COVID-19 Update
As you know, St. Louis County officials recently reinstated a mask mandate for all indoor activities, and Archbishop Rozanski has asked all parishes within St. Louis County to adhere to the mandate, including for the celebration of Mass and events within parish facilities. The Archbishop also acknowledges that the mandates are being challenged in the legal system, and has stated that once there is a resolution to these challenges, the Archdiocese will continue to "work with local government on implementing a strategy and precautionary measures that provide the best defense against the COVID-19 virus. Those details will be shared as soon as we have clear guidance." In the meantime, parishes are asked to abide by the mandates in place.
The most direct way this will impact us is the celebration of Mass, and all parishioners coming to Mass and other indoor activities at St. Michael the Archangel are asked to wear masks, regardless of your vaccination status. For the Parish Picnic on Monday, masks will be required indoors for workers and all guests, and remain encouraged for outdoor settings where distancing is not as possible. Please also keep in mind that the dispensation from attending Mass on Sundays and Holy Days has now been lifted. The dispensation is still in place for immunocompromised persons or for grave concerns over health, but discomfort over wearing a mask may not be considered a grave reason.
The Archbishop and Archdiocese of Saint Louis also "strongly encourages the use of vaccines to fight the latest surge of the COVID-19 virus. Vaccinations are an important tool in caring for both our own health and the health of those around us." As I wrote in my bulletin column this past weekend, despite some ethical concerns with the development of the vaccine, "the bishops have repeatedly taught that the evil of continued sickness and death throughout the world as a result of the pandemic could be considered a proportionately grave reason for receiving the vaccine." In fact, Archbishop Naumann, the chairman of the bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities, has said that it could be considered “an act of love of our neighbor and part of our moral responsibility for the common good.”
As I stated last weekend, I am aware that these measures will be met by various levels of enthusiasm, but I ask that out of respect for the Archbishop and for me as your pastor, we continue to work together, and keep an attitude of patience and charity in how we react to this news. Please know of my continued prayers for you and your families as we work together to navigate these difficult times.