Dear Parishioners and friends,

Yes, you heard correctly: yesterday, Monday, June 8, Premier Doug Ford announced that all churches in the Province of Ontario are permitted to open for prayer and worship, according to the 30% capacity seating restriction, as part of Phase 2 re-opening.

I write to you today briefly, not to give you details, but to ask for your patience. Many have already contacted me by phone and by email with questions about WHEN, HOW, etc.  … and others with good suggestions. It is not a simple question. In both St. Anne and St. Joseph Parishes we have set up coordinating committees. Their first task is to understand and safely implement the protocols of the Diocese, and do proper training of volunteers.

We received a letter from Bishop Crosby this afternoon, inviting all priests to attend a Zoom meeting tomorrow, Wednesday, June 10, to review the norms for re-opening and to understand the protocols that have to be put in place before we can open.
The only thing we know for sure so far is this:

• Sunday Masses may resume the weekend of June 20-21 (no exceptions)
• Weekday Masses and prayers may resume Tuesday, June 16.

Effective Sunday, June 21 202, there are to be no live-streamed Masses provided by Parishes in the Diocese of Hamilton as there are many Masses broadcast weekdays and Sundays on TV and on many other social media platforms. A full list will be provided.

Update as of June 12: Bishop Crosby has given us permission to continue online Masses durign the transition back to Mass in the Church. Mass on June 21 will be on Facebook and Youtube at 10 am. 

You will immediately understand the many issues involved in being well prepared for re-opening for the safely and wellbeing of all. That remains our top priority. We need to find proper methods of maintaining social distancing (2 meters, 6 feet), of cleaning the Church, of disinfecting, of hand-sanitizing, of information to be posted, etc. How we prepare the Church and ourselves for the Liturgy, and how we celebrate the Liturgy will be a bit different and will take some “getting-used-to.”.

Please stay tuned. We will share with you all pertinent information as it becomes available.
Together we are excited, praising God that very soon we will be able to gather again for prayer and worship as a community of faith.

Be blessed. Prepare well to live the “new normal” with great trust in our loving God.
Blessings.
Fr. Brian