Weekday Liturgies, Adoration to Expand 7/1

My Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Grace and peace to you in Christ Jesus Our Lord.


We have much exciting news to share as the pandemic continues to subside, and public gathering restrictions and safety protocols have been lifted. Thanks be to God!


Tuesday and Friday 5pm Masses to Return | July 2
Outdoor Communion to End | June 29

In addition to our daily 8:15am Masses Monday-Saturday, we will be resuming 5pm daily Masses weekly on Tuesdays and Fridays beginning July 2. As such, we will be discontinuing outdoor Holy Communion services after June 29.

That said, we continue to be happy, as always, to bring Communion to those who cannot attend Mass on an individual basis. Please contact the parish office to inquire about receiving Communion at home.
 

Expanded Confession Times | July 2

In addition to our current Confession times on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons, we will be adding the following times for the sacrament: Tuesday and Friday from 4:15- 4:45pm in the Marian Chapel confessional.

Priests will be returning to their individual confessionals in the east and west ambulatories, respectively, for Wednesday and Saturday confessions. Lines can be formed by sitting in the open pew facing the cross-aisle.

During this transition period, penitents will be asked to confess through the screen, as the face-to-face option will continue to be suspended. Disinfecting wipes and a small stool (for those who need to sit) will be provided on the screen side of all confessionals.


Adoration Moved to Chapel, Commitments Needed Overnight Tuesday into Wednesday | July 2

As social distancing is no longer strictly necessary, we are pleased to move Adoration back to the Adoration chapel beginning July 2. This will enable us to expand our Adoration hours overnight, and we will begin with overnight hours Tuesday into Wednesday afternoon.

In order to do so, however, we need committed adorers to cover each hour from 10pm Tuesday through Wednesday at 5pm.

If you are able to commit to a new or additional hour, I invite you to head directly to www.AdorationPro.org/Nativity and click “Weekly Commitment” and choose an open hour from there. We will then confirm with you if and when we’ve reached the necessary number of adorers to expand our hours.

(If you were previously committed to an hour during that time, and would now like to resume that commitment, please let us know or sign up again directly through AdorationPro, as we will not assume recommitments.)

We will also keep the Adoration Chapel open 24/7, even if the Blessed Sacrament is not exposed, so that there is always a place to pray for our parishioners and community members, beginning July 1.


Mask Mandate Ends

With the end of the emergency mask orders in Minnesota and St. Paul, masks are no longer required in the church at Nativity of Our Lord.

We do recommend that those who are not vaccinated continue to wear a mask and maintain a safe distance, especially while singing. Priests and others who distribute Holy Communion will continue to wear a mask when doing so.


Mass Obligation Reinstated | July 1

The bishops and diocesan administrators of the Minnesota Catholic Conference have decided to reinstate the obligation to attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation beginning the weekend of July 3-4, 2021.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a painful time of separation that necessitated the dispensation from the Sunday obligation to attend Mass. Now it is finally time to gather together as the Body of Christ once again.

There remain reasons why a Catholic may still have a dispensation from the Sunday obligation, including when he or she is ill or serving as caretaker for one who cannot attend Mass.

That said, for those who are able, the return to the in-person celebration of the Sunday Mass and the reception of Jesus in the Eucharist are both vital to our lives as Catholic Christians. We were created for Communion!


Expanding Mass Schedule, End to Seating Restrictions

In order to accommodate larger congregations as we welcome back more worshippers, we are expanding our Sunday Mass schedule beginning August 1.

• Revised Adoration Schedule (as of 7/1):
  • Tues. 9am - Wed. 5:30pm
  • Friday | 9am-10pm
  • Sat, Sun | 6pm - 10pm

We have also now removed seating restrictions in the church, to allow for more natural spacing than our everyother-row setup allowed. While we will no longer enforce social distancing requirements, we know that some of those who worship will still prefer spacing between households.

Let’s let charity and prudence guide us as we adapt to a fuller church, and give space to those who desire it. We must remain appropriately vigilant, as COVID-19 is still a formidable foe, and there are those in our community who remain vulnerable, whether immunocompromised themselves or otherwise.

Finally, let us continue to pray for those whom we have lost, and remember (and thank!) all those who have helped navigate the pandemic.

Visit www.backtomassmn.org and our parish website for more information, or contact the parish office at (651) 696-5401 or info@nativitystpaul.org.


And may God bless your week.

Fr. Patrick Hipwell, pastor