COVID-19 Updates
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the latest
UPDATED: June 14,2020 - Feast of Corpus Christi
If you have any anxiety, health concerns, or symptoms of ill health, please continue to say at home. Be at peace. The dispensation from the obligation to attend Sunday Mass remains in force. You are not sinning.
We continue to gradually open up. This is being made possible because so many of you have followed safety protocols in a responsible and diligent fashion. Thank you very much!
Please note the following:
Every other pew remains blocked off. Households are asked to fill in the empty pews while maintaining 6 feet from other households in the pew.
We no longer feel the need to have people reserve a seat. Simply continue to followsafe distancing protocols and strongly consider wearing a mask.
If we exceed the ability to maintain safe distancing at a particular Mass, the ushers will ask you to gather on the front steps and sidewalk for Mass. The main bronze doors will be opened and Holy Communion will be brought to you. Please continue to receive in the hand with a flattened palm.
The restrooms are OPEN.
No physical collection will be taken up. Please continue to send your checks to the Parish Office or donate online at www.SpokaneCathedral.com
Palms which were blessed back on Palm Sunday will be placed on a large table located in the west transept. Please help yourself.
On Sunday, Bishop Daly will be declaring a “Year of the Eucharist” to be observed throughout the Diocese of Spokane. In preparation for this special year, he wrote a pastoral letter on the Eucharist. The letter has been printed in booklet form and placed at the doors to the Cathedral. Please take one per family.
Bishop Daly will celebrate the 11:00 a.m. Mass and at 12 Noon he will lead a Eucharistic procession with the Most Blessed Sacrament through the neighborhood and back to the front steps of the Cathedral where he will offer Benediction.
If you attend another Mass besides the 11:00 a.m. just come back to the Cathedral at Noon. You are most welcome to join in the procession. Just remember to please practice safe distancing - unlike the recent marches and protests!
God bless,
Father Connall
May 23, 2020- All public Masses remain suspended. Bishop Daly continues to celebrate the 9:00 a.m. Sunday Mass which is live streamed on our Facebook page.
- The Cathedral continues to livestream 12 Noon Mass on a daily basis through our Facebook page (click here). In addition, the 4 PM Saturday Vigil and the 9 AM Sunday Mass are live-streamed.
- Confessions will be heard on Saturday from 1:00 p.m. until 2:00 p.m. Enter through the elevator pavilion and observe safe distancing protocols.
- Visits to the Blessed Sacrament may be made on Saturdays between Noon and 4:00 p.m.
- Anointing of the Sick remains available for those in danger of death.
- All remain dispensed from the obligation to attend Sunday Mass.
- The faithful are encouraged to join Bishop Daly in a voluntary fast on Fridays with the intention of ending this pandemic.
- The office is staffed on a temporary basis. Call in advance: 509-358-4290 ext. 3#.
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Stay updated
As the situation surrounding COVID-19 develops, we will be using this webpage and Flocknote email messages to communicate updates from the Cathedral.
To join our parish email list (Flocknote) to receive the latest updates, click here to access an online form.
To see the latest from the Diocese of Spokane regarding the coronavirus, click here. -
archived messages and updates
Below you will find previous messages sent out by the parish.
These updates are distributed as emails through the communication tool called Flocknote. To sign up for our parish Flocknote and receive future updates, click here to fill out an online form. -
COVID UPDATES, 3/25/20
Bishop Daly issued a Flocknote message countain a memo with 13 directives regarding the suspension or postponement of various celebrations and sacraments, a guide on making a Perfect Act of Contrition, and a listing of various online spiritual resources. The full message can be found at this link: https://spokanediocese.flocknote.com/note/6472193
Fr. Connall also issued a Flocknote message to the parish. It reinforces Bishop's previous message and also reassures the parish that live stream Mass and responding of sick calls will continue. He concludes, "I will be spending time in our rectory chapel later today before the Blessed Sacrament. You, the people of our Cathedral Family, will be the focus of my prayer." The full message can be found at this link: https://spokanecathedral.flocknote.com/note/6472438 -
FLOCKNOTE AND VIDEO MESSAGE FROM CATHEDRAL PRIESTS, 3/21/20, 9:30 AM
Father Connall and Father Ratuiste give another video update to the parish on the following points:- Social distancing and overcoming isolation
- FORMED, an online resource for Catholic movies, videos, and more*
- Poor Fund and support for parishioners in need
- Financial snapshot of the parish
- How to give online*
- Planning for Palm Sunday
- Confessions in the church *
*More details contained in Flocknote message.
