December 29th, 2020
Dear Parish,
I pray and hope that everyone had a wonderful celebration of Christmas Day! Remember that the season of Christmas is 12 days and that we can continue to celebrate until the Epiphany of the Lord (January 6th).
Just a few reminders:
This upcoming January 1st (New Year’s Day) is a Holy Day of Obligation in honor of Mary, Mother of God. Our two Masses for the holy day are the 4:00 p.m. Vigil Mass on Thursday, December 31st & the 10:00 a.m. Mass on Friday, January 1st. Please join us as we celebrate our Blessed Mother!
There has been a few questions concerning our capacity here at Our Lady of the Lake. Even though the state of Massachusetts has reduced its capacity for places of worship, this does NOT affect us since social distancing never allowed us to get to near the capacity restrictions to begin with.
I want to encourage all parishioners and people to please come and worship with us as we maintain strict social distancing and constantly clean and disinfect the church after each Mass. I’ve actually heard from some people who attend Mass at other parishes that they believe the system we currently have in place here at Our Lady of the Lake is one of the most effective, smooth and safe systems around. I was very pleased to hear this as our staff and volunteers have worked tirelessly to ensure that everyone feels safe. I also continue to hear that people feel much safer worshiping in church than shopping at the supermarket.
The diocese has also required that everyone who enters the church wear a mask and wear it properly. This weekend’s upcoming bulletin will display an important article explaining how to properly wear your mask in order to ensure that everyone feels safe and secure. We thank you in advance for your cooperation as this is a serious group effort for all who attend Mass with us here at the parish.
Wishing you all a happy, healthy, joyous, holy and prosperous New Year 2021!!!
Fr. Matthew Guidi
December 16, 2020
Dear Parish:
We are nearly a week away from Christmas and I have a few updates for you.
The Christmas Mass reservation system is going very well and running smoothly. Unfortunately, the 4:00 p.m. Vigil Mass is at full capacity and we are no longer taking reservations for that particular Mass. The closest Mass in proximity after the other 4:00 p.m. Masses in the surrounding towns and cities is the 5:30 p.m. Vigil Mass at Sacred Heart in the Feeding Hills section of Agawam. They are not taking reservations for this Mass. Please be sure to mail in your Christmas donation or use online giving if you attend Mass elsewhere this Christmas!
We still have room for the 12:00 a.m. Midnight Mass & 10:00 a.m. Mass on Christmas Day. Also, a number of nearby parishes have an 8:00 a.m. Christmas morning Mass which is another option.
There is a flyer in the Marian Hall on the bulletin board that lists all surrounding parishes and their Christmas Mass times, along with contact information if reservations are needed.
We want to make sure that everyone is able to worship the infant Jesus this Christmas!
Please also note:
The Parish Office will be closed on Thursday, December 24th and Thursday, December 31st. There will also be NO Morning Daily Masses on both of those days.
SNOWBIRDS
For all those lucky parishioners flying south for the winter, please call the parish office at — (413) 569-0161 or email us at — OLLake7@aol.com, so that we can stop your envelopes while you are enjoying those warm sunny days in Florida. Just remember to call us when you return so that we can start your envelopes up again.
LASTLY, our parish relies heavily on our annual Christmas collection, most especially since Christmas is a time of giving for so many people.
If you are unable to be with us this year due to illness, precautions, traveling, or attending Mass elsewhere; please consider mailing in your annual Christmas donation to Our Lady of the Lake Parish PO Box 1150 Southwick, MA 01077 or make an online donation at: http://ollsouthwick.org/onlinegiving.
Your donation is greatly appreciated and goes to helping our parish remain fiscally stable. We appreciate all that you do for our parish and we pray that 2021 will be a better year for each one of us.
Thank you, Happy Advent, and Merry Christmas!!!
Fr. Matthew Guidi, Pastor
December 8, 2020
Dear Parishioners,
Happy Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary! Today we celebrate the reality that our Blessed Mother was conceived without original sin. Let us pray to her for our country as she is the Patroness of the United States of America. Our country is in desperate need of prayers!
A few brief announcements:
A final reminder that this upcoming Saturday, December 12th is the final Saturday that our church will have the 5:30 p.m. Mass. The new weekend Mass schedule as of December 13th is as follows: Saturday Vigils: 4:00 p.m. & Sundays: 8:00 a.m. & 10:00 a.m.
