May 21, 2020
Dear parishioners,
It is with eagerness and joy that I announce Immaculate Conception Parish will be reopening its doors to public worship May 30-31 – Feast of Pentecost.
Since the onset of the COVID-19 virus in March, it has been a difficult time for our community as we have dealt with the health crisis and ensuing economic impact that have shaken our country. While we strive to bring the Mass to our parish family, we realize the COVID-19 virus is still active. Please know at IC we are taking all precautions and following the necessary safety protocols from the Diocese of Columbus to ensure the well-being of all parishioners and visitors. I ask you to re-read the Letter to the Faithful from Bishop Brennan available via columbuscatholic.org for more information.
We encourage all parishioners and visitors to take personal responsibility and accountability to others during this time. To further protect our local community, we will need to change our weekend Mass schedule. This change allows us the proper time needed to sanitize our worship area before you enter. Our new schedule will be as follows:
- Saturdays
- 4 p.m.
- Sundays
- 8:30 a.m.
- 11 a.m.
We will be celebrating Mass within the guidelines of the Diocese of Columbus under the following safety precautions:
- Parishioners/visitors are asked to wear a cloth face covering (unless they are under the age of 2 years old). Hand washing and proper hygiene is also strongly encouraged before coming to Mass.
- Hand sanitation stations will be available.
- There will be one entrance to the church for Mass through the Gathering Space (southwest entrance). All other doors will remain locked.
- Pews have been blocked off with blue tape to ensure proper social distancing. Please do not sit in a marked pew.
- Congregational singing will be limited.
- No entrance or offertory procession will occur.
- During the distribution of Holy Communion:
- Communion stations will be separated and in the front only.
- Communion will be in a single file in the center aisle – one person every 6 feet.
- Holy Communion will be in the hand.
- Distribution of the Blood of Christ to the faithful will be omitted.
- The sign of peace will be omitted from the Mass.
- Holy Water fonts will not be available.
- Please place your collection in the offertory boxes in the side chapels.
- Electronic giving is also encouraged via ParishSOFT (online giving)
- Ushers and greeters will be required to wear masks and gloves.
- Following the blessing, all parishioners and visitors will be asked to leave via the closest exit. Please do not congregate inside the church since that will delay sanitation. Visiting outside is permissible within social distancing protocols, but keep in mind parking will be needed for the next Mass.
Immaculate Conception will continue to live-stream the Mass. We encourage our parishioners, especially those most susceptible to COVID-19 or with serious health conditions, to please worship at home.
To view the Mass, please click on one of the links below:
- Facebook (live)
- YouTube (recorded)
Bishop Brennan dispenses the Catholic faithful who reside in the Diocese of Columbus and all other Catholics currently in its territories from the obligation of attending Sunday Mass until Sept. 13, 2020.
The schedule for Daily Mass is 6:15 p.m. Tuesdays and 8:30 a.m. on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Monday morning Mass will resume on June 1 at 8:30 a.m.
Confessions will be available 5:30-6 p.m. Tuesdays and 9:30-10 a.m. Fridays. Confessions can also be scheduled through appointment by calling the Parish Office or 614-208-8817 (email is permissible via edeluca@iccols.org).
Those attending Mass are asked to maintain physical distancing before, during and after Mass. That distance is defined as 6 feet of separation between others. Members of the same family are not bound by safe distancing.
There is a limit to the safe capacity inside the main church. For the safety of all of us, once the church is full we cannot have “standing room” available. At this time, it has been decided to not have a ticket-seating process. This may change in the future if necessary. There are options for overflow into Marian Hall on an as-needed basis. Please remember to be patient as we work out how to best accommodate everyone.
While we welcome and look forward to your return, we also ask for everyone to continue to take all precautions for themselves and for others to stay safe; as our bishops have reminded us, it is for a common good and concern for our sisters and brothers that we take these necessary steps! Let us continue to pray intently during this time for all people especially those who are most in harm’s way or impacted by this pandemic. And let us be patient with one another!
May God bless you as we look forward to seeing one another soon to celebrate the Eucharist together on the solemnity of Pentecost!
Sincerely in Christ through Mary,
Fr Matt
