Mass Times - Public Mass Resumes on Limited Basis

Cardinal DiNardo, Archbishop of Galveston-Houston, has granted us permission to begin the reopening of public Masses!  However, there is no obligation to attend Mass in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.

Our Mass Live Stream will remain available at 10 am on Sunday. Watch Mass HERE

Our first public Masses this weekend (May 9 & 10th) at St. Angela Merici will be on a modified schedule.  Masses will be  -

5 pm Saturday
10 am Sunday
1 pm Sunday

Daily Mass days/times will be announced soon.


General

We strongly encourage parishioners 65+, those at-risk, and those who are uncomfortable returning to Mass to participate by watching the streaming Mass from Home at 10am on Sunday. There is no obligation to attend Mass in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. At-risk population is defined as those who are 65 years or older, those with chronic lung disease; moderate to severe asthma; chronic heart disease; severe obesity; diabetes; chronic kidney disease undergoing dialysis; or weakened immune system.

Parishioners are asked to take their temperatures before coming to Mass and should not attend, if exhibiting any signs of illness or an elevated body temperature.

In order to accommodate social distancing protocols, and to abide by Phase One state regulations, no more than 25% of the mandated fire code seating capacity of the building is allowed. Therefore, each Mass at St. Angela Merici will be limited to no more than 275 people.


Before You Arrive
•    Wash your hands.
•    For ages 10 and up, face coverings are required on our campus and for the duration of Mass. You may remove to consume Holy Communion
•    Bring your own hand sanitizer that can be used before receiving Holy Communion.
•    Plan to arrive earlier as it will take time to seat individual families. Once Mass begins or we achieve 25% occupancy, the doors will close and lock. In this case, we respectfully ask you to participate online or at another mass time. Late arrivals will not be able to gain access.


Arrival Procedures
•    Masks (for ages 10+) are required to enter the Church, please wear as soon as you exit your vehicle. Please provide your own mask.
•    Arrive 20-30 minutes before Mass begins, to stand in line, use the social distancing markers on the sidewalk coming up to the Church.
•    We will have 2 hand sanitizing/screening stations outside (weather permitting). You must check in with them, allowing room between families.
•    All liturgical ministers and their families should come to the front 30 minutes prior to Mass. Check in at sanitizing stations and proceed to your reserved pew and assigned task. Families are not guaranteed a pew if they do not come with the volunteer minister.
•    The Main Center door of the church will open 20 minutes prior to the start of Mass. You will be asked to enter one family at a time.
•    Ushers will be in Narthex to direct you to a side aisle
•    The church will be seated to fill the open pews from front to back. You cannot choose where you sit. Please stay where the ushers seat you. No seats can be saved.
•    Every other pew will be closed with a rope. Please do not remove.
•    You may be sharing a pew with another household, but social distance is required between the households (6ft).
•    There will be no seating in the quieting room or Narthex
•    The holy water fonts will remain empty.
•    When we reach 25 % capacity the doors will be closed and locked. Those who did not get in, may come to the next Mass or participate in the 10 am online Mass streaming.



Mass Procedures
•    Masses will be conducted as you have seen on the Live Stream with reduced volunteer lay ministers. There will be no altar servers, choirs, or Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion.
•    The Hymnals have been removed. You can use the links provided for the live stream by saving to your phone.
•    Communion will be distributed by clergy only.
•    Please keep your face mask on for the duration of Mass.
•    There is to be no physical contact between households at The Sign of Peace or hand holding during the Lord's Prayer.
•    Baskets will not be passed during the offertory. You will be able to place your weekly gift in a basket as you exit the church, but we strongly encourage online giving though faith.direct/tx744
•    If someone seated in center needs to exit, please have your entire family step out of pew to allow the person(s) out and back in.
•    There will be signage for modified usage of restrooms to insure cleanliness. Parents should accompany children at all times.
•    The Narthex must remain clear of all parishioners during mass, other than traffic to and from bathrooms.


Communion Procedures
•    Cardinal DiNardo has mandated that communion not be offered on the tongue under any circumstance for the time being.
•    The precious blood will not be offered to the congregation.
•    Use of personal hand sanitizer before communion is strongly encouraged.
 •    The Priests will come to you in the pew. There will not be a communion line. Stand to receive Communion.
•    Masks should be worn when the priest offers you communion. Once he moves on, remove your mask, consume the Eucharist, and then re-mask.