Parishioners have been asking about reservations for the Christmas Masses. We are currently taking reservations. Please contact Kim Rood, administrative assistant at — 413-569-0161 or email her at — OLLake7@aol.com. The best hours to reach her are during office hours: Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday from 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. and Thursday from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon. If you call after hours, please leave a voicemail for Kim or email her, please include your name, how many would be attending in your party, which Mass you would like to attend and your return phone number or email.
There are currently three Christmas Masses: 4:00 p.m. Vigil on December 24th (Christmas Eve) and Midnight & 10:00 a.m. on December 25th (Christmas Day). We have no plans to add an additional Christmas Mass at this time. An additional Mass will be considered if each Christmas Mass reaches full capacity via reservations. Otherwise, I advise you to check other surrounding churches and parishes in close proximity for their Christmas Mass requirements, times & schedules.
Please remember that both Governor Baker & the Diocese of Springfield have stated that ALL churches are to remain at 40% capacity with strict social distancing and the correct wearing of masks to be observed.
Each Christmas Mass is first come, first serve. So for example, once the 4:00 p.m. Vigil Mass has reached full capacity thru reservations, you have a few options: 1. Attend Mass at another time; 2. Attend Mass at another parish during the time that you prefer; and 3. Watch our Facebook livestream of the Midnight Mass. Unfortunately, these are our only options during this time of pandemic.
Please know that as your pastor, it truly pains me to have to request that people make reservations for Christmas Masses. However, it was either request a reservation or turn people away at the door once we reach full capacity which is something we should NEVER have to do as a Church. Please make reservations ASAP to ensure that you can attend the Mass that best meets your needs.
I need parishioners and visitors to be flexible, understanding, and patient during this time. We are truly doing the very best that we possibly can to accommodate EVERYONE. Also, I am the only priest and canon law clearly states that I can only say three Masses as a general rule of thumb. I do not have an associate priest to assist me.
Our main goal is to make sure that everyone gets to worship our Lord at Christmas while at the same time keeping everyone safe. We also need comply to diocesan directives and guidelines. We thank you in advance for your support! We believe that everything will all work out as it is supposed to in accordance with God’s will.
I wish everyone a wonderful Advent season. Don’t forget what the true focus of Christmas is all about!
You’re All in my Prayers,
Father Matthew
November 23, 2020
Dear Parishioners,
I hope everyone is doing well and know of my continual prayers for each one of you. I pray that everyone has a most blessed Thanksgiving. I know that Thanksgiving will be different this year but we still have so much to be thankful for if we just take a few moments to ponder God’s choicest blessings! This Wednesday, November 25th the parish offices will be closing around 10:00 a.m. The parish office will reopen on Monday, November 30th at 9:00 a.m.
I have a few updates and announcements:
Due to the recent upturn in Covid cases here in Southwick, it is necessary to remind ALL who attend Mass that protocols must be adhered to completely. This especially means wearing masks properly; meaning they MUST cover your nose, mouth, chin, and fit securely. Your mask must stay on the entire time you are in the main church and/or Marian Hall. This is to protect yourself and your neighbor. We thank you for your understanding during these challenging times we are living in.
Faith Formation is currently ONLY remote and virtual. We will not be resuming in person classes until Southwick schools reopen.
A friendly reminder, confessions are now 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. The 5:30 p.m. Vigil Mass on Saturday evenings will no longer be offered AFTER December 12th due to darkness, inclement weather and poor attendance. As a rule of thumb, most people do not like going out in the evening during the pandemic and we want everyone to feel safe. Our new weekend Mass schedule going forward AFTER December 12th and until further notice will be:
Saturdays: 4:00 p.m. & Sundays: 8:00 a.m. & 10:00 a.m. These Mass times appear to work best for the majority and we appreciate your understanding during these difficult times.
Our holiday Mass schedule will be as follows:
Monday, December 7– 6:00 p.m. (Vigil) The Immaculate Conception
Tuesday, December 8– 8:30 a.m. (Holy Day of Obligation) The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Thursday, December 24– 4:00 p.m. (Vigil) Christmas
12:00 a.m. Midnight Mass
Friday, December 25– 10:00 a.m. Christmas Day
Thursday, December 31– 4:00 p.m. (Vigil) The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God
Friday, January 1– 10:00 a.m. (Holy Day of Obligation) The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God
This upcoming weekend begins a new liturgical year with the Advent Season. Let us keep our hearts and our minds focused on the Christ Child as we await His coming into our hearts and our lives.
