KMCC GUIDELINES FOR REOPENING OF PUBLIC MASS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

 

 

We received official word from Bishop Kevin Vann that our reopening date will be June 14, 2020, which is Corpus Christi Sunday.  It will have been exactly 90 days since our last public Mass.  My heart longs to see all of you again.  Throughout these days that we have been apart, I can feel your beautiful faith from afar, and I am so grateful to all of you.

 

I will strive to work with your parish leadership to provide as safe and as warm of an environment as possible during this time.  As we begin to reopen to public Masses, there will be a number of changes and precautions of which all of us should be aware.

 

1) Be safe but don’t be afraid.  We need to keep a healthy balance between taking all reasonable measures to be safe, but also to relax and not live in fear.  There is always risk in being alive, but sometimes the risks are worth taking so long as we remain careful.

 

2) Standard COVID-19 health guidelines.  Anytime you are here at KMCC, including during Masses, we must be vigilant in abiding by the standard rules with which we have all become familiar:

a. Maintain 6 feet of physical distance with all.

b. Wash and sanitize your hands frequently.

c. Wear mask anytime you are out of your home.

d. Avoid putting hands to your face.

e. Sanitize frequently touched places.

f. If you are even a little bit sick, stay home.

g. If you have been in close contact with anyone who has been sick stay home.

h. Sneeze or cough into your elbow or tissue, not into your hands.

i. Avoid areas where physical distancing is difficult or impossible.

j. Consider staying home if you are 65 and older, or have other health issues.

 

a. MASSES DIVIDED BY DISTRICTS!  All are asked to come to Mass according to your district:

i. SATURDAY, 6:30 PM.  Districts 1 & 4

ii. SUNDAY, 7:30 AM.  Districts 3 & 5

iii. SUNDAY, 9:30 AM. Districts 2 & 6

iv. SUNDAY, 11:30 AM (ENGLISH).  Parents of children.  English speaking community.

 

If you are unable to come to Mass at the suggested time above, do not worry.  Come when you can.  Our main goal is to spread out the 9:30 AM Mass.

 

b. Bishop Kevin Vann continues to dispense all parishioners in the Diocese of Orange from the obligation to attend Sunday Mass.

c. When seated, allow for six feet of distance between each other.  People who live in the same household, please sit close together.

d. Automatic hand sanitizing dispensers will be placed in convenient locations.  Please use them upon arrival.

e. Collection baskets will be placed in convenient locations where people may place their offerings before and after Mass.  The collection basket will not be passed around.

f. To distribute Holy Communion, all parishioners will not need to move from their seats.  The ministers will come to you to distribute Holy Communion.

g. There will be no holy water founts, no handshaking or hugging during the sign of peace, no holding hands during the Lord’s Prayer, and no drinking from the cup.

h. There will be no choir, and no altar servers.

i. The hosts for Holy Communion will remain covered on the altar the whole time and placed to the side of the altar.  Before distribution of Holy Communion, the priest and ministers will wear a mask and sanitize their hands.

j. After each Mass, a team of people will sanitize all seats.  There will be a cart with plenty of gloves, cleaning solution, and cleaning cloths.

k. Sunday Masses will continue to be livestreamed at 9:30 AM in Korean and 11:30 AM in English and weekdays in Korean.

l. Weekday Masses will continue as normal inside the church. For the time being the Mass will be livestreamed.

 

a. All ministries and meetings remain discontinued.

b. Parishioners are asked to have only one person in the restrooms at a time.

c. Automatic (no touch) hand sanitizing dispensers have been placed near entrances.

d. Most of the restrooms have no contact (automatic) sinks, soap dispensers, and paper towel dispensers.

e. Office remains open with normal business hours.  Office has plexiglass screen placed at the counter.  Please, only one person in the office at a time.

f. The pastoral council has been meeting to discuss best ways to make your Sunday experience as safe and as pleasant as possible.

g. Confessions will continue to be available in a classroom where we can practice safe distance.

h. Parishioners are urged to continue small faith community meetings, Legio meetings, Bible study groups, and prayer groups via internet video technology.

i. Things will change throughout the weeks and months ahead. All parishioners are urged to be a part of our Kakao communications network to receive up-to-date information.  Also, the website will continue to be updated and the church bulletin will be available through the website.  If you are not receiving Kakao updates, please call the parish to be included.

j. Also, I ask, if you know any elderly in our community who do not know how to use the internet, please call them to give them updates whenever necessary.

k. Fr. Eugene will always strive to offer the anointing of the sick to those who need it.  Please do not hesitate to ask.

 

5) First Communion, Confirmation, and Sacraments of Initiation. Specific information regarding current candidates for all the sacraments will be released soon in a separate memo.

 

a. There is indeed great tragedy within this pandemic.  Thousands upon thousands of lives have been lost throughout the world.  It is these lost lives that remind us of the need to be vigilant with safety but also to live our lives as fully as possible.

b. I wanted to release this letter with details about the measures we will take to keep a safe environment so that all of you who decide to come, will do so with peaceful hearts.  Be confident that I and your parish leadership will do what we can to help keep a safe environment.  Ultimately, it is up to each of you to follow safety measures, but while doing so, let’s remain happy, positive, and faithful.

c. I want to remind all of you again that no matter what happens, our goal must be to treasure in our hearts the most precious gift of the Eucharist.  We must strive to continue to engage in the Mass, whether through livestream, or in person, to worship the Lord with reverence and awe.

 

 

Sincerely in Christ,

Fr. Eugene Lee