To access this Flocknote message, follow this link: https://spokanecathedral.flocknote.com/note/6388698 -
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MESSAGE FROM FR. CONNALL, 3/17/20, 11:20 AM
(Sent via Flocknote)
Bishop Daly just issued a letter suspending the public celebration of Mass. See his letter here.
Although closed to the public, I will concelebrate Mass at Noon with Bishop Daly and Fr. Ratuiste will livestream the Mass on the Cathedral website.
I will also be recording a video later today to send to parishioners with the hope of answering some of your questions and addressing parish issues at this very difficult time.
Father Connall -
MESSAGE FROM FR. CONNALL, 3/15/20, 9:10 AM
(Sent via Flocknote)
Bishop Daly has extended the dispensation from the obligation to attend Sunday Mass to everyone in the Diocese of Spokane. See his memo here (see General Dispensation-March 15):
Masses at the Cathedral will continue to be offered according to the regular schedule even if the church is empty. We need the prayer and grace at this difficult time.
Please continue to be vigilant about practicing social distancing, proper hygiene, etc. -
MESSAGE FROM FR. CONNALL, 3/13/20, 3:00 PM
(Sent via Flocknote)
Sorry to keep sending you messages, but the unfolding coronavirus issue makes it necessary.
The governor has closed all schools in the state. We have been inundated with questions about religoius ed, youth group, Stations of the Cross, etc. To simplify matters, and out of an abundance of caution, all Cathedral Parish events outside of daily Mass, Sunday Mass, and confessions are CANCELLED until further notice.
The governor has also prohibited gatherings of 250 people or more. If our 9 and/or 11 am Mass this Sunday exceeds that number, I will offer additional simple Masses next Sunday (like at 12:30 p.m. & 1:15 p.m.) to spread people out.
This is no time to be without the healing grace of the sacraments. If we all do our part, I believe we can provide the Eucharist and protect the health of our people at the same time.
Father Connall -
MESSAGE FROM FR. CONNALL, 3/13/20, 12:00 PM
(Sent via Flocknote)
I have several updates regarding the coronavirus pandemic and its impact on our parish.
Holy Mass continues to be offered throughout the Diocese of Spokane. However, Bishop Daly has issued a dispensation from the obligation to attend Sunday Mass for all those who are 60 or older. His memo may be read here (see March 13 Memo).
The Sacred Music Series which was scheduled to be held on Sunday is CANCELLED.
The Sign of Peace and distribution of the Precious Blood from the common chalice remain eliminated.
You may continue to receive Holy Communion on the tongue. I have consulted with health care professionals and wrote about the matter in my rector's column for Sunday. Please take a look at it. Bishop Daly has not banned the practice of receiving on the tongue but is calling for prudence and vigilance.
If you are an usher, the practice of taking Mass counts has been suspended. Attendance is down and thus the numbers would be skewed. Bishop will be asking for a diocesan-wide count in October.
Attendance at Mass is indeed down. While I am pleased that people are being safe, I am frankly concerned about the collection. Please consider setting up online giving through the Cathedral website and click on the blue round icon in the lower right hand corner.
I indicated that we would be sending out parish surveys today asking for your input on a number of matters. As we were developing the survey, it occurred to me that this is not a good time. The economy, markets, and people's health and well being are just too fragile right now. Let's get through coronavirus before diving into the surveys. I promise they are coming, just a little later than planned.
Finally, please join me in praying for a speedy end to this pandemic. For the sick, for the dead, and for an end to this infection - please God, deliver us from all this evil.
See (some of you) at Mass!
Father Connall