Happy Thanksgiving,
Fr. Matthew
October 21,2020
Dear Parishioners & People of Our Lady of the Lake,
I continue to pray for all of you each day and I hope that everyone is doing well. Again, these emails blasts are not as frequent as they used to be with the reopening of our parish.
Just a few updates:
First Holy Communion and Confirmation which normally would have been celebrated in the spring have been celebrated over the past couple of weeks. You can view them on our parish Facebook page. Congratulations to all who have made their First Holy Communion or Confirmation!
FAITH FORMATION-
Many thanks to Lynda Daniele, our Director of Faith Formation, our teachers & catechists, and Tim and Marguerite Paige for helping our Faith Formation program go remote/ virtual. Overall, it is going very well and I am most grateful to everyone for their hard work and dedication.
Some families have not yet returned to our Faith Formation program. We want to reach out to every family with a personal invitation. I will be calling families who we haven’t heard from to make sure that they haven’t fallen through the cracks. Please keep these families in your prayers in our efforts with evangelization.
Anyone interested in becoming a teacher/catechist or aid in any of our religious education programs in any grade is asked to call our Director of Faith Formation, Lynda Daniele at 413-569-0162.
OTHER NEWS:
I would like to offer many thanks to Tim Paige, who has updated our parish website recently. Please check out our website and its updates by clicking on the following link: http://ollsouthwick.org/
I am pleased to announce that the Pastoral Council has formed a Parish Census Committee as our parish census is outdated and in great need of updating. If you did not fill out a new census form (yellow form) which came out a little less than a year ago, please let us know and we can email/mail the census form to you to fill out. It’s vital in our efforts with evangelization and parish outreach to have the most current and updated information in our parish census. All of your information is confidential and not shared with anyone!
If you would like to receive offertory envelopes, please let us know. If you prefer to no longer receive envelopes because you prefer to send/mail in a monthly contribution clearly labeled, please let us know. If you would like to view the Catholic Mirror magazine online and no longer receive a hard copy, please let us know.
ACTIVITIES/MEETINGS: Not all meetings/gatherings have returned, however a few have under the guidelines of our directives and protocols.
PRAISE & WORSHIP– Is meeting in the main church on the first Tuesday of each month at 7:00 pm., as well, it is still being offered virtually on our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ollsouthwick), for those that are not able to attend in person.
SOUP KITCHEN– Meets at 3:00 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month in the Fr. Shea Hall. The sign up list is located on the bulletin board outside the Sacristy. The volunteers prepare a bagged dinner and bring them to the Westfield Soup Kitchen for distribution. For more information, please contact Diana David at 413-569-3718.
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS– Will meet in the Saint Matthew Room (kitchenette, located in Marian Hall) on the first and third Thursday of each month at 7:15 p.m.
Please help us to welcome Bishop Elect William Byrne to our diocese. Another change is upon us, with the spirit and grace of God we will pray for his success within our diocese. Please pray that we can rebuild and rejuvenate our Catholic community and bring more young people and families to our faith and communities.
If there’s anything else that myself or our parish staff can do to assist or help anyone in the parish please contact the parish office via phone — 413-569-0161 or email — OLLake7@aol.com. The best time to reach us is during office hours: Monday thru Wednesday from 9:00 a.m. — 2:00 p.m. & Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. — 12:00 p.m.
Please keep our parish in your prayers! We will certainly keep you in ours.
In Christ,
Father Matthew, pastor
September 23, 2020
Dear Parishioners & People of Our Lady of the Lake,
I continue to pray for all of you each day and I pray and hope that everyone is doing well. Again, these emails blasts are not as frequent as they used to be with the reopening of our parish.
Certain spiritual activities have resumed including: weekend Masses, daily Masses, confessions, baptisms, Bible study, and Praise & Worship. Faith Formation will resume on October 4th. We have also had a couple of Parish and Finance Council meetings with limited members and no guests which we hope to open up to everyone very soon. Confirmation will be celebrated on October 7th and First Holy Communion will be celebrated on October 17th. Please keep all those making First Holy Communion and Confirmation in your daily prayers!
Confession time will be changing beginning the weekend of October 3rd. The new time is 2:30 – 3:30 p.m.
