St. Joseph and St. Patrick Parishes

The Catholic Community of Meridian, comprised of St. Joseph and St. Patrick parishes, united by faith in Jesus Christ and nourished by the Sacraments, is called to proclaim the reign of God through the Gospels, the teachings of the Church, and service to one another and the wider community.

Please note that the Sacrament of Confirmation will be celebrated at St. Patrick on the evening of May 11th at 6:30 p.m. All are welcomed. There will be no 5:30 p.m. Mass at St. Joseph on May 11th. 



There will be a special Pentecost Mass on Sunday, May 23rd at Bonita Lakes Park. The Mass will start at 10:30 a.m. and will be followed by a Catholic Community of Meridian picnic. This Mass will replace the 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Masses that are normally celebrated in St. Patrick Church. 


The Catholic Community of Meridian will be publishing a new Parish Directory later in the year. You are encouraged to take your own family or individual photos (please use an Apple IPhone 9 or later or Samsung Galaxy 9 or late for your photo) during any special occassion and save them to send to the parish to be published in the directory. You can email the photos to the following email address:

stjoseph.stpatrickphotos@gmail.com

It is very important that include the following information in the email:

The names (first and last) of the individuals in the photo in the order that they appear in the photo,
your correct address, phone number and email address. 

If you have any questions, please do not hesistate to contact the parish office.  If you are unable to take your own photos, please do not worry as you will have an opportunity to have your photo taken at each church during the month of August. Be on the lookout for more details on that as we get closer to the date. 



There is a great opportunity to receive a Business Tax Credit while supporting    St. Patrick School. The State of Mississippi is offering a tax credit for donations     to an Eligible Charity Organization. Your donation to St. Patrick School can be        a DOLLAR-FOR –DOLLAR TAX CREDIT for up to 50 % of your                         Mississippi state tax liability.
There are 3 Easy Steps:
Step 1—Download and complete (FILLABLE) Application for Allocation of Contributions Made by Businesses to ECO’s.pdf (ms.gov)
Step 2—Once you receive an allocation from the MSDOR, simply make a donation to St. Patrick School to receive a credit up to 50% of your Mississippi tax liability.
Step 3—Send verification of the contribution to the MSDOR. Verification must be received within 60 days of notification of allocation.
 
Please contact Emily Thompson or Montse Frias at the School Office (601-482-6044) or your CPA for more information. Paper forms are also available at the school and parish offices. 
 
Thank you all for continuing generosity to our school.
 

The Weekend Mass Schedule (Effective September 1st):

St. Patrick - Saturday Vigil: 5:00 PM

*St. Joseph - Sunday Mass: 8:30 AM

St. Patrick -Sunday Mass: 11:00 AM

**St. Patrick - Sunday Mass: 3:00 PM (Spanish-English/Bi-Lingual)


The Sunday 11A Masse will be live streamed on the Catholic Community of Meridian  Face-book page.  

Please the important notices below concerning the Mass Schedule. 

* You must make a reservation to attend this Mass. Please read below for details. 

** The Spanish/English Bi-Lingual Mass is now celebrated at St. Patrick Church.

* Mass will be celebrated at St. Joseph Church each Sunday at 8:30 a.m. Due to social distancing ordinances, you must reserve a place for yourself and any members of your household who will be attending together. Seats are limited. Please call or text Carol Dean at 318-780-6069 or email caroldean13@outlook.com to reserve your seat. For more information, please refer to the posting on bulletin boards at St. Joseph Church, the Catholic Community’s Facebook page or the website at www.catholiccommunity.org.

 

Other Information of Note 

The Divine Mercy Chaplet:   Monday through Friday at 3:00pm. Dial in at 769 206 1927 to listen. 

Vespers and the Rosary:     Monday   through   Friday   at   4:45pm.  Join  by  dialing  (769)206-1927.    

Confessions:  Confessions will be offered by either/both Priests 30 minutes before every Mass or you can call the Church office to make an appointment.


Office hours: The parish office is now open 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM, Monday-Friday.   If you are in need of something or have a question, please call the office and  your call will either be answered or you can leave a message and it will be returned.  If you have any medical emergency, please call the church office using the emergency line. If someone is in the hospital, please let us know.   We have ministers who are willing to pray with you, following the guidelines of the hospitals.

