November 26, 2020 - COVID-19 Update
04/24/2024Dear St. Boniface Parishioners,
Long time, no email! I hope this letter finds you and yours well. I am writing to update you on our plans for Advent and Christmas this year, as well as a few other items of note. Unfortunately, as we enter the holiday season, the world continues to be plagued by Covid-19, and so the many restrictions put in place to prevent the spread of the virus continue, including limiting Mass attendance to 50% of our church’s capacity, requiring people to wear masks and to social distance, prohibiting congregating before and after Mass, etc.. These restrictions have impacted our planning for this holy time of year, as you will see below.
Advent
- We will decorate the church for Advent and Christmas on Saturday, November 28, beginning at 11:00 AM. Any help would be most appreciated.
- Celebrating the sacrament of Penance & Reconciliation is always a good way to prepare the way for the coming of the Lord. Due to Covid-19, there will be no communal penance service in our area this year. Together with other Erie churches, however, we are once again participating in “The Light Is on for You” initiative. On Wednesday, December 9, from 5:00 – 7:00 PM, confessions will be heard here at St. Boniface as well as at a number of other churches. Please check the bulletin for more information. As always, confessions will also be heard Saturdays at 4:15 PM and by private appointment.
- The faith formation program has put together Advent resources for parish families with children. These resources can be found on the table at the church entrance. Please contact Jeanne Yaple at the church office for more information.
Christmas
- Masses for Christmas are as follows:
- o Christmas Eve § 5:00 PM – This Mass will be celebrated in the Coleman Center out of concern that attendance might exceed the church’s 50% capacity limit. All other Christmas Masses will be celebrated in the church.
- 8:00 PM – This Mass will be livestreamed and recorded. Please stay tuned for information on how to view the livestream. Overflow seating for this Mass, should it be necessary, will be provided in the cafeteria with closed circuit TV viewing of the Mass.
- o Christmas Day @ Midnight (12:00 AM)
- 10:00 AM
New Year’s
- Masses for January 1, the feast of Mary, the Mother of God, are as follows:
- o December 31 7:00 PM – This Mass will be livestreamed and recorded.
- o January 1 2021 10:00 AM
Livestreaming technical issues
- Many of you who view the livestream of our 7:30 Masses may have noticed some technical difficulties recently. Tara Schupp, who graciously handles our Mass livestreaming and recording, has been looking into it and attempting to fix the problem. Unfortunately, our livestreaming is currently out of order on zoom. However, it should be available this weekend on our YouTube channel by following this link: https://www.youtube.com/user/StBonifaceParishErie. The streaming video should appear at the top of the page under the heading “Live”. The Mass will also be recorded, as always, for later viewing, should the livestream fail us again. Thank you for your patience. Technology is great when it works, but when it doesn’t, it can be extremely frustrating. Thank you to Tara and Mike Schupp and Gene Conn for their work on this important project.
These changes will make our Advent and Christmas season different and more challenging this year, but I have no doubt we will get through them together as a parish, just as we have the rest of this difficult year. Through all of this, the most important thing does not change: Christ came 2000 years ago to save us, and he will come again to finish the job at the end of time. In the meantime, he walks every step of the road with us. Let us remember and celebrate that unshakeable truth this Advent and Christmas season, and, if I can be of any help with that or anything else, please let me know.
Peace,
Fr. Marc
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