Tuesday, March 17, 2020
 
Dear parish family:

This afternoon, Archbishop Nelson J. Perez suspended all public Masses indefinitely in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
 
“As the Archbishop of Philadelphia, my first priority is to ensure the health and welfare of those entrusted to the pastoral and temporal care of our Church,” the archbishop said in a statement that you may read here in full .
 
While public Masses will not be held, all funerals, weddings and baptisms at St. John Chrysostom will be celebrated as scheduled.

However, Saturday afternoon Confessions in church are suspended, as are Stations of the Cross; our Parish Reconciliation Service; the Religious Education and RCIA programs; and all ministry and CYO activities and meetings. The Parish House and Blessed Sacrament Chapel are closed to visitors.

Please be assured that Fr. Ed Hallinan and the parish staff remain committed to prayerfully serving and supporting you and our community to the very best of our ability throughout this crisis and beyond. Therefore:
 
  • St. John’s church will remain open to the public for visits and individual prayer from 9 am to 4 pm weekdays and from 9 am to noon Sundays.
 
In order to the keep the church open, we ask that all guests be exceedingly mindful of everyone's health and safety: staying home if you are sick, using proper hygiene, and allowing at least six feet of space to others.
 
 
  • Fr. Ed will honor all scheduled Mass intentions with private Masses.
 
  • We are currently working on plans to broadcast our Sunday Mass and to offer other online spiritual support and resources. We will keep you posted on those, and we welcome your suggestions as well.

We remain ever-mindful that the current crisis poses physical, emotional, spiritual and financial challenges for every member of our community, and exceptional hardships for our isolated homebound, those who are medically vulnerable, our homeless, and those in need.
 
If you are healthy and willing, there are ways you might help:
 
  • Reach out to isolated neighbors and loved ones by phone or text. A 10-minute phone call can relieve a day’s worth of stress and loneliness. If you have isolated or elderly neighbors, consider leaving your contact information in their mailbox or taped to their door with an invitation to call so you can check in.
 
  • Frozen casseroles and meals are in greater demand than ever by St. John’s Hospice and Aid for Friends. St. John’s Hospice provides a hot lunch daily for homeless men in Philadelphia; our Aid for Friends ministry serves three sites in Chester. Meals are made in your home, then frozen and returned to the Parish House for delivery.
 
Please note that these meals must be prepared, packed and labeled with the guidelines and supplies provided by those ministries. Meals may not be delivered in other packaging. Please exercise the utmost care in safe preparation and food handling. Supplies and instructions are at the church exits. Please text (610) 955-3272 or email mchollet@sjcparish.org to arrange a time to drop off meals at the Parish House.
 
  • St. John’s is creating a registry of parishioners who are able to shop for groceries, pick up prescriptions, run errands or do odd jobs (lawn cutting, etc.) for isolated parishioners. More information will be forthcoming shortly. Meanwhile, if you are in need of assistance, or are able to offer it, please email Mary at mchollet@sjcparish.org.

  • Nonperishable food donations are always needed by The Bernardine Center in Chester. Donation bins are located at the rear exits of St. John's Church; items may be dropped off whenever the church is open.
 
We continue to pray for our community and world during this difficult time. Amid our stress and anxiety, let us strive to remember that we are never alone and that the Church is much more than a building.
 
Scripture reminds us over and over of God’s presence, comfort and strength – through prayer, and through one another -- at all times.

We are the Church, and we are one.
 
In peace,
 
Fr. Ed Hallinan and the staff of St. John Chrysostom