Diocesan Directives Update August 12, 2020
1. Bishop Kopacz continues to dispense the faithful from the Sunday Obligation to participate in Mass until further notice.
2. Protocols you are using for weekday and Sunday Masses also apply to all other liturgies and rites such as Baptisms, First Communions, Confirmations, Weddings, Funerals, etc. - Masks are required to be worn by all over the age of two; - Social Distancing is required – all must be six feet apart (if they live in same household, they may sit in same pew); - Pews and restrooms must be sanitized after each celebration; - Hand sanitizer and masks should be made available to those who don’t have them; - Group photos should be socially distanced, and masks should be worn; - No receptions should be held after or before the celebration.
3. Home Masses: At this time, Masses may not be celebrated in private homes or properties of parishioners. This places everyone at risk.
4. Holy Communion is still to be distributed in the hand only.
5. Choir and Ensemble singing and practices are suspended until further notice. - the use of a cantor to sing antiphons or hymns is encouraged rather than parishioners trying to sing through masks. - Instrumental processions instead of hymns are encouraged, especially at the distribution of communion and the recessional; - Mass parts normally sung could be recited by congregation.
6. Live streaming of Mass should continue. Any music broadcast that is not in the public domain must have a copyright license and must be reported to the copyright holder. There is a waiver for broadcasting Scripture until the end of the year, so no copyright license is needed for broadcasting the readings at this time.
8. Live streaming to overflow crowds in parish centers or gyms on parish campuses though not ideal for participation will be allowed during this time.
9. Social distancing at parish gatherings other than liturgies, such as Knights of Columbus, ladies club, AA groups, adult Bible study group, etc., should follow state health recommendations and state and local ordinances – currently no more than 10 inside or 20 outside.
10. Outdoor gatherings are encouraged, especially in locations with smaller parish centers.
11. These directives above may not encompass every minute detail. The overriding maxim is: use common sense. This virus is not going anywhere anytime soon.
12. Stay safe and be vigilant!


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Below are some additional guidlines that will be in effect for the foreseeable future. Please read through them carefully. 

 Anyone who feels sick, or has been in contact with anyone who has been sick, should not return for Masses at this time. Likewise, anyone who may be concerned about the possibility of contracting the virus by returning to Church may remain at home in good conscience, recognizing the obligation to still observe the Lord’s Day with rest from unnecessary work and preferably by also viewing Mass as it is streamed live through @catholiccommunitymeridian.

Those considered particularly “vulnerable” to COVID-19 should consider continuing to observe better-at=home (this includes those 65 and older, and those with disabilities, serious respiratory or cardiovascular conditions, immunocompromised, or other underlying health conditions). Likewise, those who exhibit COVID-19 symptoms, who have been in close contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19 in the past 10 days, are experiencing a cough, shortness of breath, or sore throat, who have had a fever in the last 72 hours, who have had a new loss of taste or smell, and those who have had vomiting or diarrhea in the last 24 hours should not attend Mass.

The nursery and cry room will be closed until further notice and for the time being, there will be no altar servers.

GUIDELINES FOR THOSE WHO ARE PLANNING TO ATTEND ST.PATRICK CHURCH

St Patrick will observe the following for the weekend Masses:

In order to allow for sufficient social distancing at Masses, all Masses at St Patrick will be simulcast by video into the Family Life Center (FLC) Gym.

Only the West side door to the Church will be open (nearest the FLC).

Only the East (main) door of the Family Life Center (FLC) will be open, and the FLC will only open if the Church is filled.

The ushers will seat parishioners/families as they arrive to ensure 6 feet between parishioners/families in the same pew and will guide parishioners in leaving after dismissal. Please use hand sanitizer when entering the building and when leaving. There will not be holy water in the fonts. Each person entering the church will be temperature screened.  If some has a temp of 100.4 or higher they will not be allowed to enter. 

There will be no choir at any Mass, only a cantor(s) and the pianist/organist. Likewise, all the hymnals, missalettes, and brochures have been removed from the facilities.  We encourage those who wish to follow along with the Order of Mass to download a Missal app for your phone or tablet (such as Laudate). As always, please remember to silence your device during Mass.

The collection basket will not be passed. We will have a basket at the door for collecting offerings when leaving the building.

Though our restrooms are cleaned frequently, we will clean them even more often. Still, we recommend that every member of the family use the restroom at home before coming to Mass.

The procession will not pass through the body of the Church. The Bishop has asked Priests to simply enter from the sacristy. There will be no procession of the gifts. After Mass, the Priest may go outside to greet people, but he will not shake hands and you should not attempt to shake his hand out of respect for the safety of others.

Exchanging the sign of peace should not involve physical contact and could include a bow, a wave, or a verbal greeting of peace.

After each Mass, all high traffic/high touch areas (restrooms, doorknobs/push plates, counters, pews/chairs, ambos/podiums, handrails, keyboards) will be cleaned. We request that some volunteers remain behind after Mass to help wipe down these areas. There will be a team leader and checklist at each building to show what to do and to make sure no areas are overlooked.

GUIDELINES FOR THOSE WHO ARE PLANNING TO ATTEND ST. JOSEPH CHURCH
You must make a reservation for the Sunday Morning Mass. Please see above for instructions. 

Wash hands at home and use hand sanitizer upon entering the church.

Face masks are mandated for all assembly members over the age of two.

