IMPORTANT INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THE OPENING OF CHURCH IN PHASE 1- PLEASE READ THIS IMPORTANT LETTER Dear Parishioners, Governor Edwards has announced the opening of Phase 1 the weekend of May 16 & 17. Bishop Deshotel has announced that we are able to go back into church buildings this coming weekend for Mass, but under Phase 1 guidelines. With the reopening of churches for public worship, it is especially important for us to not lose sight of the fact that the COVID-19 Virus is highly contagious and dangerous. We must maintain and continue our precautionary measures to ensure we are protecting one another from the spread of the virus. The reopening of public worship must be in accordance with governmental and diocese directives. We are ONLY allowed 116 people in Sacred Heart Church for Mass. This is 25% of our Fire Marshall code. We must also follow the CDC guidelines for disinfecting the church before, during, and after each Mass. Social distancing will also be in effect before, during, and after all Masses. Due to the amount of people allowed in church we will ONLY be able to go into church through the front doors. All other doors will be locked. All doors will be able to be used to exit the church building at any time. Please keep in mind once you leave the church building you will not be able to come back in. Due to all these guidelines we will have to make changes to our Mass schedules. Sacred Heart will have a 4:00 pm anticipated Mass on Saturday evening beginning this Saturday, May 16 in Church. We will also have a 9:00 am Sunday morning Mass in Church. These two Masses will only be allowed 116 people in the church. Weather permitting, we will continue to have Mass in the backyard on the bayou on Sunday evenings. This Sunday Mass will be at 4:30 pm in the backyard. Sunday evening Masses will be adjusted depending on weather and activities. At this time, we will have a 12:00 pm (noon) weekday Mass on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday in church. We will have to follow the same guidelines as weekend Mass. There will be no Mass on Monday and Friday’s. We will continue with drive through Confessions in front the parish hall on Friday’s from 9:00 –11:00 am and 4:00 – 6:00 pm and on Saturday’s from 9:00 am –1:00 pm. There will be NO confessions in the church building at this time due to social distancing. Everyone is asked to remain in your vehicle until 30 minutes before Mass. Masks or facial coverings are HIGHLY RECOMMENDED when gathering in public. Prepared seating will be marked in church with green tape to ensure social distancing. The marked seats will be where each person will need to sit. Please remember only 1 person can sit in a marked seat. Please remember, persons who are ill (fever, cough, shortness of breath, chills, loss of taste/smell etc.) as well as those with pre-existing conditions should not attend Mass. Also, persons over 65 years old are at a higher risk of experiencing worse symptoms than others if they contract Covid-19 Virus and should consider not attending Mass, especially in the church building. Stay in constant communication with all the up-to-date information pertaining to Mass times and changes by following us on the website at www.sacredheartofjesusnewiberia.com or like us on Facebook at Sacred Heart Religious Education New Iberia. Please remember until retracted or altered by Bishop Deshotel, all Catholics in the Diocese of Lafayette remain dispensed from their obligation from attending Sunday Masses. Sincerely, Rev. Michael Keith Landry