Coronavirus Updates

Live Streamed Masses

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All Weekday & Weekend Masses will be live streamed from our website at https://www.stpatrickcolumbus.org/live-streaming

Weekly Contributions

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Update 03/20/2020 - All Public Spaces Closed

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Due to increasing restrictions and health precautions required for public spaces, and the fact that parishes are not equipped to meet these standards, Bishop Brennan has decided this morning that we simply cannot allow access to churches or other parish buildings. As he told the priests, this is not about closing churches but really about urging our parishioners to stay at home these next few weeks.

Therefore, effective immediately, we need to cancel our planned open hours for the church, as well as our planned hours for Confession and Eucharistic Adoration until further notice.

We friars are awaiting direction for how to continue to provide Confession to you, and will do everything we can, especially since this is such an important part of our ministry at St. Patrick.

We friars will also do all that we can virtually, including live-streamed Mass on our parish website (11:30am Monday-Friday; 9:00am Saturday and Sunday) and other events, such as Fr. Hayes’ presentation on prayer coming up this Monday at 12:30pm. We are hoping to add more resources for you soon. You can also reach the parish office by phone and e-mail, and we will do our best to stay connected to you.

I must also remind you that most parish expenses continue, including staff salaries and utilities, so I encourage you to continue your regular offertory contributions. While the most efficient way to do this is via our online giving page on our parish website, you can also send your donation envelopes by mail or use your bank's bill pay service.

While not completely unexpected, this is a great loss for all of us. At the same time, with every great trial like this, it is important to look at the glimmers of grace. Even Christ, on his Way of the Cross, brought unexpected graces to Simon of Cyrene, who helped him carry the Cross; Veronica, who wiped his face with her veil; and to his Mother, whom he met on the way. It is encouraging to hear from some parishioners that they are watching the live-streamed Mass and finding it helpful. Thank you for bearing with us, and stay tuned for further updates.

Our prayers are with you.

Peace,

Fr. Stephen, O.P.

Update 03/19/2020

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Blessings to you on the Solemnity of Saint Joseph! Please read the letter that Bishop Brennan addressed to all of the faithful in our Diocese on March 18. As you will see in this letter, Bishop Brennan is deeply concerned about the safety of us all, and especially those most vulnerable to the pandemic COVID-19 illness. I too, as your pastor, want to be faithful to my responsibility to care for your souls, but in doing so, not to place you in danger. At the moment, I am concerned especially about significant numbers of the faithful being in church at the same time, especially on Sunday. (Isn't it paradoxical that we have to worry about too many people being in church on Sunday?) Since the Bishop has told us that only under the strictest guidelines for hygiene and safety can churches be open for prayer and confession, here is what I am now planning for this Sunday, March 22:

  • St. Patrick Church will be open from 5:00am until 3:00pm.
  • Eucharistic Adoration will begin at 6:00am and continue until 3:00pm.
  • Confessions will be heard starting at the following times until the line finishes: 6:00am, 7:00am, 8:00am, 10:00am, 11:00am, 12:00pm, 1:00pm, and 2:00pm. (We will not have confessions between 9:00am and 10:00am due to the live-streamed Mass from the Priory Chapel at that time.)
  • The goal of this expanded schedule for Confession and Adoration is that you spread out your visits to the church. If possible, please consider coming earlier or later than the usual Sunday Mass times.
  • While in line for confession (which will be in the parish library and/or Aquinas Hall) in the gallery, please maintain a six-foot distance between you and the next person in line.
  • We will close every other pew to ensure some distance between persons within the church.
  • If the number of persons inside the church becomes too great, those arriving will need to wait in their cars until others have completed their visit.
  • For this reason, please consider keeping your visit brief, especially if you arrive during one of the more popular mid-morning hours, to allow as many people as possible to make a visit to our Lord. Also, for the same reason, please do not congregate for the purpose of socializing.
  • Please wash your hands: the restrooms are available for this.
  • If you are 60 or over, or if you have a compromised immune system, or if you have chronic underlying health conditions such as heart disease, lung disease, or diabetes, please seriously consider remaining home, where you can watch our live-streamed Mass (11:30am Monday-Friday; 9:00am Saturday and Sunday).
  • If you are ill yourself, or someone in your family is ill, please stay home, especially for the protection of those most vulnerable among us.

As always, schedules are subject to change, but I am hoping this will be a good and safe way for our church to remain open for personal prayer and confession.

Peace,

Fr. Stephen, O.P.

Link to Bishop Brennan's Statement

Updated Parish Schedule

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Due to increasing restrictions and health precautions required for public spaces, and the fact that parishes are not equipped to meet these standards, Bishop Brennan has decided this morning that we simply cannot allow access to churches or other parish buildings. As he told the priests, this is not about closing churches but really about urging our parishioners to stay at home these next few weeks.