Deacon David is also available to visit the sick and home-bound who feel comfortable receiving visits. I am also available for the sacrament of anointing of the sick.
The parish is still NOT allowed to have social events such as coffee and donuts, and various social functions from the Knights of Columbus (spaghetti supper, winter picnic, corn beef and cabbage dinner, etc.) The Knights themselves will start meeting in person once again next month. Many thanks to all who helped the Knights with their 50/50 raffle.
This weekend, on Saturday, September 26th at noon; there will for a Rosary Rally for the Police Department and Emergency Responder at the Southwick Police Department. Please join in praying for our local hero’s.
Two other reminders: Praise and Worship will be Tuesday, October 6th at 7:00 p.m. both virtually and in person in the main church. Soup Kitchen will be on Tuesday, October 13th at 3:00 p.m. in the Father Shea Hall. Please check the website and bulletin will other local activities happening.
In an effort to reach as many people as we can; we have been live-streaming the weekend Masses for anyone unable to attend. This broadcast is available on our Facebook page, and you do not need to have an account to view them.
Also, the rosary conference calls every Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday at 6:50 p.m. have been a spiritual uplifting and healing event for so many people. Please see the bulletin for details regarding the call. There is also a pamphlet in the Marian Hall with all the details. We hope that you can join us for these activities.
Here is an update from the Diocese under our new Apostolic Administrator, Bishop Robert McManus:
Reception of Holy Communion
Effective immediately, Holy Communion may be distributed to the faithful either on the tongue or in the hand. In both manners special precautions should be maintained so as to avoid direct physical contact with the communicant. Should that occur, the priest, deacon or extraordinary minister of the Eucharist should immediately stop distributing Holy Communion and sanitize their hands.
Those receiving on the tongue should remove their masks just before approaching to receive and place their mask back on immediately afterwards.
Our Lady of the Lake Parish will continue to distribute Holy Communion after the Mass has concluded. If you would prefer to receive Holy Communion on the tongue, please go to the end of the communion line so that I can sanitize afterwards.
Faith Formation:
We have only heard back from 26 students out of 81 which is a great concern to myself and our Director of Faith Formation, Mrs. Lynda Daniele. This upcoming Sunday, September 27th from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon in Marian Hall/Faith Formation Center is the distribution of book-bags with materials for the year. Registrations forms will also be available and should be completed either before or at the time of receiving materials.
If we have not heard back from you, it’s not too late. We would love to see you here!!!
If there is anyone who needs ministering to that we are unaware of, please let us know. Also, if you know someone who is not receiving our email blasts who would like to, please have them contact us directly at — OLLake7@aol.com.
To stay connected with our latest information please, follow our online bulletin at: https://ollsouthwick.org/bulletin-current/
Our website: https://ollsouthwick.org/ or Our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ollsouthwick
Please also like our Facebook page and get the latest updates.
If there’s any way that I can minister to you, please let me know either via email (see above) or phone — (413) 569-0161.
Please keep me in your prayers as I keep all of you in mine. Stay healthy and do not lose hope in the Lord!
In Christ,
Fr. Matthew, Pastor
August 3, 2020
Dear Parishioners,
I hope that all is going well with each one of you. I continue to keep you all in my daily thoughts and prayers. I also hope that you are able to safely travel during this summer break.
Here are some of the latest updates both from the diocese and also from our parish.
Some of the latest directives from the Diocese include:
Funeral Liturgy
It is important that when first contacted by the funeral home, the parish makes clear what its capacity is as well as the need for social distancing and wearing of masks. If there is concern that potential attendance may exceed that capacity consideration should be given to conduct the funeral by invitation only without public notice of day and time.
Baptisms
Are allowed to resume again — following the same guidelines for Masses.
Pastoral Minister Visits
As hospitals have now begun to lift visitor restrictions, parishes can begin to allow pastoral minister home visits. Such visits should follow all guidelines and are limited in time spent at home.
Some updates from our parish:
Rosary Conference Call
Just a friendly reminder that you can join us every week for our Rosary conference calls on Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday at 6:50 p.m.
Conference Phone to Call: 712-432-3900
Conference ID: 226058
So many people have found comfort in the Blessed Virgin Mary and praying her Rosary. We have heard feedback of many miracles through the power of prayer from these rosary conference calls. Please join us if you haven’t done so already.
