COVID 19 Update for St. Pius X

Spiritual Resources for all ages are available on our parish website. Click on the links below to check them out. 

• Kids and Teens
• Adults 

Do you have prayer needs? Let us know so that we can pray for you! Prayerrequests@churchofstpiusx.org 

Church building will continue to be open for personal prayer in the worship space:

•  Tuesdays from 9 am-4 pm
•  Wednesdays from 9 am-4 pm (Note this is a time change)
• Thursdays from 9 am-4 pm

Individual Confessions will be offered in the Tek Room (nursery):

• Wednesdays from 5:30pm-6:15pm
• Thursdays from 8:30am-9:30am

Phase Two
Church of Saint Pius X

Public Masses are resuming at St. Pius X starting on Wednesday, May 27th. The Mass schedule is available on the Events page of the parish website.  The obligation to attend Mass continues to be dispensed during Phase II (see below).  The Vigil Mass will continue to be available as a Live Stream on Saturdays at 4 PM for those who can not or do not wish to attend the public celebration of the Mass.  Please pay close attention to wether a Mass is Live Stream only, Public celebration of the Mass or both Live Stream and Public Celebration of the Mass. 

Please watch the video below and read the information regarding how we are implementing the protocols and what you need to know if you plan on attending Mass including how you will be receiving Communion.  

From the Archdiocese:

"Our first consideration must continue to be for the spiritual and physical health of our parishioners and those whom they encounter, especially the most vulnerable: the elderly and those with chronic illnesses. We continue to rely on medical professionals and governmental standards to inform these directives. 

The obligation to attend Sunday Mass and Holy Days of Obligation continues to be suspended as long as the pandemic continues. 

• All COVID-19 positive persons, those who are symptomatic, and those living with them, must stay home. 
• Persons over age 65 and those with preexisting health conditions should continue to stay home during Phase II and avoid public gatherings, including in church.

Face masks are strongly urged for all assembly members (but not for those under age two, according to the CDC, since it may put them at risk of suffocation)."

Please see below for information on returning to Mass safely.  It is also availabe as a pdf here

The message is relevant to all who are unable to attend Mass and address the need to pray for our world.

Please watch this short video to help you understand the specifics for Mass at St. Pius X

What you need to know:

Masses:
Archbishop Hebda has given the approval for parishes within the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis to begin Phase II reopening starting on May 26th. Please read the letter below from our Pastor as he outlines the liturgical volunteer needs of the parish that will enable us to resume public celebration of the Mass following the Phase II guidelines.  You can read the letter from the Bishops of Minnesota here  Given both the moral impossibility of attending Mass, as well as the dispensation from the obligation to attend Sunday Mass that was extended to the faithful of the Archdiocese, please rest assured that the missing of Mass in these conditions should not weigh on your conscience if you are not comfortable or unable to attend Mass in person. 

New Updates /Cancelations 

Updated Announcement: Beginning July 1 2020
 
We’re delighted that we have been be able to welcome parishioners back for public Masses.  However, we are aware that due to underlying medical conditions and/or age that not all parishioners are yet comfortable to join us for Mass.  At the same time, we know that you are desiring to receive the gift of the Eucharist.
 
St. Pius will continue to offer communion services during phase 2 reopening of churches for anyone who is NOT able or comfortable to attend Mass at this time.  Beginning July 14^th, the Tuesday Communion service will be offered at 10:00 am.  The communion service is limited to 12 people, and will be held in the cafeteria to allow for adequate social distancing.  The church space remains open on Tuesdays, providing a place for personal prayer.  To attend a communion service, one must call the parish office to sign up at 429-5337.  Should a given communion service not be filled, we will keep a wait list and call you. 

Previously Announced Information

• Live stream schedule will continue as follows (rebroadcasts are available following the live stream:
  • Saturday Vigil Mass at 4 PM will continue to be live streamed as we reintroduce the public celebration of Mass
  • Daily Mass on Wednesdays at 6:30 PM, Thursdays at 8 AM and Fridays at 11 AM. (Funerals may change the live stream schedule. 
  • see www.churchofstpiusx.org/spxlive for live stream, rebroadcasts and additional information
• The staff is working from the office. You can find a staff directory here if you need to contact them. 
• All parish activities except limited public Masses continue to be suspended.  (Faith Formation, Adult Enrichment, RCIA, and meetings are included) Exceptions are as follows:
  • Church building will be opened for personal prayer in the worship space:
    •  Tuesdays from 9 am-4 pm
    •  Wednesdays from 9 am4 pm
    • Thursdays from 9 am-4 pm
  • Individual Confessions will be offered in the Tek Room (nursery)
    • Wednesdays from 5:30pm-6:15pm
    • Thursdays from 8:30am-9:30am

• First Communion families have been notified about the scheduled First Communion date. Contact Stefanie Gazich if you have questions. 

