La Purisima Concepcion

A note from Fr. Jeejo:
Dear parishioners,
     I understand that the requirements we have to follow are not easy, as there are many restrictions and requirements that we must adhere to during this time.  To be able to be together as a Parish family and to receive the Blessed Sacrament are the reasons we are working hard to reopen our church.  It is for this reason we come together.  As we embark on this new process, I ask for your patience and understanding.  I will do my best to make this experience as good as are permitted by all these requirements given to our parish.
God Bless,
Fr. Jeejo
   
**NEW WEEKEND MASS TIMES**
Saturday: 5 p.m. (English)
Sunday: 8 a.m. (Spanish), 10 a.m. (English), 12 p.m. (Spanish)

You can reserve your seat(s) by calling the Pastoral Center at 805-735-3068 with your name, phone number, and requested number of seats.  Your name will be added to a list at the main entrance of the church and checked off as you enter. 

The Church re-opening plan is based on requirements from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and from the CDC/SB County guidelines for places of Worship.  We are monitoring archdiocesan notices and local health and safety announcements for changes to restrictions.  We will modify our plan as these mandates are issued.  
 
The parish plans on re-opening the church on Sunday, June 14, 2020, starting with the 9:00 a.m. Mass in English.  PLEASE NOTE:  WE ARE MOVING SLOWLY WITH OUR REOPENING IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE WE ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH ALL GUIDELINES.  WE WILL ADJUST SERVICES AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

We are in need of someone to volunteer to head the English-speaking ushers.  Please call the Pastoral Center if you are interested.  Donations of cleaning supplies are also needed; please drop off donations at the Pastoral Center.
 
A) Volunteers removed all missals, hymnals, and pamphlets from the church.
B) No Holy Water in the fonts and no water in the baptismal font.  The Baptismal font will be cordoned off and there will be a sign posted, “Do Not Touch.”
The capacity of the church for each Mass is 69 parishioners and 10 others to include:  clergy, ushers, volunteers, deacon, eucharistic minister, person to live stream the mass and music person.  This is a total capacity of 79 people maximum at each service.  All parishioners are asked to PLEASE follow the usher’s directions.  Each person will enter through the front door only and will be given directions by the usher.

If there are any handicapped/disabled persons attending mass, please go to the exit doors on either the right or left of the church.  Please bring a family member who can go to the main entrance of the church and let the usher know that the door needs to be opened so that person can enter.  They will be seated in the front rows of the church on either side of the altar.

Schedule for Mass and Sacraments:
 
Weekend masses will be held on Saturday in English at 5:00 p.m., Sunday at 8:00 a.m. in Spanish, 10:00 a.m. in English, and 12:00 p.m. in Spanish.
The church will open 30 minutes prior to the start of Mass.  

Weekday masses will be held on Wednesday and Friday mornings at 8:00 a.m. The church will open at 7:30 a.m. and close at 8:30 a.m.
 
The Religious Education Coordinator will be contacting all parents to let them know the date and time when their children will be celebrating First Communion and Confirmation.
 
La Coordinadora de Educación Religiosa estará contactando a los padres de familia pará dejarles saber la fecha y hora en qué sus hijos estarán celebrando la Confirmación y Comunión. 

Confirmation Masses
June 20 at 12:00pm and 3:00pm
June 27 at 12:00pm
 
Misas de Confirmación
Junio 20 a las 12:00pm y 3:00pm
Junio 27 a las 12:00pm
 
RCIA Mass
June 27 at 3:00pm
 
Misa de RICA
Junio 27 a las 3:00pm
 
First Communion Masses
July 11 - August 01 at 12:00pm and 3:00pm
 
Misas de Primera Comunión
Julio 11 – Agosto 01 a las 12:00pm y 3:00pm

Baptisms will be held on Saturdays at 9:30 a.m. beginning on June 20th.  

To accommodate as many people as possible, only 5 people per family will be admitted for each sacrament:  Parents, Godparents or Sponsors and sacramental recipient.
 