Please also consider joining us again for Mass if you’re healthy enough to do so. We constantly clean and disinfect! Our church and hall is immaculate many thanks to our loyal volunteers.
Faith Formation
I have been working diligently with Lynda Daniele, our Catechetical Leader, along with a brand new Faith Formation planning committee which consists of six people. We are trying to come up with a plan for Faith Formation in the fall.
Unfortunately, we had to cancel our high school senior Mass because we only heard back from one family. Once we cancelled, a few other families came forward and said that they would have attended the Mass but we didn’t hear from them until it was cancelled.
A survey was also sent out to all parents and guardians concerning how to proceed forward with Faith Formation in the fall. We only received six responses out of 80-85 surveys. We realize that you are very busy and overwhelmed. We as a parish family care about you and want to do all that we can to support you and provide for your spiritual needs and the needs of your children.
However, we desperately need your feedback so that we can move forward. Our Faith Formation planning committee is making phone calls so that we can reach out to you in a more personal way. Please provide us with feedback so that we can make informed decisions moving forward. September will be here before you know it. Many thanks for your cooperation with this. Please also keep this situation in your daily prayers!
Weekly Offertory
First and foremost, many thanks to all those who have been consistently supporting our parish both with your prayers and your financial donations during these tough economic times. This past week our collection was down approximately 75%. Our expenses need to be paid from recurring income so that we can avoid going into parish savings which should only be used for true emergencies and certain maintenance projects. If we tap into savings to make up a deficit, eventually our savings will be drained. I know that we can come together as a parish family and increase our weekly offertory. We are still accepting mailing in your weekly or monthly donation, having your bank send us a check directly, or use our new online giving option available on our parish website.
Parish Projects Completed
Lastly, the following article was published a few weeks ago in the parish bulletin. I put this in the bulletin so that you can actually see where your Improvement Fund envelopes are being put towards. Thank you for being generous to the Improvement Fund to ensure that proper maintenance is being done to our buildings and grounds!
I am delighted to announce to the parish that I have officially been presiding as pastor of Our Lady of the Lake Parish for one year as of July 1st. I so enjoy being a part of this wonderful church, parish, and community of faith. I thank everyone for welcoming me with open arms and helping & supporting me in so many challenges and ventures. Thankfully, I am officially moved into the rectory and on campus which took nearly a year to accomplish. I am still settling in and completing a few open ended projects. I would like to form a committee to help me in reaching out to those members of the community who are not worshipping with us on a regular basis for one reason or another. The most important thing that I can do as a priest is to minister to all people for the salvation of their souls. Hopefully, once things are safer, we as a parish can do more outreach to fallen away and non-practicing Catholics. Our parish community is very special and our efforts in evangelization are essential to our mission as Catholics.
I also thought that this would be a good time to share with parishioners the improvements that we have been fortunate to accomplish this past year through your generosity with the improvement fund. I thank Almighty God for allowing me to be able to accomplish so much in just one year. It has truly been a remarkable achievement. I thank our parish staff, volunteers, parishioners, and everyone who helped to make this all possible. I could not accomplish this all by myself!
Here is a list of some of the things that we have been able to accomplish: a complete and thorough cleaning of all buildings including the main church choir loft, sacristy, sanctuary, confessional, utility closets & bathrooms, Fr. Shea Hall, Marian Hall, two tool sheds, the pavilion, the rectory, the garage, and all parish grounds. We were also able to complete the painting of the interior of the main church, painting of the Marian Hall lobby, painting of the new parish office, library, and classrooms all located in Marian Hall, power-washed the outside of Marian Hall, new furniture for the parish offices which moved from the rectory to Marian Hall, two new alarm systems for the parish offices and sacristy, new flat screen TV’s for Faith Formation classrooms, repaired broken windows in Fr. Shea Hall, rectory renovation interior, new roofs on the rectory and garage, and other miscellaneous items. This work was essential and had to be done for the good of the parish and upkeep of the buildings and grounds. There was a lot of deferred maintenance that desperately needed tending to.
We still have a long way to go but I will continue to work diligently to strengthen our infrastructure and reach out to the needs of the community in order to ensure a bright, healthy, and strong future here at Our Lady of the Lake Church and Parish. Please continue to pray and ask God to assist me as your pastor and help our parish grow!
