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A Message to the Parish Families of St. Augustine – St. FrancisXavier
On Saturday, June 20th, the Diocese of Brooklyn release the following announcement:
The Most Reverend Nicholas DiMarzio, Bishop of Brooklyn, is pleased to announce that churches in the Diocese of Brooklyn can re-open for Weekday Mass on Monday, June 29, 2020. The celebration of Sunday Mass can begin with the Saturday Vigil Mass on July 4, 2020, and on Sunday, July 5, 2020. COVID-19 safety protocols will be in place, including the requirement that all who enter a church must bring and
must wear their own mask during the entire Mass and maintain proper social distancing. "Catholics in Brooklyn and Queens have been longing for the celebration of Mass and to receive the Holy Eucharist. But our sacrifice and patience have borne fruit,and we did our part to flatten the curve of the terrible coronavirus pandemic. Soon we can come together to be nourished by the spiritual food we have been desperate for," said Bishop DiMarzio. In preparation for the joyous day when Mass will resume, the Diocese of Brooklyn is launching a video today in English and Spanish to give Catholics in Brooklyn and Queens an understanding of the changes they will experience as a result of COVID-19 safety protocols designed to keep everyone healthy and safe. Beyond the requirement that parishioners must bring and must wear their own mask for Mass, churches can only be filled to 25% capacity to fulfill social distance requirements of six feet between congregants. Families who live in the same household though will be able to sit together. The reception of Communion will be different. It is strongly recommended the faithful receive Holy Communion in the hand and they must leave their mask on when they approach the priest at a six-foot distance. When the communicant receives the Sacred Host, they should move to the side and consume the Eucharist immediately. Communion will only be offered in one form; the Precious Blood will not be distributed to the faithful at this time. Since each church and parish is unique, the faithful should check withtheir individual parishes, parish websites and social media pages for specifics about theresumption of Mass and the safety protocols in place. The dispensation from the obligation to attend Mass remains in effect until further notice. As such, the Diocese urges anyone who feels sick in any way to stay home. Mass will continue to be broadcast live on the Diocesan cable channel, NET-TV, and streamed online. NET-TV is available in the New York City market on Spectrum, channel 97; Optimum, channel 30; and Fios by Verizon, channel 48. "We have endured a period of great challenge, especially here in our Diocese in Brooklyn and Queens, but the Lord was with us all the way. Now in just over a week, we can come together and give thanks to Him, pray for the people we lost, and those still affected by the coronavirus. And rejoice in the celebration of the Liturgy. Thanks be to God," concluded Bishop DiMarzio.
The faith communities of St. Augustine and St. Francis Xavier will soon be gathering together in person! Our transitional schedule is as follows:
Tuesday, June 30th -9:00 AM Weekday Mass at St. Francis Xavier
Wednesday, July 1st -9:00 AM Weekday Mass at St. Augustine
We will continue to Zoom the Mass from St. Charles Borromeo on Sunday, July 5th (since it’s the Fourth of July weekend). The information on how to access the Zoom Mass is below.
Tuesday, July 7th -9:00 AM Weekday Mass at St. Francis Xavier
Wednesday, July 8th -9:00 AM Weekday Mass at St. Augustine
Saturday, July 11th -5:00 PM Vigil Mass at St. Francis Xavier
Sunday, July 12th - 9:30 AM Mass at St. Francis Xavier (this Mass will also be live streamed and shown onour parishes’ Facebook pages) 12:00 Noon Mass at St. Augustine
I am meeting with member of the Spanish community from St. Augustine’s this Sunday morning at their Zoom Mass with Fr. Andrew Sioletti to discuss when and how they would like to return to Mass.
In the meantime…
Both churches are still open for private prayer…
If you would like to spend sometime in private prayer at either parish and you feel safe and healthy to do so, the churches are open at the following times:
St. AugustineMondays, 10:00 AM – 12:00 NoonWednesdays, 10:00 AM – 12:00 Noon
St. Francis XavierTuesdays, 10:00 AM – 12:00 NoonThursdays, 10:00 AM – 12:00 Noon
If you plan on visiting either of the churches during the time that it is open, be sure to wear a mask and stay at least six feet apart from anyone else who may be in the building. Silently being present to Jesus in the Eucharist can be a powerful source of strength during this time of great uncertainty and unrest.
