Re-opening news
June 13, 2021
Dear Parishioners,
We have joyfully received the good news about the new re-opening phase for the State of Illinois. The Archdiocese of Chicago has also issued new guidelines to safely re-open our worship and community spaces. (These guidelines are publicaly available through the Archdiocese of Chicago Website).
At Queen of All Nations Parish, the staff and I have discerned a path to apply these new guidelines to our practices. Through our discernment we have prioritized safety, but we have also kept in mind the need to move on together as a community, and also the ways to continue to offer meaningful hospitality for everyone. After all these months of pains and limitations, we would like not to rush through the reopening, but to incrementally and mindfully introduce adjustments that enhance our worship experience without compromising safety and unity.
We thank you all for your patience and kindness, especially our volunteers of the reopening team. The Holy Spirit has worked through you to be able to maintain our vibrancy and connection throughout these months. The implementation of the following guidelines will rely more on personal responsibility and individual compliance, so we encourage everyone to continue to be cautious and sensitive to others’ needs and level of comfort. Please take the time to look at the following directives and continue to keep this process, our parish leaders and me in your prayers.
- Capacity Limits and Registrations: Effective this weekend (6-13-21) all capacity restrictions are being lifted, thus signing up for Church will no longer be necessary. Our sign-up online and at the door will be discontinued. We are still going to guide parishioners to sit in every other pew and encourage all to keep a comfortable social distance during services.
- Masks: Beginning next weekend 6-19-21, face covering will be optional for vaccinated parishioners. Masks will still be required for Eucharistic Ministers while distributing Communion due to the closer interaction with unvaccinated parishioners and children.
- Hand Sanitizing Practices: Hand sanitizer will be available, but not actively offered to parishioners at the entrance of the Church. Communion will continue to be given in the hand, and hand sanitizing before receiving Communion will still be required until further notice.
- Surface Cleaning and Ventilation: We will continue to regularly disinfect pews and surfaces, but not after or before every service. Doors will be kept closed during services.
- Hymnals: We will work on making hymnals available for community singing. Please remember to continue to bring and use your personal missalets since they will still have the readings and prayer for the next two months.
- Masses through F.B. We will continue to live stream our Masses through our page.
- Next Steps: We will work on strategies for incrementally reinstating daily weekday masses, water fountains and in-person ministry meetings.
Fr. Julio and Staff