Deconfinment Protocols

Refrain from visiting the Church if you feel ill or answer “yes” to the standard Screening Questions:

• Do you have any of the following symptoms or signs (without an underlying reason for these symptoms such as seasonal allergies or post-nasal drip)?​

  • Fever​

  • New or worsening cough

  • Unexplained fatigue / malaise

  • Sudden loss of smell

  • Sore throat / difficulty swallowing

  • Runny nose, sneezing pr nasal congestion

  • Shortness of breath

  • Nausea / vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain

  • New smell or taste disorder

  • Hoarse voice

  • Chills

  • Headache

• Have you traveled outside of Canada or had close contact with anyone that has traveled outside of Canada in the past 14 days?​​

• Have you had close contact with anyone with a suspected, probable or confirmed case of COVID-19, where you did not wear the required and/or recommended Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) according to the type of duties you were performing, e.g., goggles, gloves, mask and gown or N95 with aerosol generating medical procedures (AGMPs)? If your answer to any of these is “Yes”, refrain from visiting the church or other public places, please return home ; then call the COVID-19 hotline 1-877-644-4545 and follow the instructions given.

Be vigilant and respect the parish physical-distancing rules at all times, allowing adequate space between you and others on the premises, follow the arrows and the indications of the greeters.​

Wear a mask, AT ALL TIMES, with your mouth and nose well covered, except to consume the host.

If you need to cough, keep your mask on, or cough into your elbow.

It is MANDATORY to disinfect your hands upon entering the church.

As much as possible, avoid touching surfaces and objects on the premises.

There will be no collection baskets passed during the offertory, so please put your offering in the basket by the entrance as you enter or as you leave.

Let an usher lead you to a seat in the church.

Since the baptismal font is empty and holy water is not available to individuals, Father Stephen will bless the assembly with holy water at the beginning of the ceremony.

Avoid singing in the assembly.

The sign of peace will be exchanged without physical contact: bow, nod or make the sign of peace.

Processing for communion will be done, from the front, one pew at a time, respecting distancing rules.

Before the distribution of Communion begins, Father Stephen will say, “the Body of Christ” and the congregation will reply, in unison, “Amen”.

Communion will be received, in silence, with the mask-on, then people will move to the indicated spots to remove their masks, consume the host and put their masks back on, before returning to their seats.

Children who have not made their First Communion will be blessed without being touched; as will anyone preferring not to receive the Host.

Before exiting, please clean the areas around yourself: pew backs, kneelers, seats with the sanitizing
equipment provided.

At the end of Mass, the people in the pews nearest to the doors will be invited to exit first, one pew at a
time, respecting physical distancing.

Hands should also be disinfected upon leaving the premises.

Dispose of used protective materials in the bin, situated at the church exit, or better yet, at home.

There will be no social gatherings in the church after Mass during this time.

Avoid using the washrooms in the church, unless it is an emergency. If you must go, respect the hygienic and physical distancing instructions.