Our Lady of Lourdes 

FACE MASKS ARE REQUIRED IN MASS. NEW GUIDELINE FROM THE ARCHDIOCESE

UPDATED GUIDANCE FOR REOPENING OF MASSES June 5, 2020

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, the Archdiocese has sought to have its parishes move together toward the goal of reopening Masses for the faithful. WithGovernor Brown’s announcement of Phase II reopening of Oregon, we will begin todiverge. She announced on June 3, 2020, that those counties meeting the requirements for controlling COVID-19 could apply to move into Phase II as early as this weekend. This means that some parishes will be able to open Masses to more people while others will need to wait till their county is approved. The latest information on which counties have been approved can be found here: https://govstatus.egov.com/reopening- oregon The Governor advised that she expected Phase II to continue throughout the summer and into the fall. General Phase II guidance can be found HERE. The Phase II guidance for faith-based gatherings can be accessed HERE.

The new guidelines in counties approved for Phase II are as follows:

• Churches can accept up to 250 people if sanitation measures continue and the space permits sufficient physical distancing. That means a 36 square foot space for each person in attendance (6 feet x 6 feet). If a parish has satellite locations, these can also hold up to 250 people if the other requirements are met.

• Sign-ups (electronic or telephonic) will continue to be required for the primary purpose of ensuring that the number of persons wishing to attend Mass does not exceed the number permitted for the available space. In the event of a COVID-19 exposure at a Mass, the sign-up information will be used for the secondary purpose of contact tracing, in cooperation with Oregon health authorities. The ability to do tracing is a fundamental component of demonstrated readiness to reopen. The new guidance states that sign-up information may be destroyed 60 days after the event.

• Masks and face coverings continue to be required for ministers distributing Holy Communion.

• Signs should be posted warning persons with symptoms of illness not to enter parish buildings and to return home immediately.

• Remote work is still encouraged but not required. Please follow instructions from Human Resources regarding the reopening of parish offices and other worksites. These are being sent in a separate mailing.

The obligation to attend Sunday Mass remains dispensed.
Please contact Sister Veronica Schueler, F.S.E., at vschueler@archdpdx.org or Reverend

Todd Molinari at tmolinari@archdpdx.org with any questions.

In light of the current COVID-19 issues our parish would like for you to join us in praying a Novena starting this Sunday, March 15th.

We agreed the Novena to Our Lady of Monte Berico would be the appropriate Novena to pray since it is prayed especially against coronavirus.

If you aren't aware of the Catholic Novena App, you can access this at:

https://catholicnovenaapp.com/#

You can download this to your mobile device or pray it via the website, above.  If you would like to pray along with your parishoners, please start this on Sunday, March 15th and pray it for the next 9 days.

After you finish this novena I would also recommend you consider praying the St Rocco Novena which is prayed against epidemics and plagues.  I assume you could pray both Novena's at the same time.

Both of these Novena's are typically prayed during the month of August, but it seems appropriate to pray these now.  Thank you for your consideration and prayers!