Financial Support
St. Pius X parishioners have always come forward to support their parish in times of need. We know that everyone is in a place of uncertainty now but we ask that you prayerfully consider continuing your weekly support of St. Pius X through your financial donations.

• We now have a Text-to-Give option available for continuing your support of St. Pius X! You can securely give to St. Pius X with the convenience of your cell phone using Give+Text. Watch this short video to learn more. Additional instructions can be found here.
  • Our 10 digit code is 833-356-0575
• Consider Online Giving Online giving or e-giving is a convenient way for you to continue your support of parish Ministries without having to make a trip to the parish office during the week. You can make one-time donations online via the parish website www.churchofstpiusx.org and click on the 'Donate Online' button in the upper right hand corner of the screen. You can also set up regular electronic giving through the parish office. To set up e-giving with St. Pius X, contact the parish office at 651-429-5337.

• Envelopes If you choose to continue your support with your weekly envelope, please mail to the parish office (St. Pius X 3878 Highland Avenue White Bear Lake, MN 55110)
• Text-to-Give: We now have a Text-to-Give option available for continuing your support of St. Pius X! You can securely give to St. Pius X with the convenience of your cell phone using Give+Text. Watch this short video to learn more. Additional instructions can be found here.
  • Our 10 digit code is 833-356-0575

Questions regarding our response to COVID-19 should be directed to Bryan Zimmerman, Executive Business Administrator at 651-429-5337
 

Archbishop Hebda has given the approval for parishes within the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis to begin Phase II reopening starting on May 26th. Please read the letter below from our Pastor as he outlines the liturgical volunteer needs of the parish that will enable us to resume public celebration of the Mass following the Phase II guidelines.  You can read the letter from the Bishops of Minnesota here 

May 21, 2020

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 
           
The Archdiocese and our parish staff have been working prudently and diligently to develop the practical details surrounding the celebration of public Masses once we enter into Phase II of the Archdiocesan plan. 
           
The Archdiocese provided seven pages of detailed instructions on what needs to happen at parishes to provide a safe and sanitized environment. Our Leadership Team met to go over these instructions, and we realized that we need to create a Liturgy Volunteer Core Team during Phase II. 

We are currently seeking volunteers for this team to help us resume public Masses here at Saint Pius X. We need your support at this time! 

The number of Masses we are able to offer each week will be dependent upon how many volunteers are willing and able to step forward. For example, if we only get 15 volunteers for a Liturgy Volunteer Core Team, we will only be able to offer one Mass per week. In continuing with the courageous prudence that we all need at this time, this is the difficult decision we are willing to make for the health and safety of all our parishioners. 
            
The Liturgy Volunteer Core for every Mass that is offered will need to consist of:
                        1 Lector
                        4 – 6 Ushers
                        2 Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion 
                        4-6 Cleaners to sanitize the worship space after each Mass.  
            
The role of Ushers will be dramatically different from what the role was before COVID-19. Even if you did not perform in this role before but would like to temporarily be part of the Liturgy Volunteer Core Team, we will happily get you started. If you are a Lector or commissioned Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion and could serve as an Usher when not in your usual ministry, we could use your help. Likewise, if you were an Usher, Lector or Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion before COVID-19, but would not like to be part of the Liturgy Volunteer Core Team, we will respect your choice and not assign you to any roles. 
Special trainings for the roles of Usher, Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion and Cleaner will be held and must be attended prior to serving in any of those ministries.  
           
In accord with the directives from the State of Minnesota and the Archdiocese, we are asking you to keep this directive in mind before signing up to volunteer:
           
“Those over age 65 will be strongly encouraged not to attend Mass, and anyone showing any symptoms of sickness, or anyone who has a household member who is sick or showing symptoms of sickness should not come to church.” 
            
Additionally, those who may be immuno compromised are strongly encouraged to not attend Mass.
          
Following the guidelines of Catholic Mutual, the Archdiocesan insurance provider, the Cleaners are to be adults between the ages of 18-65.
           
If you would like to be part of the Liturgy Volunteer Core Team, we ask that you contact Suzie Schulte at sschulte@churchofstpiusx.org or 651-762-3632. In view of the Archdiocesan and State of Minnesota guidelines, the Parish must reserve the right to respectfully decline the offer of someone stepping forward to be part of the Liturgy Volunteer Core Team if we think that someone would be putting themselves or others at risk by taking on a volunteer role at Mass.
            
Thank you for your consideration on how you may be able to help our parish get back to public worship once Phase II begins! 

In Christ, 

Fr. T.J. McKenzie