St. Mary's response to COVID-19/Coronavirus

St. Mary's response to COVID-19/Coronavirus (last update: May 31, 2020)

St. Mary's is once again celebrating public Masses while observing the following rules:

Letter from Father Jimmy regarding the importance of continued financial support while services are suspended at St. Mary's.

Catholic Spirit article concerning the financial toll on parishes during the suspension of Masses.

Please visit this Archdiocese webpage to find places to watch services online while churches are closed and to obtain the latest information on the Archdiocese's response to the COVID--19/Coronavirus situation:

Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis COVID19/Corona Virus Updates and Resources

Message sent via email to parishioners from Father Jimmy (April 3, 2020):

"During this challenging COVID-19/Coronavirus health crisis, I am sending this email to continue my support of your spiritual journeys, and to keep you abreast of the latest Archdiocese and Church of St. Mary updates. Please know, you are in my daily prayers and I hope you are all staying home, staying safe and staying healthy. Remember to keep each other in prayer and pray for all who have been affected by the COVID-19/Coronavirus.

God Bless you all,

Father Jimmy Puttananickal

Church of Saint Mary, Saint Paul MN"

* Archbishop Bernard Hebda asks the Faithful to participate in the "Litany in Time of Need"

For further details see: https://www.archspm.org/litany/

* The following webpage contains the latest information from the the Archdiocese and also places to watch/listen to the Mass on TV, radio and online:

Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis COVID19/Corona Virus Updates and Resources

Father Jimmy also encourages St. Mary parishioners to:

"Monitor our parish website and social media for prayer intentions, news and event updates.

Watch for emails from St. Mary's containing the latest information. If you are not currently receiving emails from us, contact the parish office at 651-222-2619.

Read Sunday bulletins, posted each week on our parish website, for Sunday homilies, news. and event updates.

Participate in electronic giving to support our ongoing ministries and operations.

On Fridays in Lent, participate in the Stations of the Cross, make it a day of fasting, and pray the Rosary or the Divine Mercy Chaplet.

From Archbishop Hebda:

“State Officials have communicated to religious leaders that the next two weeks are critical for the containment of the COVID-19/coronavirus and that all congregational gatherings should be avoided. While I am sure that the advice is startling for those of any creed, it particularly hits hard for Catholics, given our beliefs about the Mass and the Eucharist.

“In light of that advice, after consulting with the Presbyteral Council and College of Consultors, and having learned that an active parish priest in another U.S. diocese has tested positive for the virus – unknowingly putting his parish at risk prior to the manifestation of any symptoms – I have made the difficult decision to suspend all regularly scheduled public celebrations of Mass in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul Minneapolis, effective immediately. Given both the moral impossibility of attending Mass, as well as the dispensation from the obligation to attend Sunday Mass that was extended to the faithful of the Archdiocese last week, please rest assured that the missing of Mass in these conditions should not weigh on your conscience.”

The faithful are asked to find a Mass on TV, the radio or online and make a Spiritual Communion. Where that is not an option, it would be appropriate to pray the Liturgy of the Hours or the Rosary.