St. John the Baptist

***Please check back regularly.***

November 21, 2020
ST. JOHN'S REOPENING COMMITTEE -
CHRISTMAS MASS INFORMATION

With Advent and Christmas around the corner, the Re-Opening Committee would like to stress the importance, once again, of Pre-Registering for Mass. The maximum allowable capacity of the Church at this time is only 115 people.  Registering for Mass ensures that we do not exceed this capacity.  But it also helps us plan for larger anticipated attendance at Christmas Masses.  While no one likes the idea of registering for Mass, it is necessary to maintain compliance with the Diocesan guidelines.

Registration for Mass can take place either via the internet following the St. John the Baptist website, or by contacting the Parish Office, Monday through Friday.

Registering specifically for Christmas Masses will be available this weekend.  Therefore, please register as soon as you can to ensure a seat at your desired Mass and help us plan for potential additional seating.

Our Re-Opening Committee would also like to thank the many volunteers that selflessly support daily and weekend Masses, as well as funerals and weddings.

Public Mass would not be possible without their help. With the Christmas season approaching, we are in need of additional volunteers to help with Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Masses – that is, the 4:00 PM and 6:00 PM on Christmas Eve, and Midnight, 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM on Christmas Day.  Please consider signing up at the back registration table if you are available to help with one of those Masses.   

In closing please join in praying for Our Blessed Mother’s intercession to end the world wide COVID-19 Pandemic.

Registration for Christmas Mass times opens Saturday, November 21 at 4:00 PM. Sign up times and locations are first come, first served. Please carefully read the sign-up information before registering.

November 18, 2020
THANKSGIVING MASS
Thanksgiving Mass will take place at 9:00 am on Thursday, November 26th. 

September 23, 2020
FOR YOUR SAFETY, CHURCH HOURS HAVE CHANGED DURING RENOVATION
To protect the safety of our parishioners and visitors while our church is undergoing renovation, St. John the Baptist Church will be closed on weekdays and will only open for daily morning Mass at 8:00 am. Weekend Masses will continue as scheduled. Thank you for your understanding and patience during this renovation!

August 28, 2020
FRIDAY MASS TIME UPDATE 
Friday daily Mass time will continue at 8:00 am throughout the school year.

August 25, 2020
ST. JOHN'S PARISH OFFICE HOURS ARE CHANGING BEGINNING 8/31/2020
Monday:   8:30 am -3:00 pm
Tuesday:   8:30 am - 3:00 pm
Wednesday:   12:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Thursday:   8:30 am - 3:00 pm
Friday:   8:30 am - 12:00 pm

July 27, 2020
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! 
St. John the Baptist is in great need of volunteers to help before and after masses! We are looking for healthy individuals under the age of 65 who are not considered "at risk" to support:

• Sanitizing the church before and after liturgical service
• Receiving parishioners, welcoming, and explaining new guidelines as they enter the church
• Helping to direct people to maintain social distancing and the safety our fellow parishioners.

If you are interested in helping be part of the Response Team please send your contact info (name, email, cell phone) to: reopenstjohns@gmail.com or call the parish office at (815) 385- 1477. Any help you can give would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
June 4, 2020 - Important Update to Mass Sign Up 
Dear Parishioners of St. John the Baptist:
As stated in previous correspondence, the St. John’s Reopening Committee wants to keep you as updated as possible to the continuously changing circumstances surrounding the reopening of St. John’s for public Mass.  Our bishop, the Most Reverend David J. Malloy, has granted permission for public Masses to resume with limited participation. This weekend, June 6 ^th and June 7 ^th, Sunday Masses will resume at regularly scheduled times. Please take the time to read through the following participation guidelines as some things have changed. 

1. Any parishioner wishing to participate in Mass must sign up for a Mass time on a weekly basis, until further notice.  Each Mass time can be attended by a maximum of 150 parishioners, in addition to the ministers of the liturgy. We will be using an online program called Sign Up Genius to register for mass times, on this webpage.  If you are unable to use Sign Up Genius, please make your reservation by calling the parish office at (815) 385-1477 ext. 200.  Registration will begin on Thursday, June 4^th at 8:30 am. When registering online or through the parish office, please provide your phone number as well as the number of household members attending Mass.  We ask that you limit registrations to registered members of St. John the Baptist parish.
2. All Catholics in the diocese are still dispensed from the obligation to attend Mass on Sundays and holy days until further notice.  If you are feeling sick or have been exposed to someone who has the coronavirus, please DO NOT ATTEND MASS.  
3. The rules of social distancing—e.g., staying six feet apart, wearing face masks, using hand sanitizer, receiving Holy Communion in the hand, not blessing ourselves with holy water, etc.—will apply as Mass resumes.
4. Volunteers will sanitize the pews and other parts of the church that people are likely to touch.  We need volunteers for this important duty, and we ask that you call the parish office to offer your help.
5. While watching Mass on TV or online can never replace physical attendance, doing so is an act of charity toward your brothers and sisters in Christ.  We are all encouraged to make an act of spiritual communion each time we tune in to Mass in the media.

Please check back to the St. John’s parish website daily for any updates or changes, or, if you have not yet done so, download the free MyParish App on your smartphone for immediate updates. Be sure to search for “St. John the Baptist” in the “Find My Parish” search bar.
As always, we thank you for your patience and understanding in this process. 
May our resurrected Lord bless us and keep us healthy and safe!
 

Weekday Masses
Monday thru Fridays : 8:00 a.m.

Weekend Masses 
Saturdays: 4:00 p.m. 
Sundays: 7:00 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m.

Holy Days of Obligation
Eve of Holy Day: 7:00 p.m. 
Holy Day Masses: 9:00 a.m. & 7:00 p.m. 

Sacrament of Reconciliation
Saturdays ONLY: 3:00-3:45 p.m. 
          and by appointment 

Adoration offered the first Friday of the month 
8:00 am Mass, Adoration following until 3:00 pm. Then Divine Mercy Chaplet and Benediction. >> UPDATE: First Friday Adoration, Benediction & Divine Mercy Chaplet temporarily postponed during church renovation

*Adoration is also offered the first Thursday of the month, from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm in the evening for men attending Holy League. See Holy League for Men Ministry tab for more details.