May 15, 2020
Dear St. Teresa Parishioners,
I hope and pray that you are well and entrusting all to the Lord!
At this point we have had five days of public Masses. On average we have had around 25 people at the 8:15 am and about 13 people at the 5:30 pm Masses (the 6:30 am daily Mass has been moved to 5:30 pm in order to accommodate more people). Parishioners have been prudently cautious regarding whether they and their household should be attending these newly opened Masses to the public. We continue do everything that we can to make sure that all surfaces, pews, door handles, hand railings, etc. are cleaned and sanitized regularly.
We have 15 Masses at St. Teresa each week, so do not feel obligated to come only to one of the 4 Sunday Masses, but please consider coming to weekday Masses as an alternative.
All other parish and school activities remain restricted, including after-Mass gatherings such as coffee and rolls, funeral luncheons, wedding receptions, etc. In-person meetings of parish groups continue to be indefinitely suspended.
For Ascension Thursday this week (which is not a holy day of obligation this year due to COVID) our public Masses will be the 5:30 pm (vigil) on Wednesday, May 20th and 8:15 am and 5:30 pm on Thursday, May 21st. We will live steam the 8:15 am Mass on Thursday, May 21st for those watching from home so they may view any time during the day.
Our current public Mass Schedule:
Those who cannot or wish not to attend Sunday Mass in person are invited to join us via our parish website or Facebook page. We will continue to live stream the Saturday 4pm and Sunday 10am Masses for the foreseeable future.
Guidelines and Safety Measures for Parishioners During Reopening Please use your judgment and the following guidelines in determining your attendance at Mass. The dispensation from the Sunday Mass obligation remains in place so that parishioners feel no pressure to come to church and so that parishioners may come to Mass any day of the week, rather than everyone attempting to come on Sundays.
Those Who are Encouraged to Stay Home:
Your priests have missed your presence and we are blessed to once again – slowly, but surely – be celebrating together at the Altar of the Lord! Please know of our sincere appreciation for all of your expressions of support, prayers, and offers of help, food and bakery that many of you have provided. We are very grateful. Be assured of our daily prayers for you.
Be well in the Risen One,
Fr. Hottovy ::
Parish Announcements, Reminders, & Notes:
May God bless you and keep you!
Dear St. Teresa Parishioners,
I hope and pray that you are well and entrusting all to the Lord!
At this point we have had five days of public Masses. On average we have had around 25 people at the 8:15 am and about 13 people at the 5:30 pm Masses (the 6:30 am daily Mass has been moved to 5:30 pm in order to accommodate more people). Parishioners have been prudently cautious regarding whether they and their household should be attending these newly opened Masses to the public. We continue do everything that we can to make sure that all surfaces, pews, door handles, hand railings, etc. are cleaned and sanitized regularly.
We have 15 Masses at St. Teresa each week, so do not feel obligated to come only to one of the 4 Sunday Masses, but please consider coming to weekday Masses as an alternative.
All other parish and school activities remain restricted, including after-Mass gatherings such as coffee and rolls, funeral luncheons, wedding receptions, etc. In-person meetings of parish groups continue to be indefinitely suspended.
For Ascension Thursday this week (which is not a holy day of obligation this year due to COVID) our public Masses will be the 5:30 pm (vigil) on Wednesday, May 20th and 8:15 am and 5:30 pm on Thursday, May 21st. We will live steam the 8:15 am Mass on Thursday, May 21st for those watching from home so they may view any time during the day.
Our current public Mass Schedule:
- Monday – Friday: 8:15am and 5:30pm
- Saturday: 8:15am and 4pm Vigil Mass (the 4pm will also be streamed)
- Sunday: 8am, 10am (the 10am will also be streamed), and Noon Masses
Those who cannot or wish not to attend Sunday Mass in person are invited to join us via our parish website or Facebook page. We will continue to live stream the Saturday 4pm and Sunday 10am Masses for the foreseeable future.
Guidelines and Safety Measures for Parishioners During Reopening Please use your judgment and the following guidelines in determining your attendance at Mass. The dispensation from the Sunday Mass obligation remains in place so that parishioners feel no pressure to come to church and so that parishioners may come to Mass any day of the week, rather than everyone attempting to come on Sundays.
Those Who are Encouraged to Stay Home:
- The sick
- The elderly
- People with underlying medical conditions
- Family members who live with elderly people or those who are at risk
- People who have access to those at risk in nursing institutions
- People who have upper respiratory or flu like symptoms
- People who live with someone with upper respiratory or flu like symptoms
- People with COVID-19 or live with someone with COVID-19
- People who have been exposed to someone with COVID-19
- Wearing a face mask is highly recommended.
- Alternate pews will be demarcated so that families can sit with the appropriate 6 feet social distancing.
- Hymnals and missalettes have been removed from the pews. Feel free to take one from the back but do not return it. Take it home with you and bring it for personal use at future Masses.