Each attendee entering church will be temperature screened. A temperature reading of 100.4 degrees or higher will not be allowed to enter.

Attendees will take their seats promptly and must take direction from ushers.

Social Distancing shall be adhered to throughout the service. There will be no shaking of hands or other contact during the sign of peace.

Thank you for your attention to these notices. We very much look forward to seeing everyone again!

SPANISH
¡Aleluya! ¡Cristo ha resucitado!

Con gran alegría, los Sacerdotes de la Diócesis recibieron la palabra oficial de que el Obispo nos permitirá comenzar a celebrar Misas públicamente una vez más a partir de la tarde del 30 de mayo con la Vigilia de Pentecostés. Este anuncio se realizó junto con la publicación de recomendaciones del Gobernador Reeve para las Iglesias a medida que regresamos a los servicios públicos. Ahora, obviamente, será necesario observar varios protocolos de seguridad durante las próximas semanas.

La primera, y más importante, es que ​el Obispo continuará otorgando la dispensa de la obligación de asistir a Misa los domingos y días festivos hasta nuevo aviso.​ Cualquier persona que se sienta enferma, o que haya estado en contacto con alguien que haya estado enfermo, no debe regresar a Misas en este momento. Del mismo modo, cualquier persona que pueda estar preocupada por la posibilidad de contraer el virus al regresar a la Iglesia puede permanecer en su hogar con buena conciencia, reconociendo la obligación de seguir observando el Día del Señor con el descanso del trabajo innecesario y preferiblemente también viendo la Misa mientras se transmite. 

Aquellos considerados particularmente “vulnerables” a COVID-19 deberían considerar continuar refugiándose en el lugar ​(esto incluye a los mayores de 65 años, y aquellos con discapacidades, afecciones respiratorias o cardiovasculares graves, inmunocomprometidos u otras afecciones de salud subyacentes). Del mismo modo, aquellos que exhiben síntomas de COVID-19, que han estado en contacto cercano con un caso confirmado de COVID-19 en los últimos 14 días, están experimentando tos, dificultad para respirar o dolor de garganta, que han tenido fiebre en el últimas 48 horas, quienes han tenido una nueva pérdida de sabor u olfato, y aquellos que han tenido vómitos o diarrea en las últimas 24 horas no deben asistir a misa.

La sala de guardería y el llanto permanecerán cerrados hasta nuevo aviso y, por el momento, no habrá servidores del altar​.

Ni el Obispo ni el Gobernador han emitido regulaciones sobre el número de personas que pueden estar presentes, ni los CDC han dado una regla estricta al respecto. El gobernador ha recomendado que, si es posible, las iglesias intenten extender la asistencia a los servicios. Teniendo esto en cuenta:

St Patrick seguirá su horario normal de misas con misas a las 5:00 p. m. del sábado y a las 11:00 a. m. del domingo, con la adición de una misa en español a las 3:00 p. m.

San José también continuará su misa a las 8:30 am del domingo, pero los asientos son extremadamente limitados y no hay instalaciones para transmisión simultánea o transmisión.

San Patricio observará lo siguiente para el fin de semana de Pentecostés (30 y 31 de mayo).

Para permitir un distanciamiento social suficiente en las Misas, todas las Misas en San Patricio se transmitirán simultáneamente por video al Gimnasio del Centro de Vida Familiar (FLC) y al Salón del Padre Valley del Centro Parroquial (PC).

El obispo exige que todos los mayores de dos (2) años que asistan a misa usen una máscara. Tendremos un suministro de máscaras disponibles para aquellos que no lo tengan, pero si tiene su propia máscara, tráigala.

Solo la puerta del lado oeste de la Iglesia estará abierta (más cercano al FLC).

Solo la puerta este (principal) del Centro de Vida Familiar (FLC) estará abierta, y la FLC solo se abrirá si la Iglesia está llena.

Solo la puerta Oeste / exterior (estacionamiento) del Centro Parroquial (PC) estará abierta, y la PC solo se abrirá si la Iglesia y el FLC están llenos.

Considere usar la acera que conduce desde el camino circular en la cafetería de la escuela (cerca del extremo inferior del estacionamiento) al llegar y salir para evitar el uso de pasamanos en los escalones de la calle.

Cualquier otro banco será grabado en la Iglesia para permitir un banco vacío entre cada fila, y se marcarán las posiciones de los asientos a 6 pies de distancia. Las sillas en el FLC y la PC se colocarán a 6 pies de distancia y el piso se marcará como referencia. Las familias que viven bajo el mismo techo pueden sentarse juntas.
Los ujieres sentarán a los feligreses / familias cuando lleguen ​para asegurar 6 pies entre los feligreses / familias en el mismo banco y ​guiarán a los feligreses a partir después de la salida.​ Use desinfectante de manos al entrar al edificio y al salir. No habrá agua bendita en las fuentes.

