THE STATE OF ILLINOIS WILL FULLY REOPEN: June 11, 2021
What this means for St. Julie Billiart Parish:
This is great news! This afternoon, our parish received further details from the Archdiocese of Chicago regarding welcome changes to the safety protocols that have been in place for more than a year now. As we more fully reopen, parishioners and visitors to St. Julie may be assured that we will continue to encourage practical precautions to keep everyone safe.
Protocol changes, beginning this weekend, will include the following:
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- Capacity. All capacity restrictions are lifted. We are free to resume 100% capacity for Masses and other events.
- Registration. Registration for Mass is no longer required, so we will discontinue signups beginning this weekend, June 12-13.
- Hand Sanitizer. Will continue to be available, and all will continue to be encouraged to keep using it.
- Masks. Those who are fully vaccinated no longer need to wear a mask, but we will be respectful of those who may want to continue wearing one. We will not be requiring proof of vaccination; however, public health authorities recommend that those who are unvaccinated continue to wear a mask indoors, particularly in crowded venues.
- Physical Distancing. The blue tape used this past year to mark pew seating will be removed, so congregants will be able to sit in any pew. Physical distancing is no longer required, but is recommended by public health authorities for those who are unvaccinated.
- Congregational Singing. Singing at Mass can resume immediately!
- 9:30am Sunday Mass livestream will continue. Those who are not feeling well will continue to be asked to stay at home, where they will still be able to watch St. Julie’s Sunday morning Mass livestream at 9:30am.
- Mass Dispensation. Currently, dispensation from attendance at Sunday Mass is still in effect for the Archdiocese of Chicago for those who are unable to attend in person.
Fr. Tirso and the parish staff are happy to announce these preliminary steps in the process of full reopening, and will continue to take the steps necessary to apply the relaxation of restrictions to all parish activities. Please watch your email, our parish website and our parish Facebook page in the coming weeks for more news and details.
