Dear Friends of St. Malachy's,

     All prayers are heard and answered in God's time. We were never closed (save a couple of days for deep cleaning), but on Monday, June 22nd we resumed a modified public worship schedule. To paraphrase the Broadway composer Frank Loesser, "Praise the Lord and pass the disinfectant."

     A word of thanks to all of you who have been so faithful at keeping in touch and letting us know how much you appreciate our efforts in offering the Sunday Mass via the website. We have heard from friends near and far (Asia and Europe) with promises of prayers and expressions of thanksgiving for keeping in touch, even at a distance. Those prayers have helped trememdously. The priests and staff of St. Malachy's have kept in good health while working remotely to keep the temporal affairs of the parish under care and working locally to keep the doors open each day. However, we share with you the economic uncertainty that plagues us in tandem with the health pandemic.

     The last three months have been difficult for our beloved parish, as well. Over the course of any given week, our congregation consists of 1/3 resident parishioners (those who live in the theatre district/Hell's Kitchen). Another 1/3 of our congregation commute in and work in the neighborhood. The final third are tourists who come to NYC for shows, sports, fine dining, fine arts and the like.

     That being said, we have not seen or heard from 2/3rds of our congregation in over three months. There was no Easter collection to speak of, although Christmas and Easter used to maintain a parish through the lean months in the "good old days." Summer tourism and robust return to work seems bleak, at least through Labor Day. Without the theatre, clubs and the varied dining options for which the theatre district is known and frequented, we suffer from a lack of worshippers. With local businesses employing remote work stations (from home), we have lost most of our daily Mass congregation, How much of the 1/3 resident congregation will return remains to be seen, and understandably so. This pandemic has touched everyone. I have stopped counting the number of people I know who have passed or known someone who has died.

     Going forward, we will have to reinvent ourselves in the ways that we interact and gather to worship. I just want you to know we never left you or abandoned you. We followed directives and kept as many people safe as possible. Like children, it was tempting to whine "why" or to become petulant and "do our own thing." Thank goodness, we are emerging beyond all of that. However, it will be different over the next three months. The guidelines that follow are necesary and we will strive to implement them as cheerfully as we can. Everyone will be asked to make sacrifices: the priests (who will assume more responsibility on the altar); the ministers (who will yield their familiar positions to help rather with greeting, ushering and seating); the choir and musicians (who will slowly start to reinvent liturgical music with congregational singing resuming gradually); and you, the faithful in the coming back and forgiving us our multitude of tasks to keep you safe while celebrating the sacred mysteries with joy and new found reverence in being so mindful of our surroundings in these times of uncertainty.

     We know what we had and we are feeling what we have lost. Now is the opportunity to bridge the gap. A lot was taken for granted, but a lot was expected too. St. Malachy's has always been resilient that way. Resilience, though, does not rest in bricks and mortar. Rather it lives and thrives in the living stones of the church. Come back better, stronger (masks and all) and help us to move our "faith forward."

     For once it is not just a fund raising slogan, "faith forward," but at last a posture we can assume together.

Christ's Peace,

Fr. John Fraser
 

• St. Malachy's - The Actors' Chapel will continue to be open each day for private prayer from approximately 7:30am to 6pm (exceptions made for maintenance needs).

• The obligation to attend Sunday Mass remains suspended during this time of the pandemic. People who are 65 years of age and older and/or those with underlying health conditions are advised to excercise extreme caution in deciding whether or not to attend Mass in these early phases of re-opening.

• The church will be regularly (daily) sanitized and disinfected. Those attending Mass must wear a mask.

• Attendance at each individual Mass will be limited to no more than 122 people.

• No physical contact is permitted during the Sign of Peace. Also, with respect to social distancing, we are to avoid any type of congregating inside or outside of the church.

• Parishioners should follow all signage and visible markers on pews and aisles. Signs will indicate acceptable seating areas. Red foot marks will signify six feet social distance. Red velvet ropes will indicate areas NOT available for seating or congregating.

• Rest rooms and elevator access will NOT be available for the immediate future.

• Bulletin information will be available on-line only. No paper bulletins or worship aids (missalettes or hymnals) will be distributed.

• Links to Daily Mass and Sunday Mass readings may be obtained online or by way of a personal missal.

• Distribution of Holy Communion will be in in the hand only.

• There will be no passing of the collection basket. Rather those who attend Mass are asked to make use of the fixed donation boxes - one at the entrance to the church, the other opposite the Artists' Shrine. Please consider using the Faith Direct e-giving link or mailing in a weekly or monthly offering to:

Monday - Friday, 8:00am Daily Mass

Saturday Vigil Mass, 5:00pm

Sunday, 9:00am & 11:00am

Saturday and Sunday evening Masses and the daily 12:05pm Mass are currently suspended.

Public adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Benediction, Rosary, Stations of the Cross and other devotions are suspended until further notice.