Christmas Mass Protocols

Mother of Divine Providence > Christmas Mass Protocols
What time are Christmas Masses?
On Christmas Eve, December 24th, there will be Mass at 4:00 PM, 8:00 PM, and 12:00 AM Midnight. On Christmas Day, December 25th, there will be Mass at 8:00 AM and 10:30 AM. For all Masses, we suggest arriving at least 15-30 minutes early (and even earlier for the 4:00 PM Mass).
Will these Masses be livestreamed?
Our 4:00 PM and Midnight Masses on Christmas Eve and our 10:30 AM Mass on Christmas Day will be livestreamed to our Facebook page, facebook.com/mdpparish. You do not need a Facebook account to view this stream. You can watch the stream in real time, or you can rewatch the stream at any point once it is over. You can access Facebook on your computer, or if you have a Smart TV, you can download the Facebook app and view our stream that way.
What safety precautions will be taken?
  • Masks are required for all who attend Mass.
  • Hand sanitizer will be available at the entrance of the church.
  • Our Knights of Columbus will be present at all Masses to usher you to your seat, ensuring that there is a safe distance between you and your family and others.
  • Every other row will be taped off, ensuring distance between you and your family and others.
  • Pews will be sanitized between Masses.
  • We will turn on our fan system in between Masses for air circulation.

What happens if the church fills up?

In order to ensure your safety, we must be sure there is distance between groups in the church. That means that we cannot seat as many people as we would be able to in previous years. Based on our Christmas Mass survey, we do not anticipate seating to be an issue at any Mass except our 4:00 PM Christmas Eve Mass. According to survey results, 36% of those attending one of our Christmas Masses are planning on attending our 4:00 PM Christmas Eve Mass. Because of this, we will be prepared to seat people in our Parish Center once the church reaches capacity. We will be able to seat about 180 people in the Parish Center. The Knights of Columbus will be there to help seat you, and the Mass from church will be livestreamed to the Parish Center. One of our deacons and multiple Extraordinary Ministers will distribute the Eucharist to those in the Parish Center. It is important to remember that because of COVID safety precautions, there will be no standing room in the church or Parish Center. In order to avoid a seating shortage, we strongly encourage you to consider attending one of our other Masses instead of the 4:00 PM, if you are able. We do not want to have to turn anyone away from attending Mass.

 

Will a worship aid be available?

We will post a worship aid for all Christmas Masses on our website at mdpparish.com/worship-aids/ as we do for every Sunday Mass. This worship aid will include the song selections and readings. Feel free to print this out and bring it to Mass, or view it on your phone at Mass or while you are streaming Mass at home. Printed copies and hymnals will not be available.
What do I do when I get to the church?
  • Before leaving your car, please put on your face covering. Masks are required for all attending Mass.
  • Only our main doors of the church will be unlocked to ensure that our Knights of Columbus can seat each group that comes into the church. Our side entrances will not be open.
  • A Knight of Columbus will greet you and lead you to your seat.
  • As you come forward to receive the Eucharist, please leave a 6 foot distance between you and the person in front of you.
  • As you approach the Extraordinary Minister, please leave your mask on, receive the Eucharist into your hand, step to the side, remove your mask, and consume the Eucharist.
Your cooperation is essential and appreciated as we do our best to navigate this situation and keep everyone safe and happy.
If you have further questions, please contact Jenna McAndrew, Director of Parish Services: jmcandrew@mdpparish.com or 610-265-4178.