Third Sunday of Lent
Dear Parishioners,
The numbers of COVID cases have dropped dramatically in Rock Island County. The infection rate has dropped to a low level. The Diocese of Peoria has left it up to each parish to reduce protocols as we see fit. We are now going to loosen some more of our protocols.
As was already announced, mask wearing is optional at Mass now. We also will be resuming the sign of peace during the communion rite. If you feel comfortable shake hands. On Laetare Sunday, which is the halfway point of Lent, we will be encouraging congregational singing again.
The rules we have had about communion will also be loosened. If anyone wants to receive communion on the tongue this will be allowed. We will be slowly reintroducing the cup. Probably we will have one Mass with both species at first and see how things go. This will start at Easter. I don’t want to consecrate a lot of wine and then have communion ministers trying to consume it all. I believe that receiving both the body and the blood of the Lord is the fullest way to experience communion, but I also know that drinking after another person seems dangerous to a lot of people even though COVID is an air born virus.
In saying all this, I would remind everyone to be respectful of those who wear masks and keep their distance. There are people who have been exposed to COVID who might be wearing a mask to protect others and there are those who are at risk or who have a family member at high risk who are still wary. Wearing a mask is not a political statement, it is an attempt to protect one’s health.
If the numbers of COVID cases spike we may have to put protocols back in place. Let’s pray that this does not happen.
May Our Lady, Queen of Peace, pray for our Ukrainian brothers and sisters today.
Fr. Mark
P.S. We have tentatively set a parish meeting for Sunday afternoon May 1st to share details about our building project. Our contractor is presently seeking bids and we will see what the overall cost is going to be once we receive the bids. Then we will submit another resolution to the Diocese of Peoria asking to build. There are a lot of moving parts to our building plans right now with hyperinflation, labor shortages, etc. Please be patient as the Building Committee tries to navigate some pretty choppy water. More details will follow. The best-case scenario is that building would start at the beginning of the summer.
Fr. Mark