Masses Suspended: What are our next steps as a parish community?
Dear St. Stan’s Parishioners,
Archbishop Bernard Hebda announced that, starting Wednesday, March 18, he is suspending all public Masses in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis to contain the spread of COVID-19/coronavirus, thus mitigating its impact on our communities and the broader world. The bishops of the province (Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota) joined him in that decision.
With no public Masses at this time, the uncertainty we face as a parish community may seem overwhelming, as we all strive to respond to the COVID-19/coronavirus pandemic. You may be feeling anxious, angry, sad, confused or any number of other emotions in response to the many changes we’ve already experienced in our communities, schools, work and social lives.
We are committed to supporting you, our parishioners, in whatever challenges lie in the days ahead. As we continue this ministry, we humbly ask you for three things:
- Pray. Pray for our parish, the Church, this nation and our world – particularly those who have died, those who are currently suffering from COVID-19/coronavirus and those who are caring for them. Though you will not be able to receive the Eucharist, you may still pray the Mass by participating via TV, radio or streaming. Go to archspm.org/covid19 for more information.
- Share the Needs of our Community. Are you or someone you know suffering from difficulty accessing food? Lost work/wages? Loneliness? Let us know, and we’ll work to make connections with local resources to help get us all through this challenging time – together. Please feel free to contact Kim Myers at 651-224-7998 or kimmyers@ststans.org.
- Support Our Parish. As part of our ongoing commitment to serve, we are continuing to pay staff and financially support parish ministries. We also face many building expenses that remain despite the decrease in events. Please consider financially supporting our parish in one of the following ways: via the DONATE button on our website; Electronic Contribution (contact Kim Myers at 651-224-7998 for forms to sign-up); or by Mail.
Thank you for being part of our parish family. May God be with each of you and your families, and know that you are in our prayers daily.
Smile, God Loves You,
St. Stan’s Staff