WELCOME BACK TO MASS AT MARY QUEEN OF PEACE!
Public Masses Resume May 18 

All four Missouri Bishops have dispensed the faithful from the obligation to attend Mass
on Sunday until further notice. 

Because of the pandemic, coming together to  celebrate of the Eucharist
will look a bit different for awhile. We make these changes with your safety in mind, and in compliance with directives from the Archdiocese of St. Louis,the state of Missouri and the County of St.  Louis. 

Before Mass

• If you are symptomatic or have been exposed to another with the virus within 14 days, you will not have permitted to enter the church, in accordance with national, state and local health directives. You are asked to check your temperature at home before coming to church.
• If you are at risk because of an underlying health issue or over 60, you are strongly encouraged, for their own health, to avoid the risk of attending public celebrations of the Mass. As always, those unable to come to Mass because of age or illness can contact our Pastoral Associate Mary Ann Zimmerman to arrange a visit by a Eucharistic minister. She can be reached at 314-962-2311 or mazimmerman@mqpwg.org

Mass Information

• Mary Queen of Peace will be celebrating daily Mass publicly beginning Monday, May 18 at 6:45 am and 8 am. 
• Mary Queen of Peace will begin celebrating the weekend Masses simultaneously in the church and gym for the next few weeks to allow for adequate social distancing. We will begin this practice the weekend of May 23/24. Mass times will be 5 pm Saturday, 8 am and 10:30 am Sunday. For now, we will not resume the 5:00 pm Sunday Mass, but we hope that this will begin again, especially when our teenagers can gather for Youth Ministry. 
• We will no longer be celebrating Mass on 8 am Saturdays.
• You are welcome to attend in either the church or gym, and we will be counting the number of people going into each location in order to comply with county, state and Archdiocesan regulations.
• Both the church and the gym will have separate doors for entering and exiting. You will enter the church through the front door on Lockwood and exit through the side doors closest to the altar. You will enter the gym through the front doors of the school and exit out the back door of the gym.
• Pews and chairs will be marked to provide for social distancing.
• You will also see signage inside and outside of the church and gym to help with social distancing and to provide direction, and greeters will be there to help.
• We will be cleaning and sanitizing within the church and gym before and after each Mass, including the pews, chairs, restrooms, door handles, push plates, and knobs.
• All hymnals and missalettes will to be removed from the pews. You are encouraged to bring your own missal for use during the celebration of Mass. We are also working on projecting prayers and songs and perhaps providing a resource whereby you can see the readings and songs on your phone or print them at home and bring to Mass.
• Hand sanitizer will be made available throughout the church and gym, whenever possible.
• You will be obliged to wear a mask upon entering the church and gym and, during the celebration of Mass, except when seated in the pew or chair and for the brief moment of receiving Holy Communion.  We will be enforcing this without exception. If you arrive without a mask, we will provide you one. CDC guidelines state that children under two or anyone unable to remove their own mask should not wear them. 
• Hand sanitizer is to be made available throughout the church and gym, whenever possible.
• Our priests will be maintaining a six-foot distance and will not be greeting you as you enter the church or gym.
• Families are to maintain six-foot distancing between their family and other families or individuals throughout the celebration of Mass
• Offertory processions will be suspended as well as the sign of peace. We will use stationary baskets, together with our usual precautions for securely collecting donations. They will be placed at the entrance and exits.
• Eucharistic ministers will be masked, will sanitize their hands immediately before and after distributing Communion, and will utilize a disinfectant wipe to sanitize their fingers when incidental contact is made with the communicant.
• There will be no distribution of Holy Communion from the chalice. For those who suffer from celiac disease, please contact Father John.
• Communicants will receive the Host in the hand.
• When approaching the priest or Eucharistic minister, you should pull your mask or other facial covering below your chin and present one hand resting on the palm of the other. After responding “Amen,” you should reverently place the Eucharist in your mouth and immediately replace your mask or other facial covering.

After Mass

• Family units should depart the church and gym in an organized manner wearing masks and observing six feet of distance between other households.
• We will not be handing out bulletins or other materials.
• Priests will not be greeting people as they leave the church.
• You are asked not to congregate in the church, gym or parking lot after Mass.
   

Sacraments, Such as First Communions, Confirmations, Weddings, Funerals, and Special Events

Father John has been given permission to schedule the Sacraments in keeping with the requirements of public safety. We will be communicating with you or the appropriate parties when these have been scheduled. 

Mary Queen of Peace is canceling all events, including XLT, Adoration, and any other scheduled event through at least August 1st. The only exceptions may be the American Red Cross Blood Drive and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul clothing and furniture drive. Decisions will be made closer to the events.