Por favor, no use las rodillas en la Iglesia para simplificar la desinfección después de la misa.

No habrá coro en ninguna misa, solo un cantor (es) y el organista. Del mismo modo, todos los himnarios, missalettes y folletos serán retirados de las instalaciones. La Diócesis recomienda que la música se simplifique para evitar el canto constante. ​Alentamos a aquellos que deseen seguir junto con la Orden de la Misa a descargar una aplicación Missal para su teléfono o tableta (como Laudate). Como siempre, recuerde silenciar su dispositivo durante la misa.

No se pasará la canasta de recolección. ​Tendremos una canasta en la puerta para recoger las ofrendas al salir del edificio.

Aunque nuestros baños se limpian con frecuencia, los limpiaremos aún más a menudo. Recomendamos que cada miembro de la familia use el baño en casa antes de venir a misa.

La procesión no pasará por el cuerpo de la Iglesia. El obispo ha pedido a los sacerdotes que simplemente ingresen de la sacristía. No habrá procesión de los regalos. Después de la misa, el sacerdote puede salir a saludar a la gente, pero no le dará la mano y no debe intentar estrecharle la mano por respeto a la seguridad de los demás.

El intercambio del signo de la paz no debe implicar contacto físico y podría incluir una reverencia, un saludo o un saludo verbal de paz.

La Sagrada Comunión solo se ofrecerá bajo la especie de la Sagrada Hostia. El obispo dirige a todos los fieles de la diócesis a recibir en la mano a menos que esto sea físicamente imposible. ​Los fieles NO deben usar guantes para recibir la comunión, de modo que las partículas de la Hostia no se adhieran al guante. Ministros extraordinarios procederán a cada edificio para dar la comunión al mismo tiempo que en la Iglesia. El sacerdote y todos los ministros extraordinarios llevarán máscaras durante la distribución de la comunión y la procesión de feligreses será guiada por los ujieres. ​A los feligreses que eligen no recibir la comunión se les pide que procesen una bendición para evitar el contacto cercano de otros que intentan aprobar.​ Una vez que todos los feligreses en todos los edificios hayan procesado, la Misa continuará.

Después de cada misa, tendremos que limpiar todas las áreas de alto tráfico / alto contacto (baños, perillas de las puertas / placas de empuje, mostradores, bancos / sillas, ambos / podios, pasamanos, teclados). Solicitamos que algunos voluntarios se queden después de la misa para ayudar a limpiar estas áreas. Habrá un líder de equipo y una lista de verificación en cada edificio para mostrar qué hacer y para asegurarse de que no se pasen por alto áreas.

Después de este primer fin de semana, revisaremos cómo fueron las cosas y haremos los ajustes necesarios.

Gracias por su atención a estos avisos. ¡Esperamos verlos a todos nuevamente!

Father Augustine Palimattam

Tithing/Contributions: We are grateful for your continued support of our Catholic Community and St. Patrick School. There are several ways to continue to contribute to the church/school:
You can mail your contributions to the church office.  You  can  also  donate 
online. There is a link at the top right of the website (catholicmeridian.org) on the homepage 
(ONLINE GIVING).  You can click on that link  and follow the steps to create an account.




As a postscript to the above correspondence. You can mail in your contributions to one of the following addresses:

St. Joseph Church                                                 St. Patrick Church
              PO Box 532                                                               PO Box 529                                          Meridian, Ms. 39302                                            Meridian, Ms. 39302      

or to the Parish Office:
  2601 Davis Street
  Meridian, Ms. 39301

Also please consider a gift/donation to St. Patrick School during this time as well. Any donation regardless of the amount will be welcomed and appreciated.  The address to mail donations to the school is: 

St. Patrick School
2700 Davis Street
Meridian, Ms. 39301

You can also donate to the school online by going to the school website:
stpatrickcatholicschool.org

In the middle of the homepage under the Shamrock Newsletter is a link (Online Giving is Now Available). You can click on that to make a donation.


Again thank you to all our Parishioners and those of you that support our Catholic Community and St. Patrick School. St. Patrick School opened our doors on August 10th and school is in session. 
  

St. Patrick School Office hours at 8:00 AM-3:30PM (M-F). Please call the school office (601) 482-6044 for registration information or to arrange a tour.  

     

If you aware of someone in either Anderson or Rush Hospital that needs to be visited, please contact the parish office. If you are a member of the medical community i.e. doctor, nurse etc. and would like to volunteer to assist the parish with visiting those who are hospitalized, please contact Father directly.     

 We are at your service. Please call on us and we will provide any help that we are capable of.  Let all our prayers be joined together to God the Father through his Son Jesus Christ.

Father Augustine


Catholic Community of Meridian 
2601 Davis Street
Meridian, Ms 39301
(601) 693 1321