God Bless,
Fr. Matthew
June 29th, 2020
Dear Parishioner(s),
I hope and pray that you are doing well. I haven’t sent as many email blasts lately as our parish has been open for weekend Mass for about a month. Please know of my daily prayers for all of you and your loved ones.
I wanted to send you a few updates to keep you in the loop.
Daily Masses:
Our daily Masses resumed last Monday, June 22nd. Here is a reminder of our new Daily Mass schedule:
Mondays — 8:30 a.m.
Tuesdays — 8:30 a.m., followed by the Miraculous Medal novena.
Wednesdays — 8:30 a.m.
Thursdays — 8:30 a.m., followed by the St. Jude novena.
There will be no more Friday or Saturday morning Masses. For those who would like to go to Mass on Friday or Saturday morning, please know that Sacred Heart Parish located in the Feeding Hills section of Agawam has a 9:00 a.m. Friday and Saturday morning Mass.
Faith Formation:
Many have asked us for an update as to what our parish is planning on doing in the fall concerning our Faith Formation classes. At the time of this email, nothing is definitive or set in stone. Lynda Daniele has sent out a survey to both our Faith Formation teachers and our families. If you haven’t had a chance to complete the survey, please do so ASAP so that your feedback can help us to make important decisions going forward.
Currently, the completed surveys indicate that the majority of parents want virtual classes instead of meeting in person. The benefit to having virtual classes is no threat of the spread of disease, most especially if there is a second wave of Covid-19 in the fall. Also, if we meet in person, we will need volunteers to help us disinfect after each class.
We are looking for people in the parish to help assist us with the task of setting up virtual classes and learning before the end of August. If you are computer savvy and think you can assist, please email Lynda Daniele at — lyndadaniele@yahoo.com.
We are also asking for assistance with donations of laptops (new or used) with cameras, headphones, and monetary donations. We are still working out many details, however, this is where we know we are going to need help right now. Thank you!!!
Bible Study:
Our Bible Study with Deacon Dave will resume this Tuesday, June 30th after 8:30 a.m. Mass in the Father Shea Hall. All are welcome, however, we will be limited to approximately 10 people total. We will be sure to have the elevator available for those who cannot manage the stairs.
Upcoming Events:
HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS MASS: Monday, August 3rd at 6:30 p.m. in the main church.
FIRST RECONCILIATION: Saturday, September 19th at 10:00 a.m.
FIRST COMMUNION: Saturday, October 17th at 10:00 a.m.
CONFIRMATION: Wednesday, October 7th at 6:30 p.m.
More details will be forthcoming concerning all upcoming events.
Soup Kitchen:
We will be preparing and serving on Tuesday, July 14th. We are looking for people to help prep meals in the Father Shea Hall Kitchen at 3:30 p.m. Dinner bags will then be transferred to the soup kitchen in Westfield. Masks & gloves must be worn at all times by all volunteers.
Online Giving/Donations/Improvement Fund:
We greatly appreciate ALL that have continued to support our parish in this uncertain time. Please continue to help us by submitting your contribution by mailing, creating “bill pay” through your bank or by online giving. Please mail in contributions to: Our Lady of the Lake Church, PO Box 1150, Southwick, MA 01077.
Also, ONLINE GIVING now available at www.ollsouthwick.org. Click the link at the top of the homepage.
Over the past year, several improvements have been made to our church, parish centers, grounds, and rectory. We have been able to complete these much needed improvements and address deferred maintenance thanks to your most generous contributions to the parish Improvement Fund. We still have more projects that need to be completed and we cannot do so without your help. Thank you to all who have contributed to the parish Improvement Fund!
Let’s continue to pray and ask God to protect us from evil and bring peace to our nation during these troubling and divisive times!
In Christ,
Fr. Matthew
June 6, 2020
Dear Parishioners,
I continue to keep all of you in my daily thoughts and prayers as we continue to forge ahead with the grace and strength of Almighty God in the midst of this pandemic. Hopefully things will improve soon!
Last weekend, we reopened our church for the first time since early March for our weekend Masses only. Just a friendly reminder that our new Mass times are:
Saturdays: 4:00 & 5:30 p.m.
Sundays: 8:00 & 10:00 a.m.
We also have the Sacrament of Reconciliation/Penance/Confession available on Saturdays from 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. in the green room located in Marian Hall.
