01/18/21- Status Update
Following the guidelines set forth by the Diocese of Manchester, the recommendations of the testing center and the state, Fr. Marc has maintained and has now completed his time of isolation/quarentine after having tested positive for COVID.  Fr. Marc returns to the celebration of Mass this morning and our regular schedule of Mass resumes.

The office will remain closed for today, not because of any COVID concerns, but simply because it is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, and one of the scheduled holidays.  The offices will resume regular hours on Tuesday, January 19, 2021.

We continue to take our public safety seriously, and are continuing to make every effort to sanitize the church and its gathering spaces, while continuing to respectfully request that everyone on parish grounds wear facial covering, observe social distancing and engage in frequent hand sanitation.  These efforts, along with those taken last October with improvements to our HVAC system has done much to increase and maintain the safety of everyone who comes to share in our parish events.


01/15/21- Status Update
Fr Marc continues to do well, and is pleased to share that, in accorance with diocesan guidelines and guidelines from the test center, his isolation and quarantine will come to an end at day's end of Sunday, 10 days after the awareness of any symptoms.  He hopes to be back for the celebration of morning Mass on Monday.

The church and all facility areas have been deep cleaned, including disinfecting fogging, twice, and has remained empty for three days.  There is every confidence that the entire environment is safe for gathering and public prayer.

Members of the parish staff have also been tested, and to date, there have been no other positive results for Covid.


01/13/21 - Safety Update

WHAT OCCURRED.
On Friday, January 8, in late afternoon/early evening, Fr Marc received a text indicating that there were several mourners who had tested positive to COVID at a funeral where he presided, earlier in the week.  Out of an abundance of precaution, Fr. Marc immediately increased social distancing and isolation, ceased in any distribution of Holy Eucharist and himself went to be tested.  He received the results of that test Monday night, January 11, and the result was positive.

STEPS TAKEN.
Since then, weekday Masses have been suspended and the church offices have been closed.  The entire church facility - church, sanctuary, sacristy, offices, hallways, bathrooms - in short, the whole of the parish facility has been thoroughly fogged and deep cleaned, twice.  The church building has and will remain closed and vacant for 72 hours (3 days), resuming only on Saturday for the celebration of weekend Masses.  The Diocese of Manchester has arranged for substitute priests to cover this weekends Masses.

Fr. Marc remains in quarantine/isolation at the residence since the positive test notification.  His personal condition has been good, with the symptoms of COVID limited to what could be otherwise described as a head or chest cold, without running a temperature.  The most severe symptom would be the reduced ability to smell or taste.

Individual staff members have also been tested out of an abundance of caution.  To date, no one else has tested positive, and appears to have been contained to Fr. Marc alone.

FEELING SAFE.
We are confident that the many steps that were taken in the church facility to help reduce the threat of COVID have been effective in this instance.  In October we increased air circulation, including running the ceiling fans in reverse 24/7 and opening windows during times of occupancy, increasing the HVAC filters to the 5" M13 high efficiency filters, installed UV lighting in all air ducts that kill all bacteria and viruses, as well as the installation of manometers that monitor the filters for maximum efficiency, and having invested in a disinfecting fogger, the church facility has been fogged weekly for additional sanitation.  In addition, all who enter the church, offices and are otherwise present anywhere in or on the parish grounds are requested to maintain social distancing, wear facial coverings, use hand sanitizer and assist in sanitizing their personal space when they leave the church.  

The steps taken back in October, as well as those since Fr. Marc’s positive test result provide every confidence that gathering in the church for weekday and weekend Masses remains as safe as possible for anyone gathering and praying together.