Greetings! Blessed Summer. Happy Easter!

With joy in my heart I am happy to announce that St. Joseph will resume public Masses on Saturday, May 30, 2020. More than two months ago the Diocese of Lansing suspended public Masses in order to help mitigate the spread of Covid-19, and we will continue with caution as we resume public Masses.

To be sure, some people should not return to Mass immediately. If you are in an at-risk category because of age or pre-existing health conditions or if you are particularly uncomfortable returning to Mass, you are strongly encouraged to stay home and unite yourself to the Mass from home. Furthermore, anyone who is ill, has a temperature, cough, etc., should stay home as an act of justice to the whole community. Bishop Boyea lifted the obligation to attend Sunday Mass through September 6, 2020.

But for others who do not find themselves particularly at risk, as we begin reengaging with businesses and friends and family, I am happy that we can come together in the worship of the Mass—indeed, in the Mass we worship our Triune God and Jesus nourishes us for the journey and struggle of our daily life, which is very essential.

But it won’t be a return to “business as usual”—we will take various precautions for the well-being of the entire community:

• Seating with six feet of physical distance from people outside of your household
• Seating every third pew
• Pews and contact areas sanitized between Masses
• Hymnals and binders removed from the pews
• Masks expected at Mass—Please bring a mask or face covering [a few will be available]—this will especially help others feel comfortable if passing closer than six feet of physical distance
• No passing of collection baskets—Baskets will be available at the entrances, please consider giving online at https://www.stjosephypsilanti.com
• No sign of peace
• No distribution of the Precious Blood
• Hand sanitizer available in the church (consider bringing your own)
• Priest and deacon with masks for Holy Communion

Besides those precautions, we will add further opportunities for prayer:

1. On Sundays we will continue offering Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament from 1–5 pm, and Confession on Sundays from 3–5 pm. Throughout the suspension of Masses I have enjoyed spending time with Jesus in the Eucharist in adoration on Sunday afternoons at St. Joseph, and I have enjoyed seeing many parishioners come and spend quiet time with Him in prayer too. I pray that this continued Sunday afternoon eucharistic adoration will help our parish become more and more a “school of prayer” and help us fall more in love with our Eucharistic Lord.
2. Additionally, in order facilitate physical distance at other Masses, I will offer an additional 5 pm Mass on Sunday evenings to help people spread out from the other Masses.

These are difficult times. Please join me in praying for the health and well-being of our parish family, and for a hastening of the day when we can all join together at Holy Mass. God bless you.

Yours in Christ,
Fr. Pieter van Rooyen