I was able to wave to folks from a distance in the Marian Hall after Mass as Deacon Dave was distributing Holy Communion. Everyone that I spoke to felt very safe and was extremely happy and grateful to be back at Mass. It truly warmed my heart to see happy and joyful faces who were so very eager to receive our Lord in the Most Blessed Sacrament once again.
Even though the bishop has generously extended the dispensation to attend Mass, most especially for the elderly and those with compromised immune systems, we want everyone to know that our church is a very safe place to worship and to congregate in. This is due to our dedicated parish staff and volunteers who help us in numerous ways. I am most grateful for all of your help!
I have been telling everyone that if you feel safe to go to Costco or another grocery store, then you can feel safe in our church since I believe it is safer to attend Mass than to do food shopping at the local supermarket.
This weekend we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. We welcome you to our parish church with open arms and hope that you can return if you feel healthy and safe enough to do so.
For those who are unable to attend, if possible, please continue to mail in your weekly offertory donations or you can have your bank send us a check directly. You can also try our new online giving found on our parish website.
We do our best to keep you posted with the latest news and we hope and pray that you and your family are safe and doing well during this time.
In Christ,
Father Matthew
P.S. – With the exception of the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Anointing of the Sick, I am not meeting with people in person at this time. If you would like to make a phone appointment, please call — 413-569-0161. If no one is able to take your call, please leave a detailed voicemail and I will return your call ASAP. You can also email the parish office at — OLLake7@aol.com. God bless!
May 29, 2020
Good Afternoon Everyone-
We hope to see you this weekend! This is such an exciting time for us, as well as scary. Please be patient with us and your fellow parishioners as we are doing our best to adjust to all of these changes. That being said, the following are some more updated guidelines/directives and below is the original message regarding opening. If you have any questions, feel free to email Kim at ollake7@aol.com; she will get back to you as soon as possible.
UPDATED GUIDELINES:
NEW HANDICAP/DISABLED ENTRANCE- Will be the entrance on the Left Side Marian Hall (nearest entrance to the Rectory.) Please pull to the side (to allow others to pass by), drop off your loved one, then proceed to park in the back parking lot.
ALL VOLUNTEERS- USHERS/GREETERS/TRAFFIC DIRECTORS- Please come ½ hour early to have a brief meeting in the Main Church to discuss what/ how things needs to be handled. ALSO- WE NEED MORE HELP in this capacity, PLEASE!!
CLEANERS/DISINFECTORS- Please exit the building after you receive communion (or spiritual communion), then return through the designated entrance to assist with cleaning/disinfecting.
MASKS- Our extra supply of masks has not yet arrived. Please bring/wear your own as we do not have any extras at this time to offer and wearing a mask is mandated by Bishop Rozanski.
DISINFECTANT- If anyone has an extra aerosol can of Lysol that they would be willing to donate, it would be greatly appreciated. We need this for our microphones and the cloth seats on the sanctuary.
PALMS- We regret to say this, but unfortunately our palms did not survive this time in the refrigerator. We were unable to save any, therefore there will be no distribution of palms this year.
CONFESSIONS- Father will be in the “green” classroom hearing confessions. Parishioners/Visitors will enter through the Marian Hall (parking lot) entrance be seated until it is their turn. There is seating for eight(8), if there is no more seating available, you will be asked to wait in your car and the volunteer will advise when you can enter. Father will be hearing confessions Saturday’s 2-3:30 or by appointment.
We are going to need a volunteer each week to assist Father and member’s with greeting/ seating, etc.
The 10:00 am Mass on Sunday May 31st, will be streaming live on our Facebook page.
You don’t need to have an account to view, just visit our page and click on the live link.
https://www.facebook.com/ollsouthwick/
Also, Praise and Worship will be on Facebook Live at 6:30 pm this Tuesday, June 2nd.
GUIDELINES FOR RE-OPENING:
- Everyone MUST wear a face mask or a face covering. Please secure your mask prior to exiting your vehicle. (Infants – age 5 are excluded, as well as medically compromised individuals.) Please bring your own masks with you. There will be a very limited amount of masks for those who do not have a mask and for those who forgot to bring one.
- Please sanitize your hands prior to entering the building with your own personal sized hand sanitizer!
