Category: Announcements

First Communion 2020

28 August 2020

Dear Community Members and Families of the First Communion Class of 2020,

I hope that summer has treated you all well. We have some new information for you!

Our First Communion celebration for students who would have received last spring will be a separate and special Mass by invitation only which is set for Saturday, October 24th at 4:30 pm at St. Paul’s Church.  Due to Covid-19 restrictions only our First Communion children, families, parents and/or significant others will be allowed to attend.  

Practice for this celebration will be at St. Paul’s at 6:15 pm on Wednesday, 10/21.  Please plan to bring your child’s completed First Communion book and their banner to practice.

For your information, here is a copy of the letter I sent out in April, explaining our full plans for the delay of First Communion, with links to materials and information about joining the Remind First Communion group: https://taocatholic.com/2020/04/24/first-communion-2020/

I had hoped that we would have educational time together before the liturgy to help our children remember what they learned about First Communion.  We aren’t going to be able to do that at this time, but as we get closer to the date, I’ll send you some videos and information to share with your child, so that they can remember about the gift of receiving the Eucharist, and so that they can feel comfortable with new protocols in place for safe worship.

Please let me know if your plans have changed and your child will not be joining the Together As One First Communion group.  

Feel free to contact me with your questions as we move forward from here.

God Bless,

Lisa Neu
Director of Faith Formation, Together As One Area Catholic Community

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New Website Helps

Our new Together As One website is live! Here are some videos walking you through our sites and answering questions you may have about our Together As One web presence.

This first video explains why our domain names (www.taocatholic.com and www.taocatholic.org) show different things. Take a look!

This next video walks you through the content of our new Main website, taocatholic.org:

And here we walk through our sister-site, home for covid-19 resources and our Together As One’s Faith Formation Program:

Finally, new technologies often require some new learning. Some users have reported a problem when they’re trying to view videos from their mobile phones. See the solution to this problem in the video below.

Than you for watching and for interacting with us online!

We are Together As One.

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Safety Guidelines for Public Masses

We have prepared the church spaces, and we depend on your cooperation to help our parishes reduce the spread of the covid-19 virus.

  1. Please follow directions. Important safety directions will be shared verbally, on handouts, or on the screen.
  2. Sing in Your Heart. Congregational singing has been shown to significantly increase risk of infection. Please sing along in your heart and pray quietly during Mass.
  3. Receive Communion on the Hand. Bishop Kettler has asked all faithful to receive on the hand for now.
  4. Wear a Mask: Wearing masks is encouraged for all when inside the church buildings. Please wear your mask up to communion, removing it just before receiving. Some liturgical ministers are mandated to wear masks by diocesan requirement.
  5. Social Distance: Pews are marked to ensure social distancing, but your cooperation is key! Please stay six feet away from others.
  6. Socialize Outside: We miss each other! Talking outside and at a distance will reduce your risk of infection. Please socialize outside of the church after Mass.

Some final notes:

  • The Sunday Mass dispensation is still in effect.
  • If you are feeling ill, please stay home.
  • Those who are in an at-risk population are highly encouraged to continue participation via Mass recordings at home.
  • Mass recordings will continue to be found on our website at www.taocatholic.org
  • Contact parish staff if you have additional questions.

Reminder: Weekend Mass Times

Saturday

St. Michael and St. Peter

  • Mass: 4:30 PM​

Sunday

St. Joseph

  • Mass: 7:30 AM
  • Mass: 9:00 AM
  • Misa en Español: 10:30 AM

​St. Michael

  • Mass: 10:30 AM

​St. Paul

  • Mass: 10:00 AM​​

​St. Peter

  • Mass: 8:00 AM

A full listing of Mass times in our Area Catholic Community can be found here.

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Public Masses for Pentecost

Our parish staff are busy putting a safety plan together and we’re excited to announce that St. Peter’s and St. Paul’s will be open for public Masses next weekend, May 30 – 31. Important Instructions for our community will be posted later this week. We will need to work together to protect the most vulnerable among us!

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Fr. LeRoy Explains Prayer and Adoration Openings

There will be opportunities for prayer and adoration in our churches as we continue to navigate this health situation. A recap of available times and places for prayer is below. For St. Peter the Door #7 will be open. For St. Paul, the East Main doors will be open.

