Coronavirus Measures

With the current rise in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations affecting all ages and even within our parish family, we want to remind you to stay home if you are not feeling well. There are currently no mandates in effect for Mass, but everyone is encouraged to show respect to one another and discern the safety precautions best for your situation – such as social distancing, wearing masks, and/or taking the vaccine. Fr. Carter has written a Pastor’s Notes stating that the choice to take the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine is morally sound and should be voluntary. You can read it in this weekend’s bulletin or at the link below.  Fr. Carter will also resume wearing a mask at Communion time.

Following Bishop Stika's decrees -  

3/3/22 Bishop Stika Decree regarding COVID restrictions - COVID restrictions removed
6/1/21 Revised Decree on Mass, Sacraments, and Funerals (holy water fonts, missals/hymnals return to pews, cleaning after Mass lifted
5/18/21 Revised Decree on Public Mass and Gatherings (return to Sunday obligation with mask requirement lifted - read here)
5/5/21 Revised Decree on Public Mass and Gatherings (return to Sunday obligation - read here),
3/25/21 Revised Decree on Public Mass and Gatherings (read here),
11/9/20 Revised Decree on Public Masses (read here),
5/6/20 Decree on the resumption of public Masses (read here),

• The Sunday Mass obligation is reinstated for all who are able beginning May 22, 2021. We continue to livestream our Sunday Masses.
• If you have had symptoms of illness recently or have been exposed to someone confirmed to have COVID-19, please postpone your visit.
• Attendees must keep 3 feet apart from others who are not from the same household.
• Masks are optional for parishioners but will be worn by the clergy while distributing of Holy Communion.
• The Sign of Peace, Presentation of Gifts, and holding hands at the Our Father will be omitted.
• Those wishing to receive on the tongue may come to the Sacred Heart side of the altar rail, where this option is available. Please remove your mask (if applicable) and use hand sanitizer before receiving. All who cannot physically receive are encouraged to make a spiritual Communion. 
• Weekday Masses and the Saturday Vigil Mass offer ample spacing as an alternative to Sunday. All are encouraged to discern precautions suitable to their circumstances.

Read the full Basilica Plan for Resuming Public Masses (5/21/20) here.

Sacraments

Additional provisions for sacramental celebrations including baptisms, confirmations, weddings, anointing of the sick, and funerals are addressed in the Bishop's decree on Sacraments. Face coverings and social distancing between members of different households are required for all such celebrations.
5/14/20 - Bishop's Decree on Sacraments

Meetings

All meetings and gatherings throughout the diocese must follow the provisions of the Bishop's decree on meetings. Face coverings, health screening, and social distancing between members of different households are required for all meetings. The face covering requirement is removed if the meeting coordinator can ensure a minimum of 12 feet of physical distance between members at all times. Meetings are currently limited to 50 people.  
6/8/20 - Diocese adjusts new meeting procedures in connection with COVID-19
Note: Meeting provisions have been further updated by Bishop Stika's 3/25/21 decree on Mass and Gatherings. 

Please prepare by watching the training and reading the procedures below:

• Usher and Cleaning Procedures for Resuming Public Masses
• Video of our Basilica COVID Safety Training held on 5/22/20

The parish office is open from 9am - 4pm Mon-Fri, and will be observing the following health guidelines with all visitors:
All visitors must ring the bell and be screened for questions relating to COVID-19 prior to entering.  Have you:

• Been in close contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19? 
• Traveled outside the country within the last month?                    
• Have a cough, shortness of breath or sore throat?                                   
• Had a fever (100.4 or higher) in the last 48 hours?                   
• Had a new loss of taste or smell?                                                 
• Had vomiting or diarrhea in the last 48 hours?

If you have been exposed, have any symptoms, or are not felling well, you will not be able to enter the office. 

Sign-in, temperature check, and masks will also be required for visitors to enter the office.
Call 423-266-1618 or email [email protected] We are here and able to assist most needs this way.

In addition to his decree on the coronavirus health measures for public Masses, Bishop Stika issued the following decree about all meetings and gatherings in the diocese:
6/8/20 - Diocese adjusts new meeting procedures in connection with COVID-19

Additional provisions for sacramental celebrations including baptisms, confirmations, weddings, anointing of the sick, and funerals are addressed in the Bishop's decree on Sacraments. Face coverings and social distancing between members of different households are required for all such celebrations.
5/14/20 - Bishop's Decree on Sacraments

From the Pastor:

• 5/16/21 - Pastor's Notes on Rebuilding Community Under One Roof
• 11/29/2o and 12/6/20 - Pastor's Notes on Receiving Holy Communion, Part 1 and Part 2 Use and Care of a Hand Corporal
• 5/23/20 - Message from Fr. Carter:  New public Mass schedule and health measures for attending the Basilica / Mensaje de Padre David:  Nuevo horario de misas públicas y medidas de salud
• 4/24/20 - Message from Fr. Carter:  Competing ideals and concerns / Ideales e inquietudes en competencia

From the Vatican:

• 3/20/20 - Decree of the Apostolic Penitentiary on the granting of special Indulgences to the faithful in the current pandemic (READ)     (VIDEO explanation by Fr. Carter)
• 3/20/20 - Note from the Apostolic Penitentiary on the Sacrament of Reconciliation in the current pandemic, 20.03.2020 (READ)     (VIDEO explanation by Fr. Carter)

• 3/20/20 - Decreto de la Penitenciaría Apostólica relativo a la concesión de indulgencias especiales a los fieles en la actual situación de pandemia (LEER)   (VIDEO explicación del Padre David)
• 3/20/20 - Nota de la Penitenciaría Apostólica sobre el Sacramento de la Reconciliación en la actual situación de pandemia (LEER)   (VIDEO explicación del Padre David)

During this time of the coronavirus, we have recourse to Mary, and in a special way through the ancient Sequence, Stella caeli exstirpavit, that was sung in time of plague. Our Basilica clergy and schola cantorum are singing this prayer daily. Read an article about this prayer and hear it sung here.