Updated Parish Schedule below:

Monday-Friday

Saturday

Sunday

 

Update 03/17/2020

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A blessed St. Patrick’s Day to all of you! As we adjust to this new and disorienting situation, we want to keep you updated. As has been par for the course these past several days, the following is provisional and subject to change. Here’s our plan until further notice:

  • The parish office will be closed, but we will be monitoring phone calls, voicemail, and email. The office staff will do their best to respond to your requests as promptly as possible. If you need to come to the office in person, please call ahead first and make sure your need cannot be handled remotely. We are here to help, but we want to curtail all unnecessary in-person visits to the parish office.
  • For today, the church will be open for prayer from 11:00 to 2:00. You are welcome to come and make a visit to the Blessed Sacrament. We are working on arranging regular hours for prayer and possibly also for Eucharistic Adoration, pending further directives from the diocese.
  • Until further notice, confessions will be offered at the usual time (12:15).
    • If you come for confession, please obey the posted signs and maintain at least 6 feet of distance from one another. (This doesn’t apply to members of the same family, of course.)
    • We will hold confessions in Aquinas Hall and the Library. To reduce the chances of infection from frequently touched surfaces, feel free to stand rather than kneel behind the screen. We also encourage you, without necessarily making it a part of your penance, to wash your hands after confession!
    • If you are feeling sick and have an urgent need for confession, please call the parish office and we will make special arrangements. Please do not come to our regular confession hours if you are feeling unwell.
  • As friars, we will be celebrating a daily private community Mass in our house chapel. We hope to begin live-streaming this daily Mass tomorrow at 11:45. We will also record today’s Mass (with Fr. Hayes preaching on St. Patrick), and we hope to post it online sometime today. We will notify you when we post it. A different friar will preach each day.

We are discussing and thinking about more ways of being of service during this difficult time. We will continue to update you. Please know of our prayers.

In Christ,

The Friars

All Public Masses Cancelled

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The Bishops of Ohio have recently decided, with great regret, to suspend temporarily all publicly celebrated Masses, effective immediately. This includes our St. Patrick Solemn Vigil Mass this evening. Please stay tuned for further updates. Your Dominican friars will do all that we can to stay connected to you and offer any spiritual assistance you may need during these difficult times.

Please stay tuned for information on any live-streamed masses we will be having.

For more information please see the Bishop's Statement here.

Peace,

Fr. Stephen Alcott, O.P., and the Dominican friars

CCD Classes Cancelled

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Just to confirm - the CCD classes are cancelled for Sundays: March 15, March 22, March 29. Also, the Wednesday CGS classes are cancelled during those weeks.

I will contact the catechists to make sure they will send some materials - as much as they are able - for students to study to make up for cancelled classes.

Please, use your prudence - take care of your health and your family's first.

Let's keep in prayers all those who are sick and their caregivers.

Our Lady, Health of the Sick - pray for us!

Sr. Leonarda, OP

Altar Servers & Parents

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Regarding serving assignments and Coronavirus precautions:

  • If, in considering your own particular circumstances, you decide you shouldn't serve one of your assignments, I understand. Just be sure to let me know and to request a sub, so that we know how many servers we have for each Mass and can plan accordingly.
  • I'll put hand sanitizer in the altar boy sacristy. Please use it.
  • I'll put boxes of Clorox wipes in both sacristies. After every Mass, servers should wipe down the benches, torches, candle snuffers, cruets, lavabo bowl, thurible and boat, and the processional crucifix. Signs will be posted as reminders.
  • If you're not feeling well, or if you're coughing or sneezing, or if you have a runny nose, don't serve. Let me know you can't serve and request a sub.
  • The Sign of Peace is suspended.
  • After being purified in the usual way, the sacred vessels will be washed with soap and water after every Mass.

Let me know if you have any questions.

God bless,

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Father Stephen's Statement

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Dear Friends,

In response to the presence of the Coronavirus/COVID-19 in Ohio, and to slow the spread of the virus and prevent our health care system from being overwhelmed, the Ohio Department of Health has prohibited gatherings of 100 or more people in a confined space. However, some exemptions to this order have been made, including an exemption for gatherings at houses of worship. Per Bishop Brennan, we will continue offering Masses here and throughout the Diocese of Columbus. However, the Catholic bishops of Ohio have removed the obligation to attend Sunday Mass for the weekends of March 15, 22, and 29. Persons who are experiencing symptoms of illness and persons who have compromised immune systems or health conditions that would make them more vulnerable to this illness are urged to stay home, for their own sake and out of charity for others who may be at risk. According to the CDC, older adults and people who have severe underlying chronic medical conditions like heart disease, diabetes, or lung disease seem to be at higher risk for developing more serious complications from COVID-19 illness.

