COVID-19 Updates

Parish Information & Event Impacts
 

Diocesan Announcements
 

  • On August 30, 2021, Belleville Diocese released new guidance requiring all individuals, regardless of their vaccination status, ages two and up, to wear a mask while indoors. This guidance is based on the State of Illinois mass mandate taking effect on August 30, 2021. Read the guidance here.
     
  • In August, 2021, Belleville Diocese released Fall 2021 guidance for PSR and youth programs
     
  • On June 11, 2021, the Belleville Diocese announced St. Francis can open to 100% capacity!
     
  • On May 13, 2021, the Belleville Diocese shared this update. 
     
  • On November 18, 2020, the Catholic Conference of Illinois advisesd that parishes and Catholic schools are permitted to continue in-person worship and learning, even under the Tier 3 requirements that go into effect on Friday, November 20, 2020. This presumes that our parishes are diligently complying with current protocols and schools are operating under approved Covid-19 prevention plans.
    • Click here for more information.
       
  • On June 3, 2020, Bishop Braxton announced "Reopening Churches" plan. 
  • On May 14, 2020, Bishop Braxton announced phased plans to return to church. 
  • On March 24, 2020, Bishop Braxton released new directives to the Diocese.  This includes:
    • All Church and adoration chapels must be closed and locked until the order is lifted by Gov Pritzker.
    • Priests can - and are encouraged - to continue celebrating Mass privately and to livestream their Masses for their parishioners, if possible.  
       
  • On March 17, 2020, Bishop Braxton decided for the good of the faithful to suspend all Masses, liturgical services and Church activities.   Click here to view letter from Bishop Braxton.
     
  • On March 13, 2020, The Most Reverend Edward K. Braxton released this letter.  

Health Information
 

Free On-line Mass & Worship Links
 

  • Visit the Conception Abbey Mass & Divine Office Site.
    • Watch Conception's special events and liturgies live online!
       
  • Read "What If Public Masses Are Canceled" article by Dr. O'Malley, McGrath Institute for Church Life, Univerity of Notre Dame
     
  • United States Conference of Catholic Bishops President, Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles, invited “all the faithful to seek together the maternal intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe.” His Excellency shared a powerful prayer to bring us spiritually together as a community of faith in these uncertain times.  View the prayer here. 
     

  • Concerns over the spread of the COVID-19 virus have left many parishes with the difficult decision to suspend liturgies. To support our community's prayer, Give Us This Day has made available at no charge a digital file of our periodical, which includes daily Mass texts. Visit GUTD.net and select "Digital" in the upper right of the screen. While it is not a replacement for community worship, we hope this resource will support you during this challenging time. Please share this resource with friends and family.

    Pastor's Note

Below are some FREE tools being provided in light of the crisis to assist your family’s “Domestic Church” and offer worship events in your home.

Above all, take time to pray daily with your family far a few minutes, at meal time, before bed, when you awake, or any time that will work for you as a family, as the “Domestic Church.” Prayer and faith in God is our way through crisis!