Bishop Joensen sent out a letter of reopening on Monday, June 1st. It follows after Fr. Vince's Notes below.
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A NOTE FROM FR. VINCE
Hello everybody!
Let’s see if we can name all our crises happening at the same time:
global pandemic with 103,000 Americans dead, financial collapse, racial unrest, lack of church/national leadership, and what’s the other one…..i don’t remember!
One thing that’s distressing for me…and maybe for you also, is the lack of leadership. I’m not really talking about the statistics of our multi-mess. For me, the lack of leadership comes on helping us define what all this means. We can hope the pandemic slows, our economy improves, and racial unrest abates, but that’s not exactly what I’m talking about. Who are the ones in our church and civil government that are helping to define what this all means and where we go from here? I know it is hard, and I know that some of this must come from the bottom up, but leadership does help.
We are in the third month of the pandemic and financial crisis, so it seems that we should be hearing about a plan/a direction/a list to guide us and translate what is before us. The president, congress, governors, and local leaders are trying to solve the immediacy of these problems, and we can rate them on that. Church leaders are trying to solve how and when to open our churches. We have that down pretty well, although it looks like it will be very hard to have a liturgy that resembles one of 3 months ago.
Where is the leadership of U.S. Catholic bishops? I would think that Cardinal Cupich in Chicago, or Archbishop Hebda in Minneapolis/St. Paul, or Archbishop Gregory in Washington D.C. could ask to give an interview on CNN or national newspapers. Do we not have anyone working on a 5-point plan on how to guide our people to finding direction and meaning from all of this? Sure, each pastor and parish leaders can take steps to guide our people, but it also helps to have a joint plan to guide us.
In the meantime, we can start our own conversation. That may be a parish-wide Zoom or other avenue open to us. Let me give you my
e-mail
and you can start with that: let me know your thoughts on any aspect of what this all means, our direction from here, or whatever is on your mind that might be helpful.
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Dear Friends in Christ,
With your pastors and clergy in the Des Moines Diocese throughout these pandemic weeks, we have received and shared your appeals, groans, and longing for the resumption of communal celebration of sacraments. I hope it brings relief, peace, and joy for you to receive these much-awaited notifications that follow upon due consultation with our regathering task force and select clinicians:
Pottawattamie County parishes are now permitted to enter Phase 1 with adherence to relevant guidelines for celebration of daily Mass and other sacraments on Tuesday, June 9th. As always, the decision to proceed with liturgical celebrations (presuming that the faithful socially distance from one another, wear masks, and that parishes can observe cleaning guidelines) rests with the local pastors. If all goes well, we anticipate they will move into Phase 2 celebration of weekend Masses June 20-21st, which I will confirm as that date draws nearer.
Dallas, Polk, and Warren County Parishes are now permitted to enter Phase 1 as early as Thursday, June 11th. Pastors may elect to wait until a later date, such as Tuesday, June 16th or beyond, to begin Phase 1 operations. Given the larger number of parishes, the greater population density, and the prospect of a resurgence as businesses and other venues open and people congregate with less caution, I ask that you await the “green light” for entry into Phase 2, but barring any contraindications, Dallas, Polk, and Warren Counties can expect to resume Phase 2 weekend liturgies on June 27-28th.
Shelby, Audubon, and Guthrie County parishes, having already entered Phase 1, can proceed to Phase 2 celebration of anticipated and Sunday Masses the weekend of June 13-14th.
Other counties who previously were the first wave to enter Phase 1 may enter Phase 2 the weekend of June 6-7th, or are at least permitted to do so at the pastors’ discretion.
An attached document outlines the general guidelines for Phases 2 and 3. There is no present determination of when we will enter Phase 3, but it will almost certainly not be until July.
It needs be said again that the Sunday Mass obligation remains suspended, and that vulnerable persons and those who interact with them do well to stay home, even as this poses a continued sacrifice on their part. Please await your own parish’s resumption of Masses, and remember that during Phase 1 and 2, an occasional presence at Mass, and not daily, makes it possible for more parishioners to attend Mass in safe fashion. Practicing these self-disciplines is a grace-filled act of charity for others, who equally hunger for our Eucharistic Lord. There is an attached discernment tool that is a regular reminder to all of us of our need to be honest with ourselves about our health status and our need to be charitable toward others.
Oh, to have finally passed over to this place of greater refreshment and healing, where we can partake again of the fruits of the Resurrection and Pentecost. Let us go rejoicing - with continued vigilance and care for each other - to the House of the Lord!
Faithfully in Christ,
Most Rev. William M. Joensen, Ph.D.
Attachments:
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While we are discerning the date we will begin gathering for Mass in the church again, Fr. Vince and the staff have been working to layout guidance for when we do.
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including a photo spread of the end of year
Teacher Appreciation Parade, RE registration for the 20-21 session & lots of other great information!
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PRAYER OF ST. AUGUSTIN
O God of what is true,
Grant us the joys of the life to come
So that our happiness may be fully
Connected to Your great promises.
In the meantime,
Let our minds dwell on that meaning,
Our tongues speak of it,
Our hearts desire for it,
Our mouths pronounce it,
Our souls hunger for it,
Our body thirst for it,
And our entire being search for it,
Until we enter through death
to Glory of the Risen Lord.
FOREVER! AMEN! ALLELUIA!
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