Updates

Thursday, March 19, 2020
To: All Pastors, Priests, Business Managers, Parish Secretaries and Bulletin Editors
From: Office of Communications: COVID-19 Updates

For the latest updates on COVID-19, please refer your parishioners and staff to https://www.rcbo.org/covid-19updates/
 
Updates will also be communicated with clergy and staff via email.
 
Public information will be posted to Diocese of Orange social media channels: 
 
Facebook.com/dioceseoforange
Twitter.com/orangediocese
Instagram.com/orangediocse
 
 Sunday Mass will be broadcast via livestream at https://parish.christcathedralcalifornia.org/livestream/ in English, Spanish and Vietnamese.
 
Daily Mass will be livestreamed from Christ Cathedral in English at 6:30 a.m. and Vietnamese 5:30 p.m. and from St. Edward the Confessor at 8:15 a.m. http://stedward.com/stedcast/

 Here we have collected past Messages and Letters from the Pastor and Diocese that announced changes affecting our Parish Operations. Also look to our Home Page for the most recent Messages. 
 

November 19, 2020

As you may have heard, Orange County has moved back into the Purple tier of COVID 19 restrictions.  This means that our church building is once again closed for Mass.  We have moved back outside into the drive through area between the Rectory and the Parish Center. 

Please remember to bring your own chair, wear facial covering, use hand sanitizer and keep safe for the common good.  We will set up 30 chairs for those who are physically unable to carry their own chair. 

Please continue to check the website for updated information, and thank you for your prayers, patience, and understanding.
 
Fr. George P. Blais

July 22, 2020, 3:00pm

With the success of our Outdoor Mass this morning July 22^nd, we will offer a daily Mass outside from Monday – Friday at 9:00 a.m.

Please remember to bring your own chair, wear a facial covering, keep physical distance, and sanitize your hands.  We will have 20 chairs available for those who are unable to carry their own chairs. 

Our weekend schedule again will be as follows;
Saturday 4:00 p.m. in English, and 6:00 p.m. in Spanish
Sunday at 7:30 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. in English, and 4:00 p.m. in Vietnamese.

All Masses will take place in the drive thru area between the Rectory and the Parish Center.

Confession will be available on Wednesday evening from 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m., and on Saturday morning from 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.  This will take place outside of the Church as we have done for the last month.  Please remember to wear a facial covering and keep physical distancing as you wait in line.

Please  remember that if you are not feeling well or someone in your household is not well you should stay home, and view Mass on TV or on livestream on our website.

The Mass intentions will continue to be offered on the day they are scheduled either at the public Mass or at a private Mass said by
Fr. George or Fr. Martin.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we continue to work through the challenges of our new normal. 

Fr. George P. Blais

July 14, 2020, 3:00pm

Once again, in response to the governor’s orders from yesterday, the bishop’s office has sent instructions to suspend our public Masses effective immediately until further notice.  Please watch our website for further up to date information as things can change with short notice.

We will continue to hear confessions on Wed. evenings from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. and on Sat. mornings from 9:00 - 10:00 a.m.  This will take place outside of the church as we have been doing for the past few weeks.

I will post more information by the end of this week.
 

June 5, 2020

As we are preparing to enter Phase One of the reopening of our church, I am writing to you to give some guidelines about the process.  I am both encouraged and anxious about moving forward because the Pandemic is still with us and will remain a threat for some time to come.  Please be patient and understanding as we move forward slowly to a new normal.  We must all be mindful and charitable in protecting the health and safety of one another.  During this first phase, we will only be open for the celebration of Mass; and the church and chapel will not be open outside of these Mass times.

Please know that the dispensation to not attend Mass on Sunday and Holy Days of Obligation is being extended until further notice, so if you are not comfortable being in a public place, you may continue to watch Mass on TV or livestream it on your computer.  If you are sick, have symptoms, or anyone in your household is ill or infected with the virus you are asked to stay home for the safety of others.  There will be strict guidelines and procedures in place as we move forward.  This letter is to inform you of these guidelines.