- There will not be any singing at Mass by choirs or by the congregation in order to limit the spread of sickness via water droplets.
- Collection baskets will be at the exits for you to leave your offerings.
- Please receive Holy Communion in the hand.
- The communion rail will not be used. In queueing to receive Holy Communion and returning to your pews, observe the appropriate distance between households.
- There will be two Communion stations, each with a plexi-glass divider. The priest will stand in the center aisle and will distribute to the people who are seated in the front half for the church. Communion will also be distributed from the back for those who are seated in the back half of the church.
- When coming up for Communion, please keep your mask on and place your hands beneath the plexi-glass shield to receive in the hand, then move to the side, remove one side of your mask, and consume the Host.
- After Mass, maintain a 6-foot social distance when exiting the church as well as outside on parish grounds.
Your priests have missed your presence and we are blessed to once again – slowly, but surely – be celebrating together at the Altar of the Lord! Please know of our sincere appreciation for all of your expressions of support, prayers, and offers of help, food and bakery that many of you have provided. We are very grateful. Be assured of our daily prayers for you.
Be well in the Risen One,
Fr. Hottovy ::
Parish Announcements, Reminders, & Notes:
- Remember that Saturday’s Eucharistic Procession begins at 11am, following Prayers Against Pandemics, which will be said in church (and streamed) at 10:45am.
- We are in need of Ushers to help at daily masses at 8:30 am and 5:30 pm. to assist parishioners with sitting accommodations due to COVID-19. Please let Will Varicak know if you can help: willvaricak@gmail.com | 402-416-1070. New Ushers are welcome!
- Lectors and Altar Servers will not be needed for Masses (indefinitely).
- The Ascension of the Lord (Thursday, April 21st) would normally be a Holy Day of Obligation for Lincoln Catholics. Since a dispensation from Mass attendance has been given, no one is required to attend Mass that day. Wednesday’s 5:30pm Mass will be a Vigil Mass for the Ascension, and Masses will be said on Ascension Thursday at 8:15am and 5:30pm. The 8:15am Mass will be streamed.
- Charity and Stewardship Appeal: please call the parish office if you need help with your pledge card. If you made your pledge online, it is not necessary to mail the card.
- Since Masses are now public, our priests’ homilies will no longer be included in these messages. (Masses will still be streamed at 4pm Saturday and again Sunday at 10am.)
- St. Teresa Elementary School is again participating in Give to Lincoln Day. Funds will be used to update, improve, and make-efficient our school gymnasium. Please consider donating to his fundraiser. This is how it may be done:
- Give online now through 11:59 p.m. on May 28. The website is HERE.
- Call in a gift through the Lincoln Community Foundation at 402-474-2345.
- Mail a gift to the Lincoln Community Foundation at 215 Centennial Mall S., Ste. 100, Lincoln, NE 687508 by May 23rd. Checks must be written to “Lincoln Community Foundation” with “St. Teresa School” in the memo line.
- Drop off a gift at any Lincoln West Gate Bank branch via drive through now through May 28.
- Give through a Donor Advised Fund or through your IRA.
- Ordinations and Chrism Mass are both closed to the public, due to COVID-19 restrictions. Both Masses will be streamed for the public.
- Due to concerns about COVID-19, all Camp Kateri summer camps have been canceled. This includes SKY, Catholic Adventure, Leadership Camp, Marian Camp, and Virtus Veritas. Starting on May 1st, we will begin issuing full refunds to registered camp families. This process will be completed by May 31th. “Outdoor Ministry is an important part of a child’s spiritual nourishment. It provides a memorable setting to connect with God, make positive friendships, and learn more about the Catholic faith. We look forward to the day when children can explore their faith, and the outdoors, at Camp Kateri again.”
- The Emmaus Institute for Biblical Studies is now accepting registrations for online summer classes. Course topics include the Gospels, the Eucharist, Mary, and the Creed. Learn more at www.emmausinstitute.net.
- Calvary Cemetery has decided to cancel our 2020 Annual Memorial Day Mass due to the Coronavirus situation. Monsignor Timothy J. Thorburn will offer a private Mass for all the Veterans and all the deceased loved ones at Calvary Cemetery. The cemetery will be open for friends and family to visit and decorate graves on the Memorial Day Weekend.
- Villa Marie School is accepting applications for a full-time para-professional and a part-time para-professional for the 2020-2021 school year, to work with special needs children. The school is also seeking to hire an after-school helper from 3:15 – 8:15 p.m. on Monday through Thursday evenings. Must be a high school graduate willing to work with and supervise special needs children. Please contact Sr. Jeanette at 402-786-3625 or sr.jeanette-rerucha@cdolinc.net for more information or to apply for these positions.
- Bulletin
- Advertisers
- Updated Parish Contact & Information Sheet
- Knights of Columbus Flyer
May God bless you and keep you!