The church will be open 30 minutes prior to the beginning of Mass to allow time to make sure everyone is wearing masks, have their hands sanitized, and are seated by an usher.
 
Cleaning:
 
The church will be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized by the custodial staff before the church opens on June 14, 2020.  After every Mass, the church will be locked and will be sanitized by volunteers.  
 
Entering and Exiting the Church for Mass:

1. The only entrance to the church will be through the front doors.  There will be a sign on the door stating it is the only entrance to the church.  A queue, marked by Xs six feet apart will show where to line up and wait.  The Xs will go from the front door, down the front, to the left side and down the side of the church to the rectory.  There will be a volunteer at the front door, which will be open, so no one touches the handle, letting people enter one (or one group) at a time.  This volunteer will monitor and count parishioners entering.  To ensure social distancing of 6 feet, the church can hold 68 seated parishioners and up to 6 at the altar:  the priest, deacon, Eucharistic Minister, lector, video camera operator and musician.  

 

2. The volunteers will:  

-make sure each parishioner uses the touchless hand sanitizer station upon entering the church.  
- when entering the vestibule, there will be another volunteer directing parishioners to go either to the right or the left, up the side aisles.  There will be 2 volunteers at the front of the church seating those coming into the church.
-make sure each person is wearing a mask
-lock the door after the maximum capacity is reached.  The volunteer on the outside of the church will stay in place during Mass to let people know maximum capacity has been reached.

3. Before the final blessing, the priest will explain that parishioners will be dismissed row by row, starting with the first row.  Parishioners sitting on the left will exit left and those sitting on the right will exit right.  These doors will be opened when the Mass ends by the usher/volunteer so that no one touches the door handles.  There will be no socializing after Mass.

 
Announcements: Direction for collections and for Holy Communion will be given during Mass by the lector.  Everyone please follow instructions.
 
Before Mass, lectors will make the following announcements:

1. The bathrooms will be open during Masses.  Only one person at a time can use the restroom.  
2. Baskets will be at the front and the back of the church so that parishioners can leave their donations as they enter or exit the church.  The usher will take the baskets to the sacristy after Mass and after everyone leaves.

 
Communion:
 
Please follow the instructions provided by the ushers to receive Holy Communion.
 
Confession:
 
Confessions will be held by appointment only.  Please call the Pastoral Center to make an appointment.  Confessions will be held in the Pastoral Center in Father’s Office.  He will sit at his desk and the penitent will sit at the table at the back of the room.  The Parish Secretary will monitor and admit penitents and allow only one person at a time to enter.  Waiting penitents will wait in their cars and the parish secretary will call them when it is time to enter.
 
Weddings, Quinceaneras and Funerals:
Call the Pastoral Center to arrange Weddings, Quinceaneras and Funerals.  The same Mass protocol will be utilized.  Adjustments will be made to accommodate capacity.
 
Signage:
 
Signs will be posted in both English and Spanish clearly showing entrance and exits, mandatory face masks, 6 feet social distancing, do not touch (where needed), and specific signs for the church to control foot traffic and flow of movement.
 
THE RISK OF CONTAGION IS STILL HIGH.  RESTRICTIONS ARE STILL IN PLACE.  WE ASK THAT EVERYONE DO THEIR PART AND FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS AT ALL TIMES.  
 
LET US AVOID THE CHANCE OF A SECOND CLOSURE AND STRICTER RESTRICTIONS BY FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS AND ENSURING THE NUMBER OF INFECTED DOES NOT RISE.  LET US CONTINUE TO BE UNITED IN PRAYING FOR ONE ANOTHER.  THANK YOU.
 
IF YOU ARE ABLE TO VOLUNTEER AS AN USHER, TO CLEAN THE CHURCH OR OTHER SERVICES, PLEASE CALL THE PASTORAL CENTER.  AGAIN, ANYONE WHO IS ILL, HAS UNDERLYING HEALTH ISSUES OR IS 65 OR OLDER, ARE DISCOURAGED FROM VOLUNTEERING AND ARE ASKED TO PLEASE STAY HOME.

Fr. Jeejo Vazhappilly