June 8, 2020
COVID-19 Update
One God, three Persons,
be near to the people formed in your image,
close to the world your love brings to life.
We ask you this, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
one God, true and living, forever and ever.
Dear Friends in Christ,

We continue to pray with Todd and Kathie Cooper as they prepare for her surgery this week. May they return home quickly and safely and with a good outcome! Today’s mailing contains more information about Phase Two Reopening and returning to the workplace. May each of the Persons of the Holy Trinity be with us as we work to meet the challenges of this time with peace, courtesy and faith.
 
Next mailing: Wednesday, June 10, 2020.

 
Archbishop Sample
 

ATTENTION PASTORS  
Clarification on Delegation to Confer the Sacrament of Confirmation. Please see the memo from the Office of Divine Worship  HERE .

PHASE TWO OF REOPENING
29 Counties have been approved for Phase II. They are: Baker, Benton, Clatsop, Columbia, Coos, Crook, Curry, Deschutes, Douglas, Gilliam, Grant, Harney, Jackson, Jefferson, Josephine, Klamath, Lake, Lane, Linn, Malheur, Morrow, Sherman, Tillamook, Umatilla, Union, Wallowa, Wasco, Wheeler and Yamhill. For many of our parishes, that means having up to 250 people at Mass, depending on the size of the church and the ability to comply with physical distancing and sanitizing requirements. Remember to reach out to the faithful in your parishes with information on reopening and keep your website updated.

Guidelines for Returning to the Workplace  have been sent out from the Archdiocese to pastors, administrators, business managers and school principals. The Governor’s Office has also issued comprehensive guidance and information.  Find materials from the Oregon Health Authority  HERE
 
Combating Racism
See Archbishop Sample’s Friday Evening Chapel Chat on Racism and Catholic Social Teaching  HERE

See parish resources, prayers & statements from the USCCB and Archbishop Sample on  Combating Racism HERE
 
Prayer Service for “Peaceful Coexistence” in the United States of America, led by Kevin Cardinal Farrell, in Rome TODAY. Find link  HERE
 
Find a Prayer to Overcome Racism  HERE .
 
Please find the address of Bishop Shelton Fabre, Bishop of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux and Chair of the USCCB Subcommittee for African-American Catholics, on the Death of George Floyd  HERE
 
Do You Have Access to a Refrigerated Truck?
The Food, Family, Faith Program is off to a great start.
In only three weeks, Archdiocesan sites have distributed tens of thousands of food boxes!  Our partner and distributor, Pacific Coast Fruit Company, has been approved to continue with the grant for eight more weeks after June 30 . The company are limited to parishes off the I-5 corridor and as far south as Eugene. But if your parish can arrange for a refrigerated truck to come to Portland, the Archdiocese will work with Pacific Coast Fruit to have food boxes available for pickup.  If this is possible, please contact Pastoral Ministries at  dpm@archdpdx.org .
 

Calendar Dates
  • June 9: Priests Zoom Meeting w/Archbishop – Time Change: Starts on Tues. June 9 at 9:30 a.m.
  • June 12: Priest Assignment Notices Will Be Sent Out
  • June 13: Diaconate Ordination of Tony Galati – Saturday, June 13, at 11 a.m. Livestream LINK.


Sincerely in Christ,


Your COVID-19 Pastoral Center Response Core Team

 
Reopening Resources
 

REMINDERS
Reopening Parish Life - Limited Expansion
Governor Brown outlined the details of the Phase Two reopening process at her press conference on Wednesday, June 3, 2020.  IMPORTANT : The expansion of numbers at church gatherings ONLY APPLIES to churches in counties that are approved to enter Phase Two. Multnomah and Washington Counties, along with several other counties, will not enter Phase Two this weekend. Multnomah County has yet to be approved for Phase One. Phase Two of the Governor’s reopening plan is expected to last through the summer and perhaps into the fall. See the latest memorandum with instructions for expanded Mass reopening in  ENGLISH  and  SPANISH .

NEW : FlockNote Mass Sign-Up, Tracking 
Over 60 parishes in the Archdiocese of Portland use FlockNote to communicate to Parishioners. A NEW feature was released yesterday for all FlockNote users –  here's a short video of how it works . It's primarily built for parishes to have an easy way to register parishioners for Masses… especially for those parishes moving to Phase Two. It will serve this current need, but will also be able to accommodate things like Volunteer Signups, Adoration, etc., going forward, just as easily. If you need more info, email  dpm@archdpdx.org


PREVIOUS MAILINGS
Link to previous mailings with table of contents here:  https://archdpdx.org/previous-covid-19-mailings