Prayer and Worship

It is a crucial element of our mission to create an atmosphere for spiritual growth through our worship, whether in Mass as a community, or in one of our small Christian communities or as a prayer group.  

In response to a directive received from Bishop Joe Vásquez, St. Catherine of Siena Parish is instituting measures to help safeguard our parishioners and guests from the current threats of illness now being experienced in more and more places. These measures went into effect officially on Monday, March 2. We have temporarily discontinued the following practices:
 

• Communion under the form of the Precious Blood;
• The distribution of Communion directly on the tongue;
• Holding hands during the Our Father;
• Shaking hands at the Sign of Peace; and
• Holy water has been removed from locations where it is uncirculated and unfiltered.

 
Due to the widely varying degrees of symptoms among persons who have contracted the viruses currently in circulation, we encourage all community members who are feeling sick to please stay at home, even in lieu of their Sunday obligations, until their illness has passed. Under these circumstances, missing Sunday Mass is not a sin and does not require confession.
 
Furthermore, we ask that ALL liturgical ministers (Priests, Deacons, Mass Coordinators, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Eucharistic Captains, Lectors, Ushers, Altar Servers, Liturgy of the Word with Children Leaders, Psalmists, Cantors, Choir Members and Musicians adhere to the following WITHOUT EXCEPTION: If you experience any symptom that indicates you may be coming down with a cold or similar illness, DO NOT PARTICIPATE IN ANY ASPECT OF THE MINISTRY UNTIL YOU ARE COMPLETELY WELL. If you become sick, seek the advice of a doctor and do not return to the ministry until you have recovered to the doctor’s satisfaction.
 
Because of the temporary safeguards, we are anticipating that for a season there may be a greater incidence of calls from the Ambo for substitutes immediately before Mass. Healthy members of the Liturgical Ministries who are not assigned are invited to come to Mass early to respond to requests for substitutes.
 
We appreciate your understanding as we seek to do all we can to prevent the spread of illness. Thank you and God bless!
 
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