The Bishop of Springfield has approved our formal request to resume public worship at St. Mary's Parish in Hampden.  Public Masses may resume on Saturday, May 23 at 4:00 PM and Sunday, May 24 at 8:00 AM and 11:00 AM.  Confessions will not resume this weekend as we are still working out safety protocols.  Weekday Masses will resume on Monday, May 25 at 9:00 AM and continue as scheduled.

Our ability to resume public Masses and continue being able to offer them requires the willing compliance of all parishioners and visitors.  We cannot continue to offer Masses if we have less than 100 percent compliance.  The following protocols have been introduced and will continue to be followed until further notice:

1.  Maximum Occupancy:  There will be no more than 40 percent of the building's capacity occupied at any time.  This equals no more than 162 people in the church's nave, sanctuary and crying room.  Ushers will inform visitors when we have reached maximum occupancy, and they will not be allowed to enter.

2.  Social Distancing:  Every other pew has been taped off and no seating is allowed in these pews.  Please sit only in the open pews.  A 6-foot separation must be maintained among those seated in pews, with the exception of members of the same family.  PLEASE NOTE:  We may reach maximum social distancing before we reach maximum occupancy.  In that case, no more people may be admitted inside the church.

3.  Masks must be worn at all times by participants; gloves on the hand are encouraged.  You are asked to bring your own mask and personal hand sanitizer.  Limited numbers of new cotton masks and hand sanitizer will be available for those who need it.  Restrooms will be marked "For Emergency Use Only" and parents are requested that they enforce their children's compliance.  The priest is exempt from wearing a mask while in the sanctuary conducting Mass, but will wear one when distributing Holy Communion or interacting with parishioners.

4.  Offertory collection will be done with the long-handled baskets passed by a gloved and masked usher.  Only the usher will touch the basket.  Parishioners are requested to continue making their parish support donations by mail or through their bank's automatic bill payment.

5.  Traffic Flow and Holy Communion:  Entry is only through the front double-doors.  Holy Communion will be given only at the end of mass following the priest's final blessing.  At that time, the priest and one or more Lay Eucharistic ministers will exit the side door of the church and stand under the large tree outside with maximum space between each.  Parishioners will come up the center aisle, exit the side door, receive Holy Communion, and return to their cars.  All must remain with masks on and receive Communion in the hand, not on the tongue.  ALL massgoers will exit at this time.  None will remain inside the church for private prayer or other reasons.  Unfortunately we must mandate this practice while we are in Phase 1, and hope to relax this policy in a later phase.  

6.  After the church has been vacated, designated volunteers donning gloves and masks will return to the church with a prepared cloth and bucket of liquid disinfectant and will disinfect all pews, doors, and other touchable surfaces.  The church will then be locked and unlocked 15 minutes prior to the next mass.

We feel that this is a very robust plan that complies with all of the MA protocols.  This will certainly offend some, but we ask for understanding and heroic displays of humility during this time.  These are only temporary procedures and will be relaxed when safe to do so.  Our ability to continue offering Masses relies on 100 percent compliance and cooperation by all.  Failing that, we will have to resume church closure.  

Catholics continue to be relieved of their obligation to attend mass, and any who feel that it is too early to return are not pressured in any way.  There are still opportunities to watch the Mass on t.v. and streaming video through links on our parish website.