Bishop Brennan has also given some directives for our Diocese and our parishes, in a letter released today. 

In light of the above, here are the steps we are taking at St. Patrick to help prevent the spread of this virus and to protect the health, safety, and well-being of our St Patrick community, especially the most vulnerable. Some of these steps involve sacrifice, but even in these sacrifices there are important opportunities to pull together as a parish.


Mass and Confession

Our scheduled weekend and weekday Masses and confessions will continue. As the bishops of Ohio state, "we would like to see parish Mass schedules remain unchanged to allow the faithful to offer worship to almighty God and receive the great grace of the sacraments during this trying time." During this time of heightened concern we can all see the need to pull together and pray as a community of believers.

Here are the changes related to the Masses which will be effective starting this weekend until further notice: 

  • We will suspend the Sign of Peace.
  • The diocese is asking everyone to consider receiving Holy Communion in the hand rather than on the tongue, as a temporary precaution. This is highly suggested, not mandated. If you receive on the tongue, it’s helpful to keep your tongue and head as still as possible; don’t tilt your head forward or move your tongue as the priest gives you the Host.
  • We will remove the holy water from the fonts, but holy water will still be available in the metal dispenser behind the baptismal font in the gallery if you would like to fill up your own container.
  • All parishioners should take proper measures to practice good hygiene which includes hand washing.
  • We are asking for you to use good judgment and concern for others regarding coughing, sneezing, keeping surfaces clean. Remember to sneeze into a tissue or into your sleeve.
  • Please remember, if you or a member of your family is ill, experiencing symptoms of illness, or have a compromised immune system, you are not obligated to attend Mass and are encouraged to remain at home.
  • We have increased the cleaning in the Church, paying extra close attention to "touch" surfaces (door handles, pew edges, bathroom counters, light switches, etc.). These surfaces will be cleaned by our professional cleaning crew after every weekend and weekday Mass. 
  • Bathrooms will always be stocked with soap and paper towels for hand washing. 
  • If possible, and as space allows, feel free to spread out throughout the church. 
  • For those not attending Mass, we will have all weekday Masses and two of the weekend Masses (5pm and noon) live-streamed on our parish website.

Parish Events and Meetings

Effective today and until further notice, most non-essential parish events are cancelled. 

Events that will continue include:

  • Our Solemn Vigil Mass of St. Patrick on Monday, March 16, at 6:30pm; however the celebration afterward is cancelled.
  • All scheduled confessions
  • Weddings
  • Funerals
  • Special liturgies of Holy Week and the Triduum.
  • Eucharistic Adoration after Mass on Fridays, after the First Saturday Mass, and during the overnight 3rd and 4th Friday vigils
  • Regarding the Parish Mission with Fr. Emmerich Vogt, O.P., we will certainly still offer extended confession hours, and we are hoping Fr. Emmerich will still be able to preach for us, either in person or remotely through online streaming.

Events that are cancelled include:

  • CCD classes, including Wednesday CGS meetings
  • Youth Ministry events
  • Regular RCIA meetings
  • Sunday coffee and doughnuts
  • Stations of the Cross
  • Friday Fish Fry
  • Soup and Spirit talks
  • Women’s Club Bake Sale
  • Most other group events and meetings

Our parish office will remain open during regular hours, and you can call or stop by for clarification regarding schedules and cancellations. You can also contact your group or ministry leaders for alternative ways to meet or communicate.

The Bright Spots

The strength of the Church often shines out especially in times of adversity. This is an excellent time to reach out to neighbors and fellow parishioners who may need help, especially if they have to stay home for a time. When you are washing your hands for 20 seconds, consider praying an Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be for those who are ill and those who are under stress. Since your children are home from school, consider how to spend some quality time together as a family. Since you may have to stay home yourself, or have limited activities, consider this a time of retreat, with space for prayer, renewal, spiritual reading, and drawing closer to God.

Please pray for those who are already impacted by this virus; those who may become infected, especially those at most risk; and for the dedication and skill of all of our health professionals working to keep us safe. We will continue to keep you updated as this situation develops. May Our Lady of Lourdes, Health of the Sick and Mother of Mercy, intercede for us, and may the Holy Spirit continue to guide and  protect us all.

Peace,
Fr. Stephen Alcott, O.P.

Ohio Bishop's Statement on Coronavirus

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Click here to read

As always we live stream our noon mass every Sunday. You can view it on our Live Streaming page.

Fish Fries Cancelled

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The remaining Knights of Columbus Fish Fries are cancelled for the duration of Lent due to the Coronavirus directives set by the State of Ohio.