CHURCH OF SAINT MARY

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION CLASSES
Tuesday September 21 
Classes Today are Online 

Please, see the Calendar and Handbook for more information.
For questions email:smw.ore@gmail.com
or call or text
845-663-3957


SUNDAY MASS SCHEDULE
Saturday Vigil                 5:30 pm
Sunday      8 am, 10 am & 12 pm


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FROM THE ARCHDIOCESE OF NEW YORK

-Masks, though recommended by the CDC, are not required to be worn during church services for those who are fully vaccinated.
-Churches should continue to maintain a “physical distance section” for those individuals who wish to utilize such accommodations regardless of their vaccination status.
-There are no capacity restrictions on houses of worship. (NYS June 16, 2021)

THE MASS OBLIGATION
The obligation to participate in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass
primarily by presence and attentiveness
 begins at 4 pm on Saturday and ends at Midnight on Sunday.

THERE IS NO GENERAL DISPENSATION FROM ATTENDANCE AT MASS.

Watching Mass virtually is one way to make sure Sunday is kept as a day of prayer and rest, but it certainly does not fulfill the Mass obligation if you you are able to attend Mass in person.
 
Serious illness is a valid reason not to attend Mass and other church gatherings.
Any individual who - is sick or has flu-like symptoms (cough, fever, sore throat, difficulty breathing, loss of taste or smell) should stay home.  One who is of advanced age, believes he or she may have a condition that puts him or her in a high risk category for vulnerability to contracting the COVID-19 (i.e., advanced age, chronic medical conditions such as chronic lung disease, heart disease, diabetes, cancer and a weakened immune system) can stay home.
One who must give fulltime care for a person who is sick is also exempt.
Necessary travel which overlaps with the Mass obligation can exempt one. 
Necessary work (i.e. work to support one's family when one cannot change the date of work, or public services such as Police, Fire Figthers, Doctors, Nurses, EMS, etc.) is also a valid reason.  If one is able to change shifts, one should try.  However, truly necessary work exempts one from Mass attendance if it is a grave inconvience.
That said, if one goes to stores, restaurants, theaters, or other public places, one will find it hard to be justified in good faith to exempt oneself from the Mass obligation. 
If you are unsure, call your parish priest.

Please note the Mass times since June 2020:

SUNDAY MASS SCHEDULE

SATURDAY VIGIL
5:30 PM

SUNDAY MORNING 
8 AM 
10 AM
12 PM (SPANISH)


WEEKDAY DAILY MASSES

MONDAY TO FRIDAY 
8:30 AM 

CONFESSIONS

SATURDAY
3:30 pm - 4:30 pm - in CHAPEL
or call for an appointment
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UPDATE

The state of New York has begun to lift or rollback many COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. The Governor announced the following changes
• Effective May 19, 2021, there will be no capacity restriction on houses of worship. However, the six-foot social distance requirement will remain in effect;
• Effective May 19, 2021, capacity for indoor non-essential gatherings is 250 persons, subject to physical distancing guidelines;
• Effective May 10, 2021, capacity for outdoor non-essential gatherings is 500 persons, subject to physical distancing guidelines (two meters).

Governor Cuomo, Governor Murphy and Governor Lamont Announce Significant Easing Of COVID-19 Pandemic Restrictions on Businesses, Gatherings and Venues (ny.gov)
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New Procedure at Holy Mass for receiving Holy Communion.

As you know we have been careful in following CDC and ARCHNY regulations since the restart of public Masses in June (see below).  However, some members of our parish have expressed private concerns.  To calm these worries, we will try the following procedure beginning Saturday evening, September 12:
1. The communion line on the pulpit (School) side will be dedicated to those who choose to receive Holy Communion in the hand.
2. The communion line on the priest's chair (Clinton Street) side will be for those who either choose to receive Holy Communion on the tongue or those who choose to receive in the hand.  

Whether we receive in the laudable traditional way or in the recently permitted way, we should reflect on the fact that when we receive Holy Communion, we are receiving Christ our God.  We may have fear of catching covid, but even morseo, we should all approach with holy fear because we will be receive the living God.  Physical sickness and death are bad, but even worse would be spiritual sickness and death if we were to receive our Lord unworthily, that is, in a state of mortal sin.

For this reason, St. Paul wrote: "Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the Body and Blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the Body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. (1 Cor 11:27-30)
As we make sure to clean our hands, let us not neglect to clean our souls through tears of penance in a frequent good confession.

HOLY SACRIFICE AND SPIRITUAL COMMUNION
• Holy Mass has infinite value a prayer. It is the same Sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the Cross now offered in an unbloodymanner. Holy Communion is the fullest participation in Mass for a soul that is in the state of grace and disposed by prayer and fasting to receive our Lord. While there is no obligation to receive Holy Communion at every Mass, for those who are prepared to do so, our Lord’s Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity will be administered at the usual time.

 

PLENARY INDULGENCE