Welcome Back

While we have been away from the church for the past three months, we hope you are all doing well and staying safe.  As you have heard and read via social media, Bishop Damphousse has announced the reopening of the parishes in the diocese.  We are sure that it is going to be difficult for some, if not all of us, to get back into the routine of attending the weekly celebration of the Eucharist at Paroisse Ste Bernadette Parish.  Most of us cannot wait to come back.

While your eagerness in longing to return is well founded, coming back to celebrate the mystery of our faith as a parish community will be different.  The government has stipulated that we can have 30% of the seating capacity attending the celebration at each mass, while respecting physically distancing guidelines of two metres (six feet). In consultation with local health authorities, we are limiting the capacity to 50 people for the time being.

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For the Lord's Day

Masses will be celebrated on:

Saturday  @ 4:00pm (English)

Sunday    @  9:30am (French)

 Sunday    @ 11:30am (English)

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You will be receiving telephones call from fellow parishioners to inform you about which Mass you will be attending.  We know that this will not be agreeable to all of you, but in these unprecedented times we have to make changes in the way we do things, as we have already experienced.  We also ask that you respect the time you are given to attend Mass.  If you try to attend another mass, you will NOT be able to enter the church.

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If you have had a change of phone number or address, please call the office @ (705)-848-3350 or send an email to bernadette11@eastlink.ca

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Protocols

As we begin to reopen the parish, there are some protocols we have to follow.

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The church will be open thirty (30) minutes before each celebration.  You will be entering the church through the door on the north side of the building (handicap door).

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When you enter the parking lot and there are people standing outside to enter the church, we ask that you remain in your car until there are only one or two people waiting.  Do not worry.  You will get into the church.  This is to avoid congregating outside the church since I ask you to respect the physical distancing guidelines.

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PLEASE NOTE:

It is very important that you bring and wear your own mask.  If you are not wearing a mask, you will NOT BE PERMITTED to enter the church.  We will NOT be providing masks for anyone who is not wearing one.

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An usher or Minister of Hospitality will meet you at the door of the church and will verify that your name appears on the list for the Mass.  Then, inside the foyer, there is a box where you can place your offerings and then an usher will spray your hands with hand sanitizer.  Another usher or Minister of Hospitality will then show you where you are to be seated.  We will be sitting you from the front of the church to the back.  There is a probability that you may not be sitting where you normally sit.  There will be pews taped off where NO one is to be seated.  This is to respect the physical distancing guidelines.

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There will be NO collection at the usual time since you will already have placed your weekly offering in the box upon entering the church.

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There will be NO procession of the gifts.  They will be placed on the credence table before the celebration.

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For the distribution of communion, please pay attention to the direction of the ushers.  They will guide you out of the pews (one section at a time) to stand and proceed down the aisle to receive communion.  There are tapelines on the aisle floor to indicate the two metre distance (six feet) required for the appropriate physical distancing.  Reception of communion is to be taken in the hand ONLY!!!  Under NO circumstances is anyone to receive communion on the tongue.

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After receiving communion you can leave mass following the direction of the ushers.

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Remember, when exiting the church, to respect the physical distancing guidelines of two metres, (six feet).  There should be NO congregating outside in the parking lot.

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WASHROOMS:  USE AT YOUR RISK!!!

Washrooms will be open for the duration of the celebration.  Washrooms should be used when ABSOLUTELY necessary and must be sanitized after each use.

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