March 17, 2020: Update on events and cancellations
On Monday, March 16, the Bishop of Charleston announced that churches in the Diocese of Charleston will suspend public liturgical activities, including Masses, as a means of limiting the transmission of COVID-19 within our communities. This suspension began today at noon and will go through the end of the day April 1, 2020, subject to review on March 30, 2020.
This is not what we have hoped for, but we are grounded in the promise that Christ will always be with us.
Practically speaking, we want everyone to be aware of how this impacts day-to-day and special events here at Saint Peter's.
Please review the list below of events we know will be cancelled or postponed during this period of activity suspension (March 17 - April 1):
Public Masses:
Masses will daily be celebrated privately by our priests, but are not open to the public
We will live stream private Masses during this period to our Facebook page (facebook.com/visitstpeters):
Daily Mass: 10 AM in English
*Change from earlier communication: the basilica will be open for private prayer Monday through Friday, 11 AM - 4:30 PM (instead of 8 AM - 4:30 PM, as previously communicated)
Each Sunday, we will live-stream 2 private Masses:
10 AM: English
12 PM: Spanish
Saturday afternoon Confessions: cancelled
Communion, confession and anointing visits to homebound, nursing homes and hospitals: postponed, with the exception of pastoral visits to those near death
Wednesday Lenten devotions (Stations of the Cross, Adoration, Benediction, soup supper): cancelled
Wednesday night youth and child religious education classes / catechesis / youth group: cancelled (classes scheduled to resume April 22nd)
Adult Christian formation classes and Bible studies: cancelled
Prayer groups (Centering Prayer and Spanish Prayer Group): cancelled
RCIA sessions: cancelled
Knight of Columbus Lenten Fish Fries: cancelled
March 18 MORE Justice meeting: cancelled
March 19 Stephen Ministers meeting: cancelled
March 19 Safety Committee Meeting: cancelled
March 21 Diocesan Young Adult Evangelization Retreat: cancelled
March 21 Family Fellowship event: cancelled
March 22 parish breakfast sponsored by the Knights of Columbus: cancelled
March 23 First Reconciliation: cancelled
March 24 Young Adult Tapping Theology: cancelled
March 26 Outreach Ministry meeting: cancelled
March 28 First Communion Retreat: cancelled
March 29 Baptismal Preparation Workshop: cancelled
April 1 Lenten Penance service at Saint Peter's: cancelled
What we ask you to do:
Please continue to make your weekly financial offerings, even while you are away. Your support is critical to our ability to function always, and particularly as we work to adapt to these changes.
Text your offering to 803-281-3902. Text the dollar value of your gift and the fund you wish to support. Examples:
$100 for the Offertory: text 100 OFF
$100 for Preservation: text 100 PRES
Mail your offering to 1529 Assembly Street, Columbia, SC 29201
Pray for all whose health and livelihood are affected by the coronavirus and the life-altering measures taken to limit its transmission.
Send your prayer requests to stpeters@visitstpeters.org; we will pray for you and we will forward your requests to our mighty e-prayer ministry.
Stay tuned to our communications:
These emails
And invite a friend to sign up at: visitstpeters.org/subscribe
Use this time as an opportunity to deepen your faith. Limit your consumption of highly charged social media and instead, opt for quality Catholic content at our parish FORMED account for inspiration during this unusual Lenten season.
