As of Saturday March 21, 2020:

Please see the direction below that Fr. Tom received from the Archdiocese in conjunction with the Governor’s order to shelter in place (Notes in yellow are our parish’s response to these directives):

Governor Pritzker has announced a mandatory shelter-in-place order for the State of Illinois.  What this means for our parishes is that effective 5 p.m. Saturday, March 21 through Tuesday, April 7:

• All churches and adoration chapels must be closed and locked until the order is lifted by the governor. Private prayer in any parish building must be discontinued until the order is lifted. St. Mary Church will be closed and locked today at 5 p.m.  The Church will remain closed until the Governor’s order is lifted.

• There can be no live Stations of the Cross or any other gatherings anywhere on parish/school property, nor can any parish personnel be involved in organizing them on any other site.

• All weddings and baptisms must be postponed and can be re-scheduled only once the order is lifted. There are no exceptions to this, regardless of the size of the group. However, in case of an extreme emergency for baptism, please seek the permission of your bishop.

• Funerals and wakes must be postponed until the order is lifted.

• Priests can – and are encouraged – to continue celebrating Mass privately and to livestream their Masses for their parishioners, if possible. Fr. Tom will continue to say Mass privately every day for our intentions. Sunday Mass will be recorded and made available to the parish.

• Anointing of the sick and confession/absolution guidelines will be forthcoming.