(updated June 30, 2021)
THE STATE OF ILLINOIS FULLY REOPENED: June 11, 2021
What this means for St. Julie Billiart Parish:
This is great news! As we continue to more fully reopen, parishioners and visitors to St. Julie may be assured that we will continue to encourage practical precautions to keep everyone safe.
Following are the protocols we currently follow:
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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.
- Hand sanitizer. Continues to be available in church.
- Masks. No longer required, but public health authorities recommend that those who are unvaccinated continue to wear a mask indoors and observe safety distance. We will not require proof of vaccination.
- Church entrances. All entrances are now open, including the west doors.
- Physical distancing. No longer required, but is recommended by public health authorities for those who are unvaccinated. The blue tape used this past year to mark pew seating has been removed, except for sections near the choir space, which is set aside for those who wish to continue physical distancing.
- Congregational singing. Singing at Mass is back!
- Communion reception on the tongue. Reception on the tongue is now available again, though this will currently be limited to distribution from the priests and deacons only, in sections 3 and 4/5 on both the north and south sides of the church. If you choose to receive communion this way, please sit in one of those sections.
- 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.