Dear Parishioners,
Archbishop Damphousse has notified all parishes in the Archdiocese of Ottawa-Cornwall that, as of Monday, January 17, every person over the age of 2 who attends Holy Mass must wear a mask.
Medical exemptions from wearing a mask at Mass will no longer be accepted. A face shield will not be considered an acceptable substitute for a mask.
Celebrants, lectors, and commentators may remove their mask only when they are sufficiently distanced from the assembly (by at least two meters), in order to read or preside.
Parishioners who are not comfortable wearing a mask have the option to listen to their car radio in the parking lot and receive Holy Communion outside the church after Mass. We will implement this for both the weekday and weekend Masses.
Copies of the Archbishop’s letter are available on the parish website in English (click here) and in French (click here). More information about this directive, and the reasons why it has been made, are contained in the letter.
Let us keep our eyes on Jesus and entrust everything to Our Lady of Good Counsel.
Fr. Mark Goring, CC
St. Mary’s Parish, Pastor