Beginning this Saturday, September 12, we will be making a slight tweak with how we are doing confessions.
The primary change is the location for where confessions will be heard. Instead of confessions being heard in the St. Teresa Room ... they will now be heard in the vestibule of the Parish Office. This will be the location for confessions on both Tuesdays and Saturdays
This change was necessary because we simply needed the St. Teresa room for other activities (such as meetings and the Bosco RE program), and at this time we are not at a point where we can return to our confessionals. Also, we wanted to maintain a consistent location for confessions.
And so, here is how it will work ...
- Entrance for confessions will still be through the front door of the church (the narthex doors).
- Once you have entered the parish hall from the narthex, please take your place in line along the west wall of the parish hall (the wall opposite the windows looking out on the Garden). On the floor will be yellow tape marking places for the penitents to wait in line. Each spot is more than 6 feet apart. We ask that all penitents please observe the proper social distancing of 6 feet, even in spots that do not have yellow tape marks on the floor.
- There will a stop sign marking the spot for the next person to have their confession heard (near the front doors of the parish hall). As mentioned above, our confessional is the vestibule for the Parish Office. There will be religious chant music playing in the hall at that spot in order to prevent any confessions from being heard.
- Once the "confessional" is empty, the next penitent will proceed to the vestibule. Do NOT close the door to the vestibule. The music in the hall is intended to keep your confession private. The open door allows for greater air movement, but also the door will not have been touched by anyone (and so it will not have to be cleaned or sanitized between confessions).
- There will be yellow tape on the floor indicating where the penitent is to stand. There will be no kneeler or chair for the penitent since this would also have to be sanitized between confessions. The priest will be sitting behind the window to the office and behind a curtain or screen to maintain the privacy of the penitent. No confessions will be heard "face to face".
- Once your confession is done, please exit the vestibule out through the front door of the parish office and not back through the parish hall. The next person in line should see you leave, and so penitents in line should be paying attention. Your penance can be said in the parking lot.
Thank you ahead of time for your cooperation in following all of these procedures. They are in place in order to comply with government standards for the protection of all parties involved. Confessions will continue to be heard in this fashion for the foreseeable future.
Thank you ahead of time for all of your patience and understanding as we continue to take steps in restoring the various aspects of our parish activities and parish life.
God bless!
In Jesus and Mary,
Fr. Grady