Assumption Parish

***If you have tested positive for COVID and have attended one of our Masses or entered one of our buildings, please contact the parish office. Contacting us directly will allow us to quickly contact trace, notify others, and further disinfect our spaces.
 
***If you have traveled outside of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, please follow State and Local guidelines and either have a COVID-19 test within 72 hours before entering the State or quarantine for 14 days after arriving in the State.

Now that we are in cold and flu season, in addition to COVID, we kindly ask that you be sure to adhere to the following guidelines:
 

• Wear a mask, wash your hands, hand sanitize
• Social distance and avoid personal contact with others
• Stay home if you have a fever, cough, shortness of breath, cold symptoms, or feel generally unwell
•  Consider listening to Mass on the radio from our parking lot on 91.3 FM, watching online, or via TV if you are in a high risk category

• Wear a mask, wash your hands, hand sanitize

 

• Wear a mask, wash your hands, hand sanitize
• Social distance and avoid personal contact with others
• Stay home if you have a fever, cough, shortness of breath, cold symptoms, and/or feel generally unwell
• Consider listening to Mass on the radio from our parking lot on 91.3 FM, watching online, or via TV if you are in a high risk catego

Masses in Adams and Cheshire are held at the following times and locations:

• Saturdays - 4:00 p.m. - Indoor Mass - Notre Dame Church

• Sundays - 8:00 a.m. - Indoor Mass - St. Stanislaus Kostka Mission Church

• Sundays - 9:30 a.m. - Indoor Mass - St. Mary of the Assumption Church

There are some important details we would like to make sure you are aware of prior to attending Mass. It is important to note that in order to comply with the requirements that have been issued to us, there will be numerous changes to various aspects of attending Mass. Guidance will be provided to everyone at each church in order to make the process as efficient as possible. Please be mindful that the process is new to all of us. However, if we work together, we will be able to navigate through the changes and share in an uplifting worship experience.

SHOULD YOU GO TO MASS?: The Dispensation from Sunday Mass Obligation will continue for the foreseeable future and we strongly encourage people in vulnerable populations, especially the elderly and those with complicated physical conditions, to continue to watch Mass from their homes. Parishioners who are exhibiting any signs of illness, such as a fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, chills, headache, etc., must not attend Mass until at least 14 days after symptoms completely disappear. If you have been in contact with someone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19, has had symptoms similar to COVID-19, you must not attend Mass for at least 14 days after having contact with that person.

PREPARATION: All who attend Mass must wear a mask and that masks are put on prior to exiting your vehicle. We recommend that attendees bring their own hand sanitizer or wipes.

INDOOR MASS GUIDELINES - All locations

ENTRANCE: You will be guided toward specific entrances in order to enter each church. Entrance will only be permitted through certain doors in order for us to guide the flow of churchgoers. Doors will be unlocked 30 minutes prior to the start of Mass.

ATTENDANCE: Each person who enters the building will have to be counted by the volunteers at the doors in order for us to maintain an accurate count of the number of people in the building. We are restricted by occupancy and social distancing guidelines as to how many attendees will be permitted. Once our capacity is full, no further people will be permitted to enter the building.

ACCOUNTABILITY: We are required to have the names of each person who attends Mass on file. You will be asked for your name upon being escorted to your seat. We will be keeping a record of the people who attend Mass and the location of their seat. Having this data will be necessary if we are asked to provide contact tracing data to the state.

SEATING: We are required to ensure proper social distancing at all times. In order to accomplish this, each person, couple, or family will be guided to a pew by a volunteer. The seating process must happen in an orderly fashion in order to comply with guidelines and therefore parishioners will not be allowed to choose their own seat. Each church will vary slightly in how seating will proceed once you enter the space, but volunteers will guide you each step of the way. Once you are seated, you will be required to stay seated and may not violate social distancing guidelines to speak with others. You may not kneel or stand at any time during the Mass and must remain seated throughout the Mass.

COMMUNION: Communion will be distributed at the end of Mass. Volunteers will be present to guide parishioners to receive Communion. You may stand when directed by volunteers and process to the Communion line. When in line to receive, attendees will be required to socially distance themselves. There will be no Precious Blood. Communion may only be received in the hand. Parishioners will step away from the priest before removing their face mask in order to consume Communion.

EXIT: After receiving Communion, you will exit the church. No one will be permitted to stay in the building following Mass.

CLEANING: Each church will be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected after each Mass.