Covid-19 Questions and Answers
Do you have other questions that we have not answered? Please email anytime and one of our staff members will be in contact with you as soon as possible.
Social Distancing guidelines ask everyone to keep at least six feet apart when coming into contact with others.
Our parish offices are closed at this time in accordance with the recent Diocesan policy. However, our parish staff is working remotely to care for your needs as effectively as possible. We have access to both email and voicemail from our homes.
The staff is currently reaching out to all of our parishioners to see how you are all doing. Expect a phone call!
At this time the Diocese of Phoenix has stated: “The Sunday Mass obligation is dispensed by Bishop Olmsted for all Catholics residing in or visiting the Diocese of Phoenix.” No one is permitted or expected to participate in the Mass at this time (in person). However, it is important to know that Masses have not been “cancelled.” The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass will still be offered by our priests with all of you and your intentions in mind.
This is yet to be determined. The Diocese of Phoenix is closely monitoring the situation and priests will continue to celebrate Mass privately as long as it is considered unsafe by the CDC and our local and federal governments. Once it is safe to gather in larger crowds, Bishop Olmsted will give permission for such gatherings to occur again.
Fr. Chris is live-streaming daily Mass at 3:00pm and Sunday Mass at 9:00am. Please subscribe to our YouTube Channel, Facebook page and bookmark the Parish Website in order to participate from home.
The Sacraments Masses at St. Mary Magdalene are scheduled in May. So far, the Diocese of Phoenix has only canceled Sacraments Masses scheduled in April. If our Sacraments Masses do get cancelled, the Diocese has provided pastors the faculties to celebrate Confirmations and we will inform you when we have rescheduled the dates. We are reaching out to families and catechists to determine how we will be finishing the necessary preparation for children who were scheduled to receive Confirmation and first Holy Communion at those Masses.
Those who were preparing to receive Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil Mass will be initiated at a later date. This will possibly take place at the Vigil of Pentecost (Saturday, May 30th, 2020), assuming that public gatherings are permitted at that time. Those in RCIA and Sacramental Preparation will continue their formation remotely for the time being.
The Adoration chapel is open from 8:00am-6:00pm every day and is accessible via key fob ONLY.
- Please log onto We Adore Him to sign up for an hour between 8:00am and 5:00pm.
- When you come in to pray we ask that all adorers practice social distancing, bring wipes to wipe the area where you were sitting, and make sure that there are 10 or less adorers per hour.
- Please know that we do our best to keep the chapel clean, we just ask you to help join us in our efforts to keep the common areas clean, by wiping down the area that you were sitting in. We will have someone assigned daily to help us with the general cleaning tasks.
- While we are doing our best to keep the chapel clean, we cannot avoid all risk, so please discern wisely.
- If wearing a mask helps you to feel more comfortable while in the chapel, please do so, but there is no obligation. All we ask is that you wash or sanitize your hands before entering the chapel.
If you do not have a key fob to enter the chapel, or if you have any other questions, please contact Roger Molieri at Liturgy@smarymag.org.
Yes, confession is offered at the regularly schedule times. However, our priests will be seated outside on the curb, instead of inside in the confessional, so that you can either walk up or drive up. A proper social distancing protocol will be observed.
At the present moment, the Sacraments of Anointing of the Sick and Holy Communion will only be offered to those who are actively dying. Until further notice, only priests are permitted to bring Holy Communion to the dying.
Baptisms can be celebrated, but they must be limited to no more than 10 people (including the celebrant) in attendance and social distancing protocol must be observed. Also, only one child/person may be baptized at a time, as the baptismal water must be changed, and the font sanitized, after every baptism.
Weddings and funerals can be celebrated, but they must be limited to no more than 10 people in (including the celebrant) attendance and social distancing protocol must be observed.
Mass intentions are currently on hold and will resume once we have a way to submit them. All current Mass intentions are continuing to be celebrated by our parish priests in their daily private Masses.
Please reach out to one another! All of us are adjusting to this change in circumstances and the adjustment is very difficult for many of us. Make some phone calls and check up on your fellow parishioners to see how they’re doing. You can also expect phone calls from the Staff, who will be checking in with all of you soon as well.
There are also several opportunities for communal prayer hosted by our Youth Evangelization Team. Subscribe to their YouTube Channel to participate in Night Prayer at 7pm Monday-Thursday, the Rosary at 11:00am on Thursday, or Stations of the Cross at 11:00am on Friday. If you can’t tune in live, you can watch the recording later.
Make sure you are signed up for Flocknote so that you can receive regular messages from us with important updates and announcements. Fr. Chris will also be publishing weekly videos on our YouTube Channel. Be sure to subscribe and follow us to hear from him.
Ministry and group facilitators are reaching out to participants and members to share how they are moving forward with their formation, fellowship, and communal prayer. Since we are not able to offer opportunities for continuing faith formation in person, we encourage you to sign up for FORMED to explore your own questions and curiosities about the Catholic faith at home.
The Diocese has also compiled a list of links to various Spiritual Resources to enrich your prayer at home and with your family. Take the opportunity to try something new or rededicate yourself to praying in a certain way with greater commitment.
Fr. Ed, Fr. Steve, and I are well. We certainly miss all of you! Know that we are praying for you and offering Masses for you in private. Fr. Ed and I have plenty of supplies and food. He and I are still outside Monday through Saturday hearing confessions. It’s a great blessing to get to see so many of you (from a safe social distance of course) during these times! Stay connected with us via our live streamed Masses and know that I (Fr. Chris) am offering my reception of Holy Communion for you and your families! I am also publishing weekly videos on YouTube where I’ll give further updates on how we’re doing!
We know that many of us are currently experiencing financial hardship, due to shuts downs, lay-offs, furloughs, etc. Please be assured of our prayers for you and know that the clergy and staff are working out ways to cut our budget even more. We will continue to make the necessary sacrifices to keep our parish functioning and will update you regarding what this entails.
Pray. We encourage everyone to keep each other in prayer during these times and stay healthy while using proper social distancing per CDC recommendations.
Give to St. Mary Magdalene. We encourage you to donate online via Faith Direct, and you are always welcome to mail your tithing envelopes to us, or drop them off in our mailbox, located on the curb outside the front doors of the Church. Thank you for your continued generosity.There is no gift too small.