all safety guidelines.

Here is more important information:

1. Try your best to attend Mass once per week; Tuesday through Sunday.

2. If you attend the weekend Mass – don’t worry about attending weekday Mass, because the obligation to attend Sunday Mass remains lifted until Nov. 1, 2020, in the Archdiocese.

3. Do not go to another parish for Mass. Archbishop Thompson has asked all parishioners to attend their own parish for the sake of registration and safety. Again, we are not back to “normal church.” Please do not socialize!

Here are our assumptions for everyone who is at Mass:

1. You are healthy and not experiencing any symptoms. You are not sick.

2. You have registered for Mass on Google Forms.

3. You are aware that 65 and older are “not excluded” but are asked to remain home for reasons of vulnerability.

4. You will be wearing masks and follow directions offered by our special team.

5. You will not congregate before, after, and during Mass.

6. You are aware that the distribution of communion outside Mass is suspended and that You will receive communion in your hands at Mass as you leave the church.

During Mass:

1. All liturgical ministries such as Lector, ministers of holy communion, altar servers, and homebound communion are suspended. For the next couple of weeks, we will be using a special schedule of ministers.

2. The procession, recession, distribution of communion at the regular time, exchange of peace are suspended. Singing and reciting is to be done in a low tone.

3. Collection baskets are kept at the back of church – please use them for your contribution.

4. The Wednesday noon Mass and Sunday 10 am Mass will, as usual, be live-streamed.

Funerals & Weddings [Beginning May 19, 2020]:

1. Funeral Masses will resume with only close family members not exceeding 60 people. The Funeral meal ministry is suspended. 

2. Wedding Masses will resume, again with only close family members not exceeding 60 people, including musicians and photographers.

Private Prayer & Confessions: Tue & Fri [Beginning May 15, 2020]:

1. Although we have opened Holy Family for an hour of adoration between 6-7 pm – do not feel compelled to spend one full hour. Please consider spending a shorter time in order to allow more people to join. It is your responsibility to disinfect the place you occupy for the safety of those parishioners entering the church after you.

2. As you stand to wait for confessions, do not stand close to each other. Those waiting in line should be no more than three. Be prepared for a 6 feet distance from Fr. Sengole. Use a face mask. Use disinfectant sprays to clean your chair/kneeler as you leave after confession.

Thank you

Frequently Asked Questions During church reopening at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish

1. None of the Wayne County health protocols apply to me, but I am 65 and above, can I come to attend Mass, at least weekdays?
   1. If 65 or above, you are encouraged to stay home. This is in no way discriminatory but a careful parameter based on vulnerability.
2. Where Can I find the Governor’s protocol for those who are 65 and above? 
   1. https://backontrack.in.gov/files/BackOnTrack-IN_PlacesOfWorship.pdf
3.  Can I take communion to my Mother/Father or elderly persons in my family?
   1. No. Please read the above clarifications for health risks.
4. I have difficulty wearing masks or breathing with a mask on – can I be exempted?
   1. Wearing a mask is not mandatory/compulsory. However, you are encouraged to wear a mask out of Christian charity for your fellow worshipers.
5. I am 65 years old but healthy and doing well, can I still attend Mass?
   1. No. No one in the Archdiocese is required or obligated to attend Mass at least until August 15, 2020.
6. I am 65 or older, but registered for Mass at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton parish website. Would I still be able to attend Mass?
   1. Please know that those parishioners 65 or older are asked to stay at home purely for reasons that we care about you as we do not know yet of the nature of the Corona virus as to how it spreads. No one in the Archdiocese is obligated or required to attend Mass. Any crowd or congregation may possess an inherent risk to all who are part of it. Moreover, there is such a thing as “vulnerability” and it is in many and varied forms of health conditions. The only safeguard measure is to avoid being in a crowd.
   2. We are not back to normal church functioning. We are still fighting the same Corona virus which caused us to shut down and is still spreading.
7. If people 65 and older are ill-advised to come to Church, why are other groups attending? 

1. Please note that no one is excluded from Mass, nor is anyone obligated during this time to attend Mass, at least until August 15, 2020. At the same time, we cannot be a Church with a prolonged absence of people to celebrate Mass. There is this fine line between who could be vulnerable and who could not be considered vulnerable, given many factors such as age, underlying conditions, pre-existing conditions, prolonged presence in a crowd/congregation, etc.
2. For more information please visit COVID19 dashboard of Indiana: https://www.coronavirus.in.gov/2393.htm

8. I have not been to confession in a long time, but I am elderly and want to go to private prayer and make a confession at Holy Family?
   1. You are welcome to attend the private prayer. In order to make a good decision, please call Fr. Sengole by reaching the Catholic Office of SEAS parish: 765-962-3902.
9. How can I help during this time in terms of cleaning/providing face masks?
   1. Contact the parish office. We need help in cleaning and sanitizing our churches during this time. Also, we need help in forming teams that monitor the crowd and navigate the movements of people before and after Mass.
10. Can children attend Mass?
    1. Yes. Children under 3 years old, if uncomfortable, need not wear a mask.  
11. I am a health professional/doctor/nurse and working in a hospital or hospice care; I may have worked in a COVID19 area, can I still attend Mass?
    1. Follow your institutional guidelines, if asked to quarantine or tested positive, you must remain home.
12. Now that Churches are open can I choose to remain home even if I feel healthy and I am under 65 years old?
    1. Yes. The lifting of obligation to attend Mass is extended to Nov. 1, 2020.
13. When attending Mass, I do not want to receive communion, can I choose to not receive communion?
    1. Yes. You may choose to not receive communion; you need not come to receive blessings from ministers as well.
14. Can I choose to go to another parish for Mass?
    1. No. Since all parishes are working on their own protocols keeping in mind the number of registered parishioners in their parish, it is strongly advised not to go to another parish during this time. Some parishes may decline your online registration for Mass. Also, Archdiocese of Indianapolis has stipulated that parishioners should attend only their home parish Mass.
15. I cannot commit to the same schedule for each week that I registered online. Can I switch between Masses?
    1. No. Please know that this is not a normal Church schedule. We have worked on this tentative/temporary schedule, keeping in mind all safety and social distance precautions. During this time, a lot of sacrifice is needed. If you cannot attend Mass, you need not feel guilty as the obligation to not attend is extended to August 15, 2020. Consider attending weekday Mass instead of weekend Mass.
16. What is the number of people that can attend a Funeral Mass or a Wedding Mass?
    1. For the safety of all, we would like to keep to 50  people, including musicians and photographers; following all safe-distance polices.
17. What safety measures should I be taking when I am in the Church?
    1. Please avoid hand-shake, exchange of peace, hugging, and loud speaking without a mask.
    2. Please maintain a six-foot minimum social distance between individuals not from your immediate household at all times.
    3. As always, when we are in the presence of the Lord as in any Catholic church, there must be attitudes of prayer, adoration, and silence to honor the Lord’s presence. This also helps those who might be praying.
    4. Do not congregate for socializing before and after Church, even if it is outside the Church.
    5. Follow the tape markers and instructions offered by our special teams.
    6. You need not sing hymns, if you want to please do so quietly. Say all prayers quietly.