Welcome to St. Michael in Old Town

Reopening St. Michael's Church!

Volunteers Needed!

Subject: Reopening Plan for St. Michael’s Church amid COVID-19

Hello St. Michael’s family,

I pray that you and your loved ones are healthy. As you may have seen, Cardinal Cupich recently shared our multi-phased plan for reopening churches in the Archdiocese of Chicago. Specifically,

Phase I allows for parishes to reopen for Baptism, Reconciliation, Weddings and Funerals with a limit of 10 attendees.
Phase IA allows for parishes to reopen for private prayer and adoration with a limit of 10 attendees.
Phase II allows for reopening for weekday and weekend Masses for larger groups depending on the guidelines from the state and the capacity of the church building.

Our St. Michael’s Reopening Plan

First and foremost, it is important for everyone to understand that our efforts will prioritize the safety and wellbeing of all while maintaining due respect and reverence for the sacraments and liturgical norms of our faith.

I have assembled a Parish Reopening Leadership Team with parishioner co-captains to lead our efforts. Together, we have attended training from the Archdiocese to ensure that our parish reopening plan conforms to the guidelines developed by the Archdiocese in collaboration with civil and healthcare authorities. We have also received our starter kit of protective and cleaning supplies, as well as guidance on purchasing/maintaining supplies ongoing.

Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church
Presider: Fr. Larry Sanders, C.Ss.R., Pastor

All Masses and services are streamed live on
St. Michael's Facebook page
Sunday 10:00AM
Weekday Mass 10:00AM.
click here

St. Michael in Old Town
@StMichaelInOldTown.

Check out ALL the streaming offerings,including (past) Masses,
OMPH devotion and Redemptorist Workshop
with Fr. Greg May, C.Ss.R.

click here

Thank you!

Thank you for your contributions supporting St. Michael in Old Town! So many parishes, including St. Michael's operate on a very tight budget. We continue to have salaries, utilities, maintenance, insurance and other expenses to pay. Without weekend liturgies, especially our Easter liturgies, St. Michael's is losing a significant amount of income from the Offertory. We ask that you continue to support the St. Michael's Church today and every chance you are able to. During this Shelter in Place mandate by the State of Illinois, the staff of St. Michael's continues to provide most all services. St. Michael's Parish Office is continuing to accept calls, take Mass Intentions, wedding inquiries and all business transactions needed.

To give electronically, you can set up a recurring payment on your credit card, debit card or have it deducted from directly from your bank account.
Click Here to sign up!

If you would like to make a single donation,
without setting up a recurring payment, like the Fence Repair project
click here!

Your help is greatly appreciated!

Memorial Candles are available! If you would like to have a 6-day Memorial candle lit and placed in the church, click the link. Fr. Larry or Fr. Brian will take your candles to the chapel. Your intention will be laid on the altar for prayers at Mass. Call 312-642-2498 if you have questions.

We will continue to need volunteers to assist with various aspects of our parish reopening plan.

Set-up team. Sample duties include ensuring that all supplies needed for each sacramental celebration/gathering are ready for use, entrances and exits are marked and propped physically open prior to attendees’ arrival/departure, windows are opened, etc.
Greeting team. Sample duties include assisting in managing the flow of congregants as they enter the church, making sure attendees use hand sanitizer upon entering, are wearing a mask, and are reminded not to enter if ill; directing people to appropriate seating/waiting areas, etc.
Cleaning team. Sample duties include maintaining and cleaning essential and trafficked areas of the church before and after the church has been used. Masks and gloves will be provided, if you do not have your own, in addition to approved cleaning/disinfecting supplies.

The Reopening Leadership Team and I will make sure that all volunteers are properly trained. Please click here to indicate your willingness and ability to volunteer. From those that step forward, we will also request that some act as volunteer captains to help lead each of the three teams.

Timing for Our Reopening

While some parished will open sooner, our parish, like all others in the archdiocese, will move forward at a pace and timing appropriate for our own situation. Following our certification approval, at St. Michael’s we will only open our church once the Reopening Leadership Team and I feel confident that we have the right volunteers in place to make it possible to reopen. Again, the need for parishioner assistance cannot be overstated.

The guidelines and measures required to reopen are designed to protect our wellbeing and that of the of our broader community. As Cardinal Cupich has noted, from the first pages of Scripture we learn that we indeed are “our brother’s keeper.” Our Lord Jesus Christ prayed, “that they all may be one” (Jn 17:21) and commanded us “love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another” (Jn 13:34). Our collective patience, willingness to help and the care we take to reopen is a demonstration of our unity and love for one another.

May God grant you His peace during this difficult time and may He manifest His love and presence to you in abundant ways. If you have any questions, please contact me at information@st-mikes.org or call 312-642-2498.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Larry Sanders, C.Ss.R.
Pastor