St. Francis Xavier Church Renfrew ON News and Updates

Just a few items listed as a gentle reminder of required practices that must be exercised to ensure the safety of all.

Adaptions to the Renfrew Schedule - The Province of Ontario is now allowing 30% of the capacity of the church to gather at one time for any service including Funerals and Weddings. With self-distancing our church will accommodate approximately 112 people. Father Holly is going to have a temporary Sunday morning Mass at 7 a.m. as well as his 9 a.m. Mass. Some may consider going to this 7 a.m. Mass especially during the summer to help stagger the numbers in both churches.

The Mass times h St. Francis Xavier will remain the same for the time being.

The Sacrament of Reconciliation will temporarily be available in the Rectory in the hallway outside the offices before Mass on Saturday and Sunday or by appointment at other times.

Before you leave home - you are encouraged to take your temperature and not attend if it is 38 degrees Celsius (100.4) degrees Fahrenheit) or above. Those exercising a function (i.e. priest usher) must do so and record the temperature before leaving home or have their temperature taken here. While we have some masks available, those attending Mass are strongly encouraged to bring their own masks.

Arriving at church - Please use the hand sanitizer available at the entrances of the church. Pews have been blocked off to create physical distance. Households may sit in the same pew. You may sit in pews not blocked off at the spots where you see a piece of vertical masking tape. All hymn books and missalettes have been removed from the pews.

You may bring your own missatettes with you to church but please take them home with you. We will not be singing during this first phase of return. The washroom in the church should only be used in case of emergency. Please refrain from approaching other persons in their pews to visit before or after Mass.

During Mass - The collection will not be taken up in the usual manner. Parishioners are asked to drop their envelopes in the baskets near the doors of the church as they depart the church. At the time of Holy Communion you are asked to come to communion one row at a time. When forming a single line for Communion please observe physical distancing between persons as marked by the yellow indicators on the floor.

Communicants are strongly encouraged to receive Communion in the hand as a temporary measure during the pandemic as an act of charity.

At the conclusion of Mass - After the final blessing when the priest has returned to the sacristy the congregation is requested to kneel or sit to offer prayers of Thanksgiving. This will also allow each pew to leave the church separately. Please wait until the row in front of you has gotten to the vestibule near the doors of the church before starting to exit

We will resume weekly printing of the bulletin however at present the bulletin will only be published on our website and not handed out as usual. Important updates will continue to be posted on the parish Facebook page (https://m.facebookcom/sfxrenfrew). Please like our Facebook page and share so that as many people as possible are aware of it.

If you know of someone who does not have access to a computer and would like the bulletin mailed to them please contact the parish.

Please refrain from visiting outside after Mass. The measures of precaution that we exercise in the church will be of no values if we do not abide by the same principles outside of the doors of the church and in the parking lot

We need your help - Various parts of the church building especially the pews, will be sanitized after each Mass. We are looking for volunteers to sanitize the pews especially. If you are willing to be placed on a schedule to assist please email martha [email protected]

Posted: 23 June 2020