St. Francis of Assisi is Back!
St. Francis of Assisi is open for Mass and Confession.
We are so pleased to welcome you back to attend Mass at the Church of St. Francis of Assisi.
Of course we must maintain safety measures in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and so we have have implemented the following procedures to insure the health and safety of our parishioners, visitors, staff and friars.
PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING CAREFULLY PRIOR TO COMING TO THE CHURCH FOR MASS, CONFESSION OR PRIVATE PRAYER.
THE MASS SCHEDULE IS AS FOLLOWS:
(Confession schedule is below)
Sunday Masses:
Saturday (Vigil): 4pm
Sunday Masses at:
8:00 AM,
9:30AM (Korean),
11:00 AM, and
5:00 PM.
Sunday Mass will continue to be streamed live each Sunday at 11:00 AM
Daily Masses:
Monday through Friday at:
7:30 am
12:00 noon, and
5:00 pm
Saturday at 11:00 AM
Confessions:
The Confession schedule is as follows:
Monday – Friday:
8:00 to 9:00 AM
11:00 AM to 12:00 Noon
4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Saturday: 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM
Confessions will be heard in designated spots in the upper church.
The Church is open for private prayer:
The upper church at St. Francis of Assisi is open for private prayer
8:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Monday thru Friday
except during Mass times.
Parish Office and Bookstore
The parish office and bookstore is open Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 6 PM and Sunday from 8 to 12 noon.
The St. Francis House and the Adult Education Center
There will be no in person meetings for Adult Education classes, ministry meetings, or self-help groups until further notice.
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This schedule will be in effect, unless otherwise noted, until until further notice. This schedule supersedes our regular schedule posted elsewhere on our website.
REGULATIONS FOR THE CELEBRATION OF MASS
- MASS ATTENDANCE WILL BE LIMITED TO 100 PEOPLE
Based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, NYS Department of Health and the Archdiocese of New York guidelines, we are currently able to accommodate 100 persons at each Mass we offer, including worshipers, clergy and others assisting with the Mass.
We recognize that space is limited, and we will continue to offer our Livestream Mass to serve all parishioners.
We strongly encourage anyone in a vulnerable population, including those with chronic health conditions or who are age 65 or older, to pray virtually and watch Livestream from the safety of their homes.
2. CHECK YOUR HEALTH STATUS OUT OF LOVE FOR YOUR NEIGHBOR:
It is essential that anyone who is exhibiting signs of Covid-19 or who has been exposed to the virus within 14 days not attend Mass. We are asking everyone to stay home if you or members of your household are exhibiting any of the following symptoms:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
3. SAFETY PROCEEDURES WHILE IN CHURCH
- Every person over the age 2 must wear a face mask, covering the nose and mouth, at all times while at the Church of St. Francis of Assisi
- Social distancing must be maintained at all times, that is, at least six feet between persons other than household members.
- There may be an outdoor line for those awaiting to enter the church. People attending Mass will be allowed in starting 20 minutes prior to the beginning of Mass. You will not be able to enter the Church earlier.
- One person/family will be seated at a time. Hospitality ministers will bring you to the next open seat. Seats will be filled in order without exception. A partial party cannot be seated and must wait to enter the Church until all have arrived.
- Should you need to exit the Church before the end of Mass, you will not be allowed to re-enter the Church.
- Please use the hand sanitizers available upon entering the church as well as before communion.
- Worshipers are requested to refrain from singing and physical contact during the Mass.
- The Eucharist:
The Eucharist will be offered in the hand only at the end of the Mass. This is the procedure for the reception of communion:- There will be one line for communion and communicants will be invited up in order at the direction of ministers of hospitality.
- Communicants will maintain a 6′ distance from each other
- Masks will be worn during the communion procession
- Communicants will use hand sanitizer prior to receiving communion. A stand with sanitizing solution will be available.
- The priest will also wear a mask and will proclaim “The Body of Christ” and place the host in the communicant’s hand
- Communicants will proceed with the Eucharist to a designated spot in front of the sanctuary where they will lower their mask to consume the Eucharist and then replace their mask.
- The restrooms will remain closed.
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The Church of St. Francis of Assisi is reopening in stages as part of our efforts to keep our parishioners, visitors, friars and staff safe as we continue to face the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic. While we are in these stages, the schedule on this page supersedes our normal schedule which may be posted on different parts of our website.
Please check back at this page for updates as the city and the archdiocese allow for more restrictions to be lifted.
Every Tuesday since September and nearly every Sunday since November, I’ve been attending classes & mass with the RCIA program at the Church of St. Francis of Assisi. There’s a much longer story here as to the exploration, decision, and journey I’ve been on over the last few years. Our small group has met without end, now through the pandemic, through livestream mass, through uncertainty, through illness, through fear, through trust. I had been incredibly selective about sharing this information. However, I think while the pandemic has revealed some of the highest levels of fear in me, it’s also given me more courage in other ways – to be vocal about causes I support, people & leaders I support, or don’t support. And now faith. As an artist, this type of silence is deadly. As a human, the silence is stifling. I’ve learned there’s also a place to keep some things private.
