Sacred Heart, St. Luke announce reopening plan

     Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Monticello and St. Luke Catholic Church in Hopkinton will re-open on the weekend of Saturday and Sunday, June 6 and 7.

     “We are delaying one week so the churches can be prepared to safely open for the people,” stated Fr. Paul Baldwin.

     Churchgoers attending Mass will be required to social distance and wear facemasks.

     The doors to the churches will be open 30 minutes prior to the beginning of Mass and once they have reached 50 percent capacity, the doors will be closed. A sign will be placed on the doors that they have reached capacity to safely social distance. Ushers will be on hand to assist with social distancing and other tasks. They will also sanitize the churches following each Mass.

     Mass times at Sacred Heart are on Saturday at 5 p.m. and on Sunday at 8:30 a.m. Mass time at St. Luke is Sunday at 10:30 a.m. This weekend schedule of Masses runs through the month of June.

     On Sunday, July 5, the Sunday Masses schedule will change. St. Luke will have the 8:30 a.m. Mass and Sacred Heart will have the 10:30 a.m. Mass through the end of the year.

     The churches will continue to live stream on Mass each weekend on Facebook Live. The live stream schedule and more information about the reopening of the parishes can be found on the churches’ Facebook page at Facebook.com/Sacred Heart & St. Luke Churches and at www.sacredheartstluke.com. The daily Mass schedule has been reduced to two days a week beginning Tuesday, June 9. Daily Mass at Sacred Heart will be on Tuesday at 7:30 a.m. and at St. Luke on Thursday at 8 a.m. until further notice.

     Even though the churches are reopening, it is known that due to social distancing and capacity limits not everyone will be able to attend Mass on the weekend. Archbishop Jackels has continued the dispensation from Canon Law for Catholics within the Archdiocese of Dubuque to participate in Mass on Sundays and Holy Days until further notice, probably until the vaccine is available.

     Those who want to receive Holy Communion but are not able to attend a Sunday Mass can satisfy that desire at a weekday Mass.

     Please remember that if anyone is sick or frail due to advanced age, you should not come to Mass or gather together for any reason.