Dear Brothers and Sisters of St. Andrew the Apostle,
There is a lot of good news to share this week!
Public Masses Resuming Tomorrow, Friday, May 29
Governor Northam announced that the counties of Northern Virginia (including Fairfax County) will begin Phase 1 of the reopening process tomorrow, Friday, May 29. Therefore, St, Andrew’s will be open for public Masses starting tomorrow on our regular schedule following certain guidelines to help prevent the spread of COVID19. Tomorrow there will be Masses at 6:30am and 8:45am Masses in the Holy Family chapel. On Saturday, the 8:45am Mass and the 5:30pm Vigil Mass will be in the main church, and on Sunday, the 7:30am, 8:45am, 10:30am and 12:30pm Masses will be in the main church. This is very exciting news, and something that Fr. Bresnahan and I have been looking forward to!
That being said, Bishop Burbidge is still dispensing all Catholics in the Diocese of Arlington from the obligation to attend Sunday Mass. For those remaining at home, we will continue to live-stream Masses each day. Please prayerfully consider whether or not to attend, especially if you are vulnerable to COVID19 and its symptoms. If you or someone in your home is suffering from flu-like symptoms, please remain home for your sake and the sake of your fellow parishioners. We will do our best to prevent the chance of spreading viruses, but will will never be able to eliminate all risk.
Attached to this newsletter are flyers describing the
guidelines
and
precautions
that we will be following, including the expectation to wear masks in the church, to sanitize hands before and after entering the church and before and after receiving Holy Communion, and remaining 6 ft apart at all times, even in the Holy Communion line. For those living in the same household, the 6 ft distancing requirement does not apply; they simply need to remain 6 ft away from others. Until further notice, the ministries of Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion and altar boys will be suspended. We will also not be passing a basket for collection for fear of spreading the virus, so we will have collection sites marked as you exit the church, or donations can be mailed in, left at the office or submitted via
Faith Direct
. Additional resources regarding COVID19 may be found
here
.
We will have volunteers to ensure we do not exceed our capacity, to help answer questions, and to ensure that safety precautions are followed. Please be respectful and charitable to our volunteers. The balcony is closed during this time because of construction, and the Holy Family chapel will be closed. Therefore, we will be using the main chapel only, spacing the congregation in every other pew. Please look for the signage that marks the flow of traffic and where to be seated.
I know that this will be a work in process trying to figure out how to congregate for Mass safely. May the Lord grant us patience and wisdom at this time so we may remain joyful, solemn and safe gathering for the Mass again.
Organ Arriving Monday
On Monday, June 1, Peragallo will be arriving with our new organ! It is disassembled for delivery, so its reassembly will take place in the main church all next week. This means that the main church will be closed for all prayer next week as the first phase of the installation takes place. Next Monday though Friday (June 1-5) we will use Hannan Hall as our worship space for Adoration and Mass. We will have Mass in the main church on Saturdays and Sundays, however. I ask for your prayers for the workers during this time as they will be working extremely long hours on weekdays through June in an effort to get the organ ready. I also thank you in advance for your patience with them. While the organ is arriving, please know that we are still $120K below the cost of the entire project, and we will continue our collection efforts through the rest of the year. Peragallo has been generous enough to extend the final payment date for the organ because of the delay and the financial strain of COVD19.
Parish Office Hours
The Parish Office will begin summer hours on Monday, June 1. The office will be open Monday-Friday from 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Pastor-Elect
On Tuesday evening, Bishop Burbidge announced the new clergy assignments and I am pleased to announce that the Bishop has named me the pastor of St. Andrew the Apostle! Officially, that would take place on June 25, to be followed by an installation liturgy at a date to be determined. I thank God for the confidence that Bishop Burbidge is showing in me, and I thank all of you for your support and prayers for me during this time. Your loving support is overwhelming! The second piece of good news in the clergy announcements is that Fr. Bresnahan will remain as our parochial vicar, thanks be to God! I look forward to ministering with him for another year (at least!) Please keep us both in your prayers as we continue to build up the Kingdom of God in our parish and beyond!
Marian Reflection
Our seminarian, Tony Bennett, will give a reflection on the Blessed Virgin Mary on our
Youtube page
tonight, Thursday, May 28, at 7:00pm. Please tune in! It is a perfect way to celebrate May, the month of Mary, and ask for her continued intercession for our parish and the Church.
May the Lord bless all of you as we approach this Pentecost Sunday. Come Holy Spirit and set our hearts afire with God’s divine love!
In Christ,
Fr. Wagner