Departure Procedures
•    After the final blessing, parishioners must remain in their pew.
•    Pews will be dismissed in an orderly fashion. An usher will dismiss by family unit in each pew and direct you to a specific exit door.
•    You must exit your pew when prompted. Private prayer is not available after Sunday Masses to allow the church to be disinfected for the next Mass.
•    You can drop your weekly offertory in a basket at the door as you depart.
•    Clergy will not shake hands. They will wave as you exit.
•    Please practice social distancing and not congregate as you exit and walk to your car.


You are reminded to follow CDC recommendations  regarding your own health. If you fall into an "at risk" category or don't feel ready to return, please stay home and join us by Live Stream.

 

St. Angela Merici Catholic Church- Weekday Mass/Private Prayer/Reconciliation Protocols

The safety, health, and wellbeing of staff and parishioners are most important. A key element of protection is maintaining a clean and healthy environment. We are asking for your assistance in the parish’s efforts to protect the health and safety of our staff, parishioners, and church.

If you are unable to attend Mass in person, please continue to participate in Mass online.

Self-screening - If you answer “yes” to any one of these questions, please do not enter St. Angela Merici’s facilities.

1)    Do you or anyone you live with currently have, or have you had in the last 7 days, symptoms matching those associated with COVID-19 (fever with a temperature at or above 100.4 degrees, a dry or wet cough, or shortness of breath), or other symptoms associated with the flu?
2)    Have you had recent close contact with someone who has been confirmed as having COVID-19?
3)    Are you or a someone you live with currently waiting for results from a COVID-19 test?

Additionally, we encourage those who are 65 years and older or anyone with underlying medical conditions stay home. Underlying medical conditions include those with chronic lung disease; asthma; heart condition, compromised immune system; obesity; diabetes; kidney disease; or liver disease.

Before You Arrive

•    Bring your own sanitizer to use before receiving communion.
•    Wash your hands.
•    Bring your own nose and mouth covering. Nose and mouth coverings are required for the duration of Mass for ages 10 and older. You may remove to consume Holy Communion.

When you arrive and General Information

•    Please wear your personal mask after exiting your vehicle.
•    Maintain 6 ft distance between you and other households when entering and navigating through the church property and facility.
•    Enter the narthex only through the main center doors. The main center doors will be propped open.
•    There will be a hand sanitizing station to use in the narthex, prior to entering the nave.
•    Enter the nave through the center doors. The center doors connecting the narthex and the nave will remain propped open.
•    Exit the facility through side exits.
•    At the conclusion of Weekday Mass, Daily Prayer and Reconciliation the church doors will be closed at 11 am, and parishioners asked to leave in support of sanitizing procedures.

Weekday Mass at St. Angela Merici
Monday/Wednesday/Friday at Church Campus – 9:00 AM

o    Please begin by filling in available pews from the front of the church then towards the back.
o    Every other pew will be roped off. Do not remove ropes. Sit only in open pews. The BACK two sections of Sanctuary will not be available for Daily Mass.

Communion:
o    Use of personal hand sanitizer before communion is strongly encouraged.
o    Do not form a communion line. Remain at your location, Father will come to you.
o    Please stand to receive communion. Father will distribute communion to you, mask should be worn when Father offers you communion, once he moves on, remove mask and consume.  Please re-mask.  


Dismissal:
o    After being dismissed from Mass, you may exit by using the side doors of church, remain in your pew for Daily prayer, or move to reconciliation area to participate in reconciliation.
o    Do not go back into narthex.
•    Daily prayer: If you choose this, please remain in the same pew and then exit side door when finished. If someone in your pew wants to exit, please step out of the aisle and let them out. Daily prayer time will conclude at 11am.
•    Reconciliation. If you choose this, please move to back section, left side (choir side). Reconciliation will conclude at 11am.

Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday – Mass at Rectory and Posted Online

Daily Prayer will follow Monday/Wednesday/Friday Weekday Mass and conclude at 11AM

•    Arrival and dismissal - See process for Weekday Mass above

Reconciliation will follow Monday/Wednesday/Friday Weekday Mass and conclude at 11AM

•    Reconciliation will be held in the St. Angela Merici room
•    Please sit in the available pews in the back-left section of the church (choir side). There will be signage designating reconciliation area.
•    A staff member will notify when the Priest is ready for another parishioner.
•    If you are leaving, please exit through the side door of the St. Angela Merici room following reconciliation.