- Single Entrance and Exit:
o Entrance on North Side (by sacristy/ Reconciliation Room/ interior Fr. Shea stairs).
o Exit from the Marian Hall parking lot.
o The ONLY exceptions are handicapped or disabled people who may need to enter through the Left Side Marian Hall entrance and ramp. (Nearest entry to the Rectory)
- Social distancing (six feet apart in between individuals) must always be strictly observed(you will see the church floor taped and the pews marked off). Please follow the signage and directions!
- Restrooms are restricted to Emergency Use Only(due to disinfecting protocols).
- Holy Communion is to be received in the hand ONLY as this is the directive of Bishop Rozanski. Holy Communion will be distributed AFTER the final blessing for those who wish to receive. Once you receive, simply step aside (follow the markers on the rug), remove mask, reverently consume the Sacred Host, immediately put your mask back on, and exit through the Marian Hall exit in an orderly, social distanced fashion.
o Ushers will direct you as to when you will enter the aisle for Holy Communion and also when it is time to exit the church.
o The church must be completely cleared out after the reception of Holy Communion (most especially in between Masses to allow for our volunteers to disinfect).
- There will be NO missals, hymnals, prayer cards, etc. There will also be NO pamphlets upon entering and exiting the church. Only the weekly bulletins and (for the first couple of weeks upon reopening) palms will be handed out to you when you exit by ushers and greeters.
Other directives issued by the Diocese:
(To see the complete directive, please visit: http://diospringfield.org/directives-for-confronting-the-coronavirus/ )
- The Holy water fonts will all be completely emptied and covered.
- Bishop has extended the dispensation to attend Sunday Mass, most especially for sick, elderly, and immunity compromised individuals. If you are showing signs of any illness, even if you feel well enough to come and attend Holy Mass, please use good judgement and stay at home to avoid spreading the disease to others.
- Sign of Peace has been completely omitted.
- All social gatherings (i.e., Praise & Worship, Bible Study, Knights of Columbus meetings, AA meetings, etc.) are suspended until further notice. The church is only open for Mass and the Sacrament of Penance. Daily Mass will resume on June 22nd.
- There will be no altar servers or extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion allowed to assist at Mass until further notice.
- No choirs are allowed until further notice. Music ministry will consist of cantor(s) and the organist/other musicians. They will only be allowed to be in the choir loft and will disinfect prior to exiting.
- The priest, deacon, and lector (reader) are the only people allowed in sanctuary of the church, and must follow strict social distancing guidelines. The priest and deacon will not be wearing masks while in the sanctuary during Holy Mass but will have them on while distributing Holy Communion.
Other specific directives for Our Lady of the Lake Parish:
- All Masses will be in the Main church, there will be NO activities in the Marian Hall.
- Our seating capacity limit and space limitations will only allow for approximately 50 individuals per Mass with social distancing in place. Families may sit together; however, please be conscience of fellow parishioners and the social distancing requirements. Please refrain from coming to multiple Masses (at least initially) to allow everyone the opportunity to worship the Lord.
- Wall mount hands-free sanitizers are on order; in the interim, please bring your own hand sanitizer with you. We will have ushers available to provide hand sanitizer, however (like many), we have a very limited supply.
- If you wish to socialize after Mass, please do so in the parking lot while maintaining social distancing and continuing to wear masks.
- The collection baskets with long handles will be used for the weekly offertory. Simply drop in your weekly offertory envelope into the basket and be mindful not to touch the basket or any other envelopes or money.
- While in the building, please avoid unnecessary touching of surfaces and objects, so as to make it easier for our volunteers to disinfect the church after each Mass.
- The Sacrament of Reconciliation (Penance/Confession) will be on Saturday afternoons from: 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. in the green classroom in the Marian Hall with social distancing and wearing masks required.
- Father will be distributing Holy Communion after each Mass. He will not be available to greet individuals. Also, he will be suspending in-person meetings. If you need to speak with Father, you may call the office and schedule a phone appointment.
A reminder of our new Mass times:
Saturdays: 4:00 & 5:30 p.m.
Sundays: 8:00 & 10:00 a.m.
Beginning this weekend May 30th & 31st
Please pass along these directives for attending Mass after COVID-19 with others, especially those who have no access to our parish email blasts, parish website, or parish Facebook page. Please contact the parish office if you would like to begin receiving emails with updated information. Also NOTE, that some directives may be subject to change if we are able to come up with a better, safer, and more practical set of directives and protocols. This is a work in progress. Please keep us in your prayers!
In Christ,
Fr. Matthew Guidi
