St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception

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Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

It is with great joy that I announce we will soon be beginning a phased approach to our return to the church building, to Mass, and to the public celebration of all the Sacraments. I invite you to look over the communication from the Archdiocese of Indianapolis that has been shared on our parish Facebook page, but I would like to announce some preliminary plans for St. Mary’s in line with the guidance from the Archdiocese.

First some general principles taken directly from the communication by the Archdiocese:

• Those who are 65 and over and those with high-risk health conditions are encouraged to remain at home. This is the population that is most vulnerable to the coronavirus. Of course, those who are symptomatic or have tested positive for COVID-19 should not enter a church until released to do so by their health care professional.
• The dispensation from the obligation to participate at Mass on Sundays is extended in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis and throughout the State of Indiana until August 15, 2020. 

1. St. Mary’s will establish and make available a detailed plan that is informed by the Recommended Minimum Health Protocols for Places of Worship based the governor’s Back on Track Indiana plan.
2. St. Mary’s has been working to obtain and has purchased the necessary disinfectant and hand sanitizer, our return to church depends upon its arrival. We must continue to have access to disinfectant such that we can disinfect contacted areas after each Mass.
3. Our reopening must continue to be in line with what is permitted by both Rush County and State of Indiana Authorities. We will be in discussion with our local authorities about the specifics of our plan in the near future.
4. Our parish council will act as an advisory and implementation team for our plan.
5. If it is confirmed that someone who has tested positive for Covid-19 was in the church or at a liturgical celebration, we will contact the local health department for guidance.

1. Ushers who are under the age of 65, in good health, and have been trained in our protocols must be present at each Sunday Mass.
2. All attending are encouraged to wear masks and use hand sanitizer upon entering the building.
3. The Church’s capacity during this time will be considered 120 people, 30% of our normal capacity. If we find that more than 120 people are coming to Mass, we will work to add Masses to the normal schedule. Every other pew will be marked off and remain empty. Social distancing of 6 feet must be maintained between households. IF we begin to see crowds over 120, or the inability to maintain distancing, we will explore an expansion of our Mass schedule.
4. Liturgical guidelines regarding spacing and the distribution of holy communion will be developed and must be followed.
5. As per the Archdiocesan guidelines, there is to be no congregating inside of our outside of the Church on parish grounds after Mass.
6. At this time, parish gatherings and meetings will continue to be cancelled.

 
 
The Timeline
Wednesday, May 13 – The church building will be open for private prayer. Confessions will be available by appointment and announced scheduled times. Our deanery priests may be organizing parking lot penance services at each parish. Stay tuned.
Tuesday, May 19 – Public daily Mass will resume with the 6:30pm Mass and will continue daily according to our usual daily Mass schedule. Weddings and Funerals within Mass may resume. Infant Baptisms may resume.
Saturday, May 23- Public celebration of Sunday Masses will resume according to our usual schedule. We will begin to schedule opportunities for our RCIA candidates to enter the Church. We will begin to schedule opportunities for First Communion.
 
As guidelines are still in development for us at a parish level, I am sure there are many questions. Please feel free to contact me by email with any questions at frbrockmeier@stmaryrush.org
In Christ and His priesthood,
Fr. James Brockmeier


You can watch a Live Stream of 10am Sunday Mass at the Church's Facebook Page

https://www.facebook.com/stmaryrush/

Welcome to St Mary Parish, Rushville! We are the Catholic Church in Rush County. Thank you for visiting us through our website. You will find here a wealth of information about parish life from Mass times to ministry opportunities. I hope what you learn here about our parish will encourage you to join our parish in building Christ’s Kingdom. The mission of the parish is Forming Saints for Christ and the Church. We do this by prayer and worship, by learning and teaching, by charitable works, and by being family together. Whoever you are, there is room for you in our community.
 
As you view our website, I encourage you also to visit the link for St Mary’s Catholic School and Preschool. We are proud of our nearly 150-year history of providing quality Catholic Christian education to children and families of all faiths and backgrounds from 3-years old up to the sixth grade. This is our single largest ministry and outreach to the community.
 
Once again, thank you for visiting us. Please know you are invited to be with us in person at Mass or other parish functions. You will be warmly welcomed by the parishioners of St Mary. If you have any questions about our parish community, you can contact me at frbrockmeier@stmaryrush.org or (765) 932-2588 x222
 
In Christ through Mary,
 
Fr. James M. Brockmeier
Pastor

Monday- Wednesday 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Thursday 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Friday 8:30 a.m. - Noon
Parish office is closed.  Phone calls on
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, only.
Thank you for your cooperation.  Our thoughts and prayers are with all of you.

Parish Office:  765-932-2588

Emergency Number: (765) 268-0739
 

St. Mary Food Pantry: (765) 932-2588