Click here to see the Pope's Prayer and Blessing for Spiritual Communion 

UPDATES APPEAR IN RED TEXT

Cardinal O’Malley has established the following policies for the Archdiocese of Boston effective immediately: 

• All Masses and religious services in all Archdiocesan parishes, missions, and campus ministries are suspended until further notice, beginning at 4:00pm on Saturday afternoon, March 14.

• The Cardinal has issued a dispensation from the obligation to attend Mass during this time to the Catholics of the Archdiocese of Boston.

• Funerals (updated March 20)
• Additional guidelines from the Archdiocese of Boston indicate that funeral Masses are suspended during this health crisis, due to the difficulty in limiting the size of those gatherings to 10 or fewer.  
• For the immediate future, a prayer service may be conducted by a priest or other designated minister at the graveside of the deceased. Then families would be encouraged and welcome to plan a Memorial Mass once the Covid 19 crisis has abated.  In the event of the death of a loved one, please do call the parish office to let us know so that we may keep you in prayer and help you understand what chocies you have. 

• Confirmations (updated 3/21/2020)
• All Confirmations in the archdiocese are postponed until further notice.  St. Timothy's has Confirmation scheduled for May 9.  Our ability to proceed on that schedule will depend largely on the spread of the Covid19 virus and the extent to which the region is recovering.  Given the decision about funerals, additional directives are expected from the diocese. We will keep families updated by e-mails from our Faith Formation office as well as postings here. 

• First Communion Ceremonies (updated April 27)
• First Communion Masses  are scheduled for May 2 and 3.  Current social distancing requirements do not allow for gatherings of this size.  As a result, Frist Communion celebrations are postponed until further notice.  Our ability to schedule new dates for First Communion will  depend largely on the extent to which the region is able to recover from the virus.  We will keep families updated by e-mails from our Faith Formation office as well as postings here. 

• NO public Masses will be celebrated in the following weeks throughout the archdiocese until further notice.  

• Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament (updated March 31, 2020)
• Due to additional directives from the archdiocese, we have suspended Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament  for the time being.  With only one priest in the parish, we cannot comply with the directive that clergy be present during the open hours of the Church.  In keeping with the firm advice that staying at home and observing social distancing is the key to quelling the rapid spread of the disease, we have suspended Eucharistc Adoration for the time being. (Updated March 31, 2020)

• Governor Baker put in place a "Stay-at-home" order for the entire state, beginning at 12 noon on Tuesday, March 24  and staying in place until Tuesday April 7.  Governor Baker has extended that stay at home order to May 4.  Governor Baker has also stated that easing of restrictions will be done carefully and be based on scientific evidence.  
• The archdiocese held a diocesan wide webinar on April 20 for pastors and pastoral staff.  In their presentation they noted the following:
  • Re-opening of churches will have to be done carefully, so as to prevent a resurgence of COVID 19 cases. 
  • In examining the data of where the virus has hit the hardest in Massachusetts, it is observed that ALL of the hardest hit localities fall within the boundaries of the Archdiocese of Boston.  This makes it likely that the Diocese of Fall River, or the Diocese of Worcester may be able to open chruches sooner than the Archdiocese of Boston.
  • It was also noted, that in a phased plan for re-opening of our society, churches, which often have the capacity for very large gatherings, would likely be included in the later phases of any plan for re-opening. 
  • The archdiocese of Boston is planning more webinars for pastors and pastoral staff to work on possible plans for the resumption of parish activities. 

Cardinal Sean O'Malley made this statement at the Mass he celebrated for St. Patrick's Day.  We share it with all, as it is a message of care and concern during this difficult time for so many.  Click here to read his message.