UPDATE (5/20): Click here to read the letter from Minnesota Bishops regarding re-opening for Masses. 

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Many of you have been following the direction and updates from both the governor and the Archdiocese in regards to a slow return to gatherings in public and the impact the new standards place on our eventual return to Mass. Last night, we received the most recent guidance from Minnesota bishops; you can read Archbishop Hebda's letter and view his video (also linked above) on the COVID-19 page of our website. In this e-newsletter, you will find:

• Last Chance to Support School Auction
• Starting a Plan To Return to Mass
• Memorial Day Service Updates
• Pray the Rosary with Father Tom

Pick Up Your Pictorial Directory TODAY: May 16

For those of you who had your photo taken as a part of our Pictorial Directory project last summer, drive up pick-ups began yesterday and continue today! Drive up to the Gathering Space circle between 1:00 and 4:00 PM Saturday, May 16, and we will deliver a sanitized package with your directory in it, all without you having to leave the safety of your car. Thank you to all of you who participated in this initiative.

School Auction: Last Chance To Bid!

First, thank you so much to all who donated to our Fund-A-Need: We just met our goal of reaching $30,000 by May 10, which means we also receive a $30,000 match from a very generous donor. Fund-A-Need for our auction is still open, as it goes toward Tuition Assistance.

Today marks the end of our school's first-ever online auction. You have until 9:00 PM CDT to view more than 100 items. It operates similar to a silent auction, so visit throughout the day today;  every little "bid" helps! We cannot thank you enough for your support of this, our primary fundraiser for the school.  

Click here to join the online auction.

And while not auction-related, thank you also to those who made it over to Culver's Night from 5:00 to 8:00 PM May 12. At one point we had a line more than 30 cars long! The staff and students at Saint John's School continue to keep you and your family in our prayers for health and peace. 

Return to Mass: What Saint John's Is Doing

As promised, we have been working diligently to plan for the eventual return to public Mass. We are so excited to have you back. We share in our bulletin this week the initial plan we are putting in place for an eventual return to Mass, but are still waiting to finalize the dates and details, as the Archdiocese continues to meet with the Governor this week. As such, we know we will not be opening up Mass at Saint John's prior to May 26, and possibly later. As ever, please share any thoughts, questions or concerns that you might have with me directly.
 
Per the directive of the Archdiocese, we will reopen our church in phases, and we wanted to share what we are doing to prepare. Remember: The health and well being of everyone, especially the most vulnerable, are of primary concern as we make a gradual return, and as Catholics we are called to protect and care for them. Please be mindful, patient and respectful of these processes as we work through them, and know they have been thoughtfully created with everyone’s welfare in mind. 

Volunteers
We are working out plans and schedules for our ushers and other volunteer groups interested in helping once we return to Mass. New protocol and checklists are being established to support those of you who are so kind as to help in this transition back. Watch for virtual meeting invites, set-up beginning next week. If you are interested in supporting, in particular, our welcoming/ushering or cleaning efforts, please call the Parish Office for more information: 651-484-2708.
 
Church Set-up
In coming weeks we will begin setup of the church space. Every third pew will be open. Access points will be limited to the Gathering Space and main church doors, and sanitization stations (including hand sanitizer) will be set-up at those entrances. During this first phase of a return to Masses, the children’s room, choir loft and sacristy will be closed to the general public, and restroom use is discouraged. We are removing all books and prayer cards to avoid transfer of germs.

Schedules 
Once we are again able to meet, we are looking at alterations to our Mass schedules, primarily the daily Mass times. Note that daily Mass attendance might be more comfortable to some worried about gathering in large groups, and we are working to accommodate as many parishioners as our resources can support, while maintaining the safety standards set forth by the Archdiocese. A reminder that we will continue to live-stream our 4:30 PM Saturday Mass even as we begin to gather together again.

Committees & Group Gatherings
At this time, we are not reopening the church facilities for committee meetings or group gatherings. This is to ensure cleanliness practices when parish staff cannot be on site. We will continue to evaluate and communicate any changes as we move through this phase of reopening our campus.

Keep in mind that the Archbishop has extended the dispensation from the Sunday Mass obligation throughout this pandemic. If you are older than 65, or are a caregiver of someone in this vulnerable class, the Archdiocese continues to encourage you to stay at home throughout this first phase of transitioning back to Mass. Regardless of your age, if you are feeling even the slightest bit sick, stay home. We encourage you to continue to join us spiritually via our live-stream of Mass on Facebook.
 

Memorial Day Updates

Next weekend’s 4:30 PM Saturday live-stream Mass will be a very special and very important one. We welcome Father Dan Griffith from Our Lady of Lourdes in Minneapolis and the Office of Restorative Justice for the Archdiocese; he will be presiding and delivering an impactful homily. In the wake of the clergy abuse scandal, Father Dan has been able to facilitate programs addressed at healing the harm. Even if you cannot attend our live-stream “live” at 4:30 PM Saturday, May 23, be sure to check out the recording of this Mass.

Speaking of Memorial Day, the church will be closed in observance of the holiday. Mass will not take place in the Cemetery, but will be live-streaming from the church at 9:00 AM Monday, May 25. Please join us again on Facebook.

Thank You for Giving

Thank you for your continued giving to assist both our church and school with operational expenses. Did you know that there are special considerations regarding the CARE Act for donors like you? Check out this article for more information about the new benefits:
https://www.501c3.org/the-cares-act-increases-donation-tax-deductibility/

As you are able, there are three primary ways you can continue to give, even while we're are social distancing:

1. Give online through Vanco: There are quick-links active on our website’s homepage and Coronavirus sub-page now. Go to www.sjolc.org/giving
2. Mail your contribution to the Parish Office: 380 Little Canada Road, Little Canada, MN 55117
3. Drop check or cash off in the secure lock box at the Parish Office (between the front doors).

Thank you so much for your continued generosity.

Peace,

Father Tom Balluff, pastor
(click the image below to pray the Rosary with me)