A maximum number of 100 people, following social distancing, will be allowed in the church at any Mass.  Once we hit this number, we will not be able to accommodate any more people.  Everyone will need to wear face coverings in order to enter the church.  If you do not have a face covering, one will be provided for you.  The use of hand sanitizers will be required as you enter the church and for the immediate future this will be administered by our greeters.  All Holy Water fonts will be emptied and removed.

We will enter the church through the main center doors on El Toro Road.  Please follow the instructions of the ushers who will be seating people for the first few weeks.  The church has been marked off with tape to show the available places to sit.  We will not have missalettes or hymnals in the pews.  On the first weekend of Mass, we will hand a missalette to you when you enter the church which will be yours to take home and bring back each week. Please do not leave anything in the church when you leave.
  
We will not have an offertory procession, so we ask that you place your donation envelope or cash in the basket provided.  We will not be holding hands during the Our Father and we will not be sharing the sign of peace with one another.  Holy Communion will be distributed using social distancing.  Please follow the instructions that will be explained before Holy Communion and observe the markings on the floor in order to keep safe distancing.  Out of charity to all, I ask that you receive Holy Communion in the hand.  If you desire to receive on the tongue, you will need to wait until all have received.  Please know that with my vision impairment, I personally am not comfortable distributing on the tongue at this time, and out of charity to me and to those who might receive after you, I would prefer that you receive in the hand.  

At the end of Mass, all will be asked to exit the church through the side transept doors leading to the parking lot.  All pews and high contact areas will be sanitized after each Mass. 
 
If we have more than 100 people arriving for Mass, we hope to have overflow seating in the Parish Center where a video feed of the Mass from the church would be projected on a large screen.  Holy Communion would be brought to the hall.  

We ask that anyone who is not a liturgical minister for the Mass that you are attending not enter the sacristy.  Candles will not be available for sale or brought to the church for lighting.  All candle stands will be removed. 
Thank you once again for your patience and understanding as we work together to resume our celebrations of the Mass.

May God continue to bless us and may Mary, our Blessed Mother intercede for and with us.
 
 Fr. George P. Blais
 

Friday, April 3, 2020

Given the seriousness of the COVID-19 situation, Bishop Vann has decided that palms are not to be distributed on Palm Sunday this year but rather will be handed out at another time in the future, once times become more normal. Please ignore the previous instructions sent out as recently as this morning.

Thank you very much for your continued flexibility during these trying times. 

Bishop’s Office

Friday,  March 20, 2020,  5:45p.m.
Reason: To update yesterday's Message reflecting the Governor's Stay at Home Order.            

As we continue through this unprecedented time in our world, information is changing daily and even by the hour.  Please know that Fr. Martin, our staff, and I are praying for all of you our parishioners.  I want to keep you as up to date as possible.  With our governors “Stay at home” order implemented on March 19, our Bishop has updated the instructions for all diocesan churches.  

• All Public Masses have been suspended indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic.
• Funerals should be postponed, if at all possible.
• Confessions and all public gatherings are also suspended until further notice.
• The church will remain closed in response to the state order.
• Anointing of the Sick will only be done in danger of imminent death.  Please call the office to schedule an anointing for someone who is dying.  Leave a message and we will call you as soon as possible.
• You can refer to the list, on this website, of Masses that can be viewed on TV, or live streamed on your computers from various places in our diocese and country.
• Please refer to our website or the diocese website for all current information.
• Please also refer to the CDC for the most up to date and accurate information about this pandemic. 

Know that God has not abandoned us and it is important for us to continue to pray and check in on one another.  Please stay healthy and use good hygiene and common sense.  If we follow the “Stay at home” order, we will get through this challenge more quickly.
 
Fr. George P. Blais

 Friday, March 20, 2020, 9:30 AM

Due to the Governor's "Stay at Home" Order, all Saint Nicholas' Offices will be closed until further notice. In case of an Emergency, please call the Office and leave a message and we will get back with you.