St. Jude 

399 Barrow Street 601-939-3181

For Mail - P. O. Box 5526, Pearl, MS   39288

Bishop Kopacz has given his approval to resume the public celebration of Mass effective May 30 ^tH. An overview of Bishop Kopacz’s directives for resuming public Masses are outlined below, along with how they will be implemented at St. Jude.
 
Bishop Kopacz’s dispensation for the faithful from the Sunday Obligation to participate in Mass remains in effect until further notice. We will continue to live stream our Masses, and spiritual communion is encouraged for anyone that is unable to attend Mass. The dispensation also allows people to attend Mass on weekdays instead of the weekend which lessens the logistical challenges on the weekends.
 
Anyone who is sick or has been exposed to someone that is sick should not return for Masses at this time. Those that are over the age of 65-years or who have existing medical conditions that make them vulnerable should continue to shelter in place. Also, anyone who is concerned about the possibility of contracting the virus by returning to church may, in good conscience, remain at home and observe the Lord’s Day.  
 
Proper social distancing guidelines will be followed. We will limit attendance at any one Mass to the number of people that we can properly seat. Face coverings are mandated for everyone above the age of two (2) years attending Mass.
 
1. Mass Schedule: 

• Saturday, May 30:  Drive-in Mass in the parking lot at 5:30 p.m. - Attendees will remain in their cars and will only get out to receive communion. Sound will be transmitted to the car radios. This is a good option for families with small children, the medically vulnerable, and anyone that cannot wear a face covering.
• Sunday, May 31:  Three Masses in the church building
  • 8:30 a.m. – English       11:00 a.m. – English       2:00 p.m. – Spanish
• Tuesday, June 2:  Mass in the church at 6:00 p.m.
• Wednesday, June 3:  Mass in the church at 6:00 p.m.
• Thursday, June 4:  Mass in the church at 6:00 p.m.
• Friday, June 5:  Mass in the church at 10:00 a.m. with attendance limited to 20 people for those that are medically vulnerable.

 
2. Reservations for Mass:  To plan for our weekly Masses, we must to know how many people will attend. Those that make a reservation will be seated. Attendees without a reservation will be seated only if there are any vacant seats. Copy and paste the link to make your reservation: https://signup.com/go/vyZbHGK
 
As we work through the kinks of the first few weeks of the return to Mass, we ask that everyone plan to only come to one Mass per week. Hopefully we will be able to change this soon.
 
3. Seating Plan:  Every-other pew will be blocked off to allow an empty pew between each row. Families who live under there same roof may sit together as a family unit. Everyone will be seated by an usher. You may not be able to sit where you normally sit, but we will try to accommodate special requests when we are able.
 
4. Entering the Church:  Please arrive 10-15 minutes earlier than you normally do. We ask that you pay attention to the tape lines on the ground to maintain appropriate distance from others as you approach the church. Check-in with the greeter and get a spray of hand sanitizer. As much as we would all love to stop and visit, we cannot do that at this time. Please continue on to your seat as directed by the usher. Everyone must keep moving for appropriate spacing. There will not be holy water in the fonts.
 
5. Music and Readings:  There will be no choir at any of the Masses but we will have a solo singer. Music will be simplified. It has been shown that singing projects viral droplets a great distance, so we ask that the gathered community refrain from singing. Everyone is encouraged to join in prayer with the soloist when any songs are sung. The Mass parts will be recited. All the hymnals have been removed from the pews for the time being. There will be no music or reading handouts or worship aids. Everyone is strongly encouraged to read the readings of the day before Mass or download one of the many apps available with the daily readings.   
 
6. Offertory:  The collection basket will not be passed. A basket will be placed on the offertory at the back of the church. You may drop in your offering at the beginning or end of Mass.
 
7. Restroom Access:  Our restroom in the church is in a small confined space making social distancing difficult. It should only be used when absolutely necessary. We encourage everyone to use the restroom at home before coming to church. If a child 12-years of age or younger needs to go to the restroom, we ask that they be accompanied by a parent. 
 
8. Processions:  The various processions of Mass are rich with symbolism. However, at this time we are simplifying or eliminating processions. The entrance procession will not pass through the body of the Church. There will not be a procession of the gifts.
 
9. Distribution of Holy Communion:  Communion will only be offered under the species of the Precious Body of Christ. Bishop Kopacz has directed all of the faithful in the Diocese of Jackson to receive in the hand. The use of gloves to receive communion is not appropriate. Please bring your own sanitizer so that you can sanitize your hands while you are in your pew before receiving communion.
 
10. After Mass:  When Mass has ended, ushers will direct the faithful out of the church. Please avoid congregating in the aisles and in the parking lot. We must follow the social distancing protocol!!  We must clean the pews and other surfaces touched after each Mass. We will be calling on volunteers to assist.
 
11. Other Things to Consider:  The cry room will be closed and unavailable during Mass.
There should be no physical contact during the exchange of the Sign of Peace. A wave, nod or head bow is appropriate. 
The air conditioner will be set so that the fan is blowing all of the time to help keep the air circulated. If you tend to be cold-natured, you might want to bring a sweater or jacket.
 
If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to contact the office. After this first weekend, we will review our procedures and make adjustments as necessary. Thank you for your attention to these notices. We very much look forward to seeing everyone soon!