Mondays 5:30-6:30 pm. @ St. Paul (Adoration, Psalms, Prayer)

Tuesdays 3:00 -4:00 pm. @ St. Peter (Adoration and Prayer)

Wednesdays 9:00-10:00 am. @ St. Paul (Adoration)

Wednesdays 6:30-7:30 pm. @ St. Peter (Adoration)

Thursdays 9:00-10:00 am. @ St. Peter (Adoration)

Fridays 9:00-10:00 am. @ St. Paul (Adoration)

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Churches Open for Adoration

After the latest release of Bishop Kettler’s letter regarding the opening up churches more for Adoration and Prayer and after speaking with our liturgists, Paula, Joyce and Laurie, we have settled on these times for Eucharistic Adoration and Prayer for the Churches of St. Peter and St. Paul:

For St. Peter the Door #7 will be open. For St. Paul, the East Main doors will be open.

Mondays 5:30-6:30 pm. @ St. Paul (Adoration, Psalms, Prayer)

Tuesdays 3:00 -4:00 pm. @ St. Peter (Adoration and Prayer)

Wednesdays 9:00-10:00 am. @ St. Paul (Adoration)

Wednesdays 6:30-7:30 pm. @ St. Peter (Adoration)

Thursdays 9:00-10:00 am. @ St. Peter (Adoration)

Fridays 9:00-10:00 am. @ St. Paul (Adoration)

These will be suspended after Public Masses start May 30-31, except for Tuesday’s Adoration and Prayer.

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First Communion 2020

24 April 2020

Dear Community Members and Families of the First Communion Class of 2020,

Fr. LeRoy, Fr. Timothy, and I have made the hard decision to postpone First Eucharist Celebrations to the fall. Our plan of waiting until fall allows us time to gather more information about how this pandemic will continue to change the ways we connect and assemble and will allow us to make better decisions for everyone’s health and safety.

The following is our plan for First Communion Celebrations:

  • First Communion Celebrations will be held in the fall, on dates yet to be determined.
  • We will communicate our final plans in the fall, between August and October.

The following is the plan for continued instruction and preparation:

  • All Saints Academy teachers have been asked to continue to teach First Communion content this spring through distance learning.
  • Faith Formation families, your students are missing dedicated instruction around First Communion in the classroom. Your home study will be vital for your child’s formation.
  • All families have home study materials in the form of the Together parent guide and God’s Gift child texts.
    • If you’ve been able to keep to the original schedule I handed out – excellent!
    • If you haven’t been able to keep to the original schedule, plan to restart your sessions at a time that is convenient for your family. For your planning: there are 8 sessions to cover, a banner making activity and an optional bread baking activity.
    • If you cannot make time to work with your child right now, please have them watch the videos at https://dynamiccatholic.com/blessed/program-view/  Watching the videos will introduce them to basic concepts they would have learned in the classroom or in your home study. 
  • Prior to our celebration(s), and connected to our liturgy practice, I’ll ask you and your child to attend a short parent/child retreat that will allow us to connect with each other, to review basic information you and your child need to know, and to answer your questions. Plan for your banners to be completed and ready to bring to that meeting.
  • After hearing the governor’s message April 23, it seems there is a chance we may again be in a stay at home order at points in the fall. We will adjust in-person meeting plans to distance connection and learning if needed. This would, of course, continue to delay the celebrations of First Eucharist.
  • Did you lose the paperwork from our gatherings earlier this year? i.e. directions for making a banner and for baking bread at home? I’ve put them, along with the make-up packet from our First Eucharist Retreat online at www.taocatholic.com/first-sacraments

Please fill out my form & Join my Remind Group:

  • Please verify basic information for me via this google form: https://forms.gle/BQ8ryr7ENbHCsSaJ9  This will enable me to maintain better communication with you about the future. Your response also serves as verification that you’ve received the information in this letter.
  • Join my remind group for the 2020 First Communion class by texting @taofc2020 to the number 81010 or by clicking here: https://www.remind.com/join/taofc2020

Feel free to contact me with your questions as we move forward from here.

God Bless,

Lisa Neu
Director of Faith Formation, Together As One Area Catholic Community

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No Public Mass Extended to May 15


As of April 7

  • In a statement from Bishop Kettler on April 7, 2020, the suspension of weekday and weekend Masses has been extended through Friday, May 15, 2020.  Church buildings and offices will stay closed to the public during this time.  Bishop Kettler asks that no gatherings of 10 or more people happen in our churches. Read Bishop Kettler’s letter to pastors here.
  • TAO ACC has already delayed Fist Communions to the Fall.  The diocese has postponed all May Confirmations, therefore our May 6 Confirmation Celebration will be rescheduled. More information for families of this year’s Confirmation Candidates and First Communicants will come out after Easter.
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