Dear St. Francis Family,
I am sure that many of you have heard about the opening of our Churches for public worship.
In addition to all of the information already posted from us and on the Diocese of Syracuse website, I would like you to know the following 12 points:

1. Although we will not be ready this weekend, we are planning for next weekend, June 6-7.
2. We, for now, will keep the same weekend Mass schedule.
3. The weekday Mass schedule is still to be determined.
4. There will be a sign-up for Mass attendance as this is necessary to ensure:
a. the proper number will be attending.
b. contact information will be available in case someone in attendance is/or does come down with Covid19.
(Sign up details are being worked on)
5. Proper social distancing, hand sanitization and mask wearing will be necessary for ALL.
6. There will be people at each Mass for helping insure proper social distancing.
7. Specific information will be presented as to how to receive Communion.
8. There will be one entry to the Church and one exit.
9. There is to be no social gathering before or after Mass in the Church, Church parking lot on on any Church property
10. There will be signs posted to help people.
11. There will be no passing of the collection basket; I ask that you place your contribution in the basket provided (we are in the process of getting permanent fixtures for this); also you may still drop off your donation through the mail slot in the Rectory of send it by mail or use the electronic/bank means some of you already have. I really want to thank all of you for your continued generosity to our parish at this time, you have truly been generous and an inspiration to me. Thank you.
12. I ask that you all continue to be patient and pray for an end to the pandemic and for all who work so hard to keep us all safe, and all who are ill because of this pandemic.

Please be aware that as we move forward, this information may change.

Thank you all and God Bless you,
Fr. Dan

Dear St. Francis Family,

Probably you have heard by now that the Bishop has given permission for resuming public masses. We are working on how we can accomplish this given the guidelines/restrictions we need to follow;  basically right now we are limited to only 10 people per mass, if and when this increases to 25% capacity we will be better able to meet the requirement and accommodate our people  and maintain safety.  We have attached to our bulletin and on our social media a more extensive explanation of what we must do; including having people sign up online to attend a particular mass.  I am still trying to figure this out; our Liturgy committee is working to help put together a plan that we must submit to the diocese for approval. This will also enable us to figure out the logistics for weekday mass.  Please read the material and the letter from Bishop Lucia addressed to the people of the diocese; and please continue to pray for an end to this pandemic.

PARISHIONERS
➢ In order to permit the celebration of Mass and the sacraments in a dignified, safe, and healthy manner, each parishioner must do the following:
❖ Seek information from his/her parish regarding the Mass schedule, registration for Mass, and policies/ procedures for attending Mass
❖ Remain home if sick, symptomatic or vulnerable (i.e. 65 and older with an underlying health condition or immune deficiency)
❖ Wear a face mask in church (required) and, if possible, bring personal hand sanitizer
❖ Observe the commands on the posted signage and follow the directives of the ushers
❖ Acknowledge that seating will be different from the “usual” pew
❖ Be aware that during this period, there will be:
• No holy water in fonts
• No choirs
• No offertory procession
• No passing of the collection basket; baskets will be made available for offerings
• No physical exchange of the sign of peace
• No hymnals or missalettes
• No congregating in the church: in the narthex, at the doors, in parking lots, etc.
❖ Prepare for the reception of Holy Communion:
• Masks will be worn by all: clergy, ministers, and the faithful
• Direction will be provided for those receiving
• The Precious Blood will not be offered
• Tongs may be used
• Reception will involve: receiving the Body of Christ in the hand, stepping aside, removing the mask, consuming the Eucharist, returning the mask
• Reception on the tongue is recommended against by the CDC, WHO, and a blue-ribbon panel of Catholic doctors; consequently, it may only take place at the end of the Communion line
• At outdoor Masses, follow the direction of the attendants: remaining in vehicles until the reception of Holy Communion and then returning to vehicles for the dismissal
The Instructions for the Celebration of the Sacraments When Gatherings Begin and this Summary are helpful tools for creating safe and healthy environments for the celebration of Mass and the sacraments. Since the ability to gather publicly is a gradual process, the Instructions and Summary may need to be altered to accommodate each new phase of re-opening. Communication of regular updates is, therefore, key to the observance of these necessary safety procedures.

Celebration of the Sacraments when Public Gatherings Resume

Bishop Lucia’s letter about reopening the Church – 5/22/20

Dear St. Francis Family,

Thursday we celebrated the Feast of the Ascension of our Lord, next Sunday we will celebrate Pentecost:  the birth of the Church.  This week we look at how God calls us into a relationship with Him and each other.  We are His people, the ones who have been empowered by the Holy Spirit to make Him, His love and His truth know. Our lives are called to give glory to God; our faith is to make Jesus known and loved; our hope is the power of the Holy Spirit.  We join with the whole Church as we pray:  Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful and enkindle in us the fire of Your love.

God Bless you.

Fr. Dan

There have been reports from parishioners across our diocese who have received emails and texts from individuals claiming to be their pastor. Usually the content of the message will include some form of request for money that is outside of the normal channels of giving, for example electronic gift cards for amazon or iTunes. These messages usually include some sense of urgency and may span over several emails, beginning with an inquiry like “Hi are you available? I have a quick request.”  Some of these fraudulent attempts have gone so far as to create email accounts which look very much like an official address.  Please be aware that neither our parish nor father will ever reach out to you directly via email text or social media for direct solicitation of gift cards, wire transfers or other electronic monetary transactions.  If you suspect you may have received a fraudulent request, or would like to confirm the genuineness of a message, please contact our parish office (315) 673-2531.  To report a fraudulent request please forward the message to: stop-fraud@syrdio.org

Dear St. Francis Family,
This Sunday, the sixth Sunday of Easter, our Scripture readings tell us of yet another gift God has in store for us. The Third Person of the Blessed Trinity, The Holy Spirit is the Advocate promised by Jesus in today’s Gospel. It is by the power of the Holy Spirit that Peter and John are able to act; that Christians have the ability to undergo suffering and persecution for their faith; that we can observe God’s commandments and therefore love God and experience God’s love for us. Thursday we will celebrate the Ascension, Jesus returning to the Father not to abandon us, but so that the Holy Spirit might be sent from God to us. The Holy Spirit continues to act in our midst, our lives and our Church. The Holy Spirit is the New Advocate who speaks on our behalf and is the source of our joy and hope. Hope even in the times of a pandemic, because our God will never abandon us and will give all that we need to continue to proclaim to the Glory of God the Father that Jesus Christ is Lord.
God Bless,
Fr. Dan

Dear St. Francis Family,

This Sunday’s Gospel begins with Jesus saying to the disciples:  Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me.” (John 14:1)  We are being constantly reminded that we are in a difficult troubling time, and as true as that is, we are also a people of faith.  Jesus was not just speaking of a later time and place, but also how we are to live our lives here and now.  Certainly we are to be reasonable and prudent; using the good common sense that God gave us to take care of ourselves, our loved ones and those most vulnerable; but we are never to lose faith or hope. God is found in every act of kindness and compassion, every heroic act on the part of those who care for us and others; every smile and laugh:  we are truly to have faith in our God.

God bless you and a happy and blessed Mother’s Day to all of our mothers, those still with us and those who have gone to the home prepared for them in our Lord Jesus’ Father’s house.

God bless,

Fr. Dan

How to Pray the Rosary