Greetings from Fr. Patrick Brownell!
These last few days have been exciting and a bit tense. I am waiting for one more piece of information before I send out a lengthier letter about how I see things operating here at St. Patrick while going through the COVID-19 challenge.
Let me share these important bits of information with you now.
1) As announced this past weekend, there is Mass tonight at 6:30pm and again tomorrow morning at 8:30am. These are the last 2 normally scheduled daily Masses. Thursday morning’s daily Mass is the last Public Mass at St. Patrick until the Bishop’s review of the situation on April 1st.
2) The Office and staff are still working; sometimes at the church, sometimes from home. The office is closed to non-staff to protect the health of our employees. I advise you to contact us via a telephone call or e-mail. The office # is (423) 586-9174 (extension 7). You can reach me at Extension 6. The rectory phone # is (423) 616-0096. If you do call the rectory and my father answers, just give him your name and number.
3) If you have my cell #, feel free to contact me on it. I prefer texts to phone calls, if possible.
4) We are looking at creative ways to continue our ministry opportunities at St. Patrick (live streaming, ministry to the homebound, online Faith formation, St. Patrick Samaritans, etc). This will require some flexibility and patience on your part. Please bear with us. We are treading new territory these days.
5) I am happy to announce that yesterday Bishop Stika has given all parishes special permission to expose the Blessed Sacrament in parish Chapels even if no adorers are able to be present. So, beginning this evening after Mass, we will begin Eucharistic Adoration. The chapel remains open daily and is locked around 9 pm. If you have the door code you still are permitted to make a visit after hours. If you need the code, please contact me or the office for it. More information will follow in the next day or so.
Fr. Patrick