Welcome to Holy Family and St. Emery Parish 

**URGENT NOTICE - SEPTEMBER  16, 2020**

OUR OFFICE PHONE SYSTEM IS DOWN AND WE CANNOT RECEIVE INCOMING CALLS OR MAKE OUTGOING CALLS.

PLEASE EMAIL US FOR ASSISTANCE.

[email protected]

WE'RE SORRY FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE.

THE RESUMPTION OF PUBLIC, INDOOR MASSES

August 21, 2020

Dear Parishioners,

I hope you are doing well.  Since June 13, 2020 Masses have begun, albeit at a limited capacity.  I would like to invite you back if you feel safe to do so.  Due to COVID restrictions and reduced capacity, we were only able to hold Masses at Holy Family with a current reduced capacity of 100 people.  As our State continues to control the spread of the virus, I am happy to announce that St. Emery will re-open for Mass on Sunday, September 6, 2020.  The Mass time is at 10am.  

Mass at St. Emery will be upstairs and downstairs via livestream We can accommodate 20 people upstairs and 45 people downstairs. As you are aware, the Mass schedule has been adjusted due to the pandemic.  All Masses at both Churches are on a reservation system for weekend Masses only.  You will need to call the Parish office at 203-336-1835 on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday between 9:30 and 12:30 of the week leading up to Mass.  We also have guidelines for Mass attendance. Masks or face covering is required along with social distancing, the use of hand sanitizer when you enter the church, and ushers who will guide you to your seat.  After each Mass we sanitize the Church using a fogger for a quick, safe, and efficient way to sanitize.  Offertory baskets will be at the entrances of the Church instead of passing the basket.  We are in need of three volunteers to assist at the St. Emery Sunday Mass each week, one person for check-in and two ushers to seat people (one upstairs, one downstairs).  Please call the office to sign-up.

I want to thank all of you that have been following our Holy Family and St. Emery Facebook page.  I also want to express my gratitude for all who have and continue to mail in your offertory.  

Some other parish updates: Fr. Dious has been working hard designing our new Parish website with Our Sunday Visitor, we hope to have the website go live in the next few weeks.  Exposition and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is before every Mass.  Our revised Mass schedule is listed below.

Peace and Prayers

Fr. Sean

RESERVATION SYSTEM FOR ALL WEEKEND MASSES:

Due to the reduced seating capacity,  a reservation will be needed for all attendees. At Holy Family Church, there are 85 seats available for each Mass.  At St. Emery, there are 20 seats available upstairs and 45 seats available downstairs (which will be livestream).  You may call or email the Parish Office the week leading up to the Mass on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9:30am to noon only. Your email request must include your name, address, phone number as well as family members' attending with you.  For phone reservations, you must speak live to a staff member to have your reservation processed.  If you leave a message, we will return your call to confirm your reservation.  The office phone number is 203-336-1835.  The email address is [email protected]. You will receive a confirmation reply email for your reservation.  All reservations, via email or phone will be processed in the order in which they are received during the reservation hours.

Please note that when you request a reservation, your can only include the family member(s) accompanying you to Mass.  You cannot make a reservation for anyone else, they will need to call or email their request individually.  

Public Weekend Mass Times:

Saturday:

8:30am at St. Emery (no reservations needed)

Vigil: 4pm at Holy Family (reservations needed, doors open at 3:15pm for check-in)

Sunday:

  8:30am at Holy Family  (reservations needed, doors open at 7:45am for check-in)

 10:00am at St. Emery (reservations needed, doors open at 9:15 for check-in)

  11:30am at Holy Family (reservations needed, doors open at 10:45am for check-in).

IMPORTANT NOTE:   To help with check-in process please arrive earlier than 10 minutes prior to the start of Mass.  There will be no entry for those arriving later than that. 

ADORATION AND EXPOSITION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT

Monday through Friday 7am until 7:40am at Holy Family

Saturday 7:45am until 8:25am at St. Emery

                   3:00pm until 3:50pm at Holy Family

Sunday 7:45am until 8:20am Holy Family

                9:20am until 9:50am at St. Emery

              10:45am until 11:20am at Holy Family

REQUIREMENTS:

• All Mass attendees must wear a face covering that needs to be worn from the time you exit your vehicle to the time you return to your vehicle. The face covering can only be removed when you receive Communion.  (Medical reason for not wearing a mask must be communicated to us prior to your attending Mass.  For those with young children under the age of 6, they will need to make their own decision if their child/children need to wear a mask. 
  
  
• Please follow all social distancing markers inside and outside of the Church.
  
  
• Anyone who is not feeling well, has a cough or fever or has recently been around COVID-19, flu, colds or any other virus or bacterial infection should not attend Mass. Please do not attend Mass even if you have the slightest symptom.  Please adhere to this guideline for everyone's protection. The dispensation for Sunday and Holy Days obligation is still in affect. 

ENTRY PROCEDURES FOR WEEKEND MASSES THAT REQUIRE RESERVATIONS:

There will be someone at the landing of the Church entrance to check you in. 

For those attending Mass at Holy Family who have handicapped stickers or use implements to assist them in walking, you may use the side door (closet to the organ) at the back parking lot of the Parish office. Please notify the office when making your reservation so we may have a volunteer open the door when you arrive.

For those attending Mass at St. Emery who have in the past used the handicapped entrance, please notify the office when making your reservation so we may arrange to have a volunteer check you in when you arrive through that side door.

 SEATING:
Once inside, you will be guided to your pew/seat by an Usher.  Once seated, please do not change your seat.

We will live stream our Sunday 11:30am Mass on our Facebook page which is,

Holy Family and St. Emery Parish

Weekday Masses
Monday through Friday in Holy Family at 7:45am.   No reservations needed, but social distance requirements along with face masks are mandatory. No gathering before or after Mass in the Church.

 Confessions
Temporarily by appointment only.  Please call the Parish office, 203-336-1835. 

OUR PARISH OFFICE IS STILL CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC.  HOWEVER, THERE IS STAFF MEMBER AVAILABLE EVERY DAY.  PLEASE CALL 203-336-1835 FOR ASSISTANCE.

IF YOU HAVE AN EMERGENCY AND GET THE VOICE RECORDING, PLEASE DIAL EXTENSION 2 AND LEAVE A MESSAGE FOR FR. SEAN WHO WILL GET BACK TO YOU AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

-  WE WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU TO PLEASE CONSIDER CONTINUING TO SUBMIT YOUR WEEKLY OFFERTORY CONTRIBUTIONS AS OUR PARISH NEEDS TO KEEP FUNCTIONING.  YOU CAN MAIL YOUR ENVELOPES TO THE 700 OLD STRATFIELD RD ADDRESS OR DROP THEM IN OUR LOCKED MAILBOX WHICH IS ON THE FRONT PORCH OF OUR OFFICE LOCATED AT 70 LAUREL ST. THANK YOU!

-  FR. SEAN'S INSTALLATION AS PASTOR HAS BEEN RE-SCHEDULED TO SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25.  CONFIRMATION WILL ALSO TAKE PLACE DURING THE MASS AS WELL.  DETAILS WILL BE ANNOUNCED.