This Holy Week, because there are no Parish Masses,
Palm will be blessed privately on Palm Sunday
and then distributed to you once we have Masses again.  
Palm will not be made available to people for pickup on Palm Sunday,
as this presents an opportunity for gatherings of people and the potential transmission of infection.

To assist the Faithful that may be struggling during this crisis,
Bishop Barres has issued a general dispensation
from the law of abstinence (refraining from eating meat) for Good Friday 2020.
All are reminded however, that Good Friday remains a day of fasting and penance.

Yes, during the COVID-19 Pandemic, even though all Masses are cancelled,
Saint Agnes Church is still open for private prayer usually from 9 AM - 4 PM daily
(except when the Church is being cleaned).
If you come to pray, please observe "social distancing" for everyone's protection. 

As of March 15, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control announced that it is recommended that all events involving 50 people or more be suspended or postponed.  In an effort to promote health and safety of all people, the Diocese of Rockville Centre announces the following measures:

1.    Beginning Monday, March 16, 2020 at 3:00 PM, all Masses (weekday and weekend), meetings, and non-essential activities in our parishes are suspended or postponed through Tuesday, April 14, 2020.  This will include all Holy Week and Easter Liturgies.  However, these will be televised and available online (see below). 

This includes all Confirmations, First Communions, First Confessions, etc.  When these events are rescheduled, they will be announced by local parishes.  Funerals and weddings may be permitted if necessary, but should be limited to immediate family and remain under 50 people in attendance.
 
2.    The Catholic Faith Network (CFN) will provide televised and online daily Masses, including Holy Week and Easter Liturgies, as well as other devotional and spiritual programs.  (Optimum channel 29/137, Verizon FiOS TV channel 296, and Spectrum channel 162/471.)

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• the Sign of Peace will not be given/exchanged
• the Precious Blood will not be ministered at Mass
• and the Holy Water fonts have been drained and cleaned.

 Because, temporarily, Holy Communion will not be distributed under both species, Eucharistic Ministers will be distributing just the Body of Christ and not the Blood of Christ.
During the week, one Eucharistic Minister will distribute the Body of Christ along with Father Richard and, on weekends, the three scheduled Eucharistic Ministers each will distribute the Body of Christ along with Father Richard/Joe.
These Directives will be lifted once Medical Professionals indicate the High Risk has passed!
 
Father Richard
3/4/20

On February 2 I last told you that Saint Agnes Parish, Greenport, was one of three Parishes that was on the Diocesan List for needing a new Pastor in June 2020. Any Priest interested in applying for Saint Agnes Parish had to do so by February 10. I have not heard anything yet about a new Pastor for Saint Agnes. But, I have been invited to a Meeting with Bishop Henning, who is the Vicar for “Parish Evangelization and Pastoral Planning” for the Diocese, along with Father John Barrett, the Pastor of Saint Patrick’s, Southold. This meeting of the three of us will be on Monday, March 16 at Saint Patrick’s, Southold. Hopefully, after our Meeting on March 16 I should have some information to share with you about a new Pastor for Saint Agnes Parish. Please continue to keep Saint Agnes Parish, present and future, in your prayers.
Saint Agnes, pray for us!
Father Richard
3/4/20