The rectory office is open for business…
Anyone who is in need of obtaining sacramental records or any other church business can do so by calling or visiting during the following office hours:
Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays9:30 AM – 12:00 Noon
Please know that only the rectory at St. Francis Xavier (225 6th Avenue) is open. The rectory at St. Augustine’s is no longer operational.
How you can reach the rectory office…
For all information and inquires pertaining to both the parishes of St. Augustine and St.Francis Xavier, please use the following:
Phone number: 718-638-1880
Email address: [email protected]
Confessions are available…
If you would like to schedule a confession, please know that you can do so by contactingthe rectory office. Fr. Rich Bretone or I will get back to you as to when and where the confession can take place.
Returning to Mass…
The Diocese of Brooklyn has provided an informational video highlighting the procedures that need to be followed when returning to church for Mass. You can view the video here:
English:
https://vimeo.com/430806908
Spanish:
https://vimeo.com/430805591
Additional information and announcements can be found on the parishes’ websites and Facebook pages. The links to these sites are as follows:
St. Augustine parish website:
https://staugustineparkslope.org/
St. Augustine parish Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/Staugustinercparkslope/
St. Francis Xavier parish website:
http:// www .stfxbrooklyn.org/
St. Francis Xavier parish Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/stfxbrooklyn/
Zoom Mass this Sunday…
This Sunday, June 28th, we invite all parishioners of St. Augustine and St. Francis parishes to once again join the faith community of St. Charles Borromeo in Brooklyn Heights for an online Mass at 11:15 AM, using the Zoom application. Unlike live-streamed Masses, the Zoom application facilitates the congregation’s participation during the Mass. This way we can hear each other pray together!
To join the Mass, please follow the
instructions at the bottom of this email, which are available on the St. Charles Borromeo website.
If you would like to view the Mass from the feast of Corpus Christi (June 14th) and my homily, please access the following links:
The entire Mass:
https://www.stcharlesbklyn.org/2020/06/online-community-mass-corpus-christi-2020/
Just the homily, with transcript:
https://www.stcharlesbklyn.org/2020/06/corpus-christi-homily-fr-gribowich/
Beware of a scam…
Many churches throughout the country have been targets of scams during the pandemic. If anyone calls or emails you stating to be me or anyone else from the parishand asks for money and/or gifts cards to be used as charity, know that it is untrue andthat it is a scam! If you would like to contribute financially during this time, please doso by using our parishes’ WeShare online giving sites:
St. Augustine:
https://staugustineparkslope.churchgiving.com/
St. Francis Xavier:
https://stfxbrooklyn.churchgiving.com/
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this update. I look forward to serving and working with you all!
Peace and blessings,Fr. John Gribowich
Instructions for Joining via Zoom
There are several ways to join remotely:
Click on the following link stcharlesbklyn.org/zoom with a web browser or on a smartphone with the Zoom app installed;
Open the Zoom app on your phone, click Join, and enter Meeting ID 849 0802 1688 and enter the current parish Zoom password, which is 1584.
If prompted to allow Zoom to use your phone’s camera and microphone, choose to allow. Once connected, choose the “Call via Internet Audio” option at the bottom of the screen.
You can dial in with a phone to hear the audio portion of the Mass. Dial (646) 876-9923 and enter 849 0802 1688 and press #. You will not be prompted for a password.
Or, you can watch the Mass live on YouTube…
If you encounter any issues joining via Zoom, you can also watch the Mass live at 11:15 AM on Sundays by visiting the St. Charles Borromeo YouTube channel or clicking on the YouTube streaming link that is posted on the St. Charles Borromeo parish website shortly before Mass begins
Other technical information…
Installing Zoom on an Apple iPhone or iPad
(The process to install Zoom on an Android device is similar, although you download it from the Google Play Store. Some of the wording on the screen may be different) Tap on the Apple App Store icon on your iOS device to open. Tap on Search at the bottom right of your screen. Enter Zoom in the search text box and press enter to search. Select ZOOM Cloud Meetings from the available app choices, and then tap on the
GET button. The install process will start and the GET button will be replaced with an Open
button. Once it finishes, tap Open. A Zoom app icon should also appear on your Home screen, which you can use to
open Zoom in the future.
Zoom Program Downloads
Links to the Zoom programs for Windows, Mac, Apple and Android devices are availableat: https://zoom.us/download
Technical Assistance is Available
If you have any questions or difficulties, please contact Mike McGowan (parishioner at St. Charles Borromeo) by phone or by email at (917) 306-4547 or [email protected].
