Sunday Mass Resumes May 31st
Beginning this Sunday, May 31st, Sacred Heart will resume the celebration of Sunday Mass on a modified schedule. Masses will be celebrated at the following times:
– 7:30 am
– 9:30 am (and via livestream here)
– 11:30 am
– 5:30 pm
*The dispensation from the obligation to attend Sunday Mass also remains in effect.
Why the change in Mass times? The modified schedule is to allow ample time for the cleaning and sanitizing of the church after each Mass. The church will be open 15 minutes prior to each Mass and we ask that parishioners do not linger after Mass has ended to give us time to prepare for the next celebration.
Seating may be limited due to the configuration of our church pews and aisles. We are asking everyone to follow the ushers’ instructions, filling in the church from the front, and making room for as many as we safely can.
Please be advised that we are asking all parishioners to follow the below safety guidelines if you plan to come in person:
– Use the Florida Avenue main doors for entering and exiting the church, unless special assistance is needed via the Twiggs Street ramp.
– Sanitize your hands upon entering (and leaving) the church.
– Wear a protective mask/covering while inside the church building, except during the reception of communion.
– Follow the ushers’ directions regarding seating.
– Respect the 6-ft social distancing space between you and those not in your immediate household.
Please note that the communion routes will be significantly different, so be attentive to the announcements and instructions from our ushers. Also the bathrooms will not be available at any time during or outside of Mass and childcare will not be provided.
Visit our Latest News & Updates page for more information.
During this pandemic, we can’t forget about those less fortunate than ourselves. Hopefully, you have read in the bulletin and in our parish emails about the different ministries here at Sacred Heart working with Catholic Charities to help feed the homeless in our community. Our ministries have been preparing breakfast bags and dropping them off every Sunday morning for those living in the Hillsborough Hope tent city. And all the food that we are using to prepare the breakfast bags has been provided by the generosity of you – our parishioners. We asked for your help, and the day before Palm Sunday, we had a collection drive and collected more than 5,700 fruit cups, cookies, breakfast bars, crackers, and snacks, along with 755 juice boxes.
The weekly bulletin and this column are a good thing. I enjoy writing; I enjoy the process of thinking about what I want to write, starting to write, and then sometimes watching the column take on a new direction of thought. Now and again by inspiration or necessity, I might write a whole month of columns or more at a go. Late in the month of February, I had produced pastor columns for the first weekend in March (First Sunday in Lent) all the way through and including Easter Sunday. Check that off the “to-do list.” Then life changed as the world declared a pandemic, the churches closed, and the world found out it was a lot safer to be at home. Some columns did not need to be redone: Unmasking (March 15) and the two columns on “Habits of the Heart” (March 22 and 29). When I made the decision to stay with them and not rewrite them in the light of these pandemic days, I thought that they were still appropriate to the moment at hand. In looking at the columns again this morning, it was a good decision. 
Our Rosary Devotional Group is a group of parishioners who enjoy opening themselves up to God by praying the Rosary. Each month, they meditate on one of the mysteries – Joyful, Sorrowful, Luminous, or Glorious, and members have the opportunity to make prayer requests on behalf of those in need. Last Saturday was their usual meeting date and they did not allow the Safer At Home rules to keep them from meeting. They all met on Zoom and those who didn’t have a computer, called in.
Our Knights of Columbus participate in many projects within our community and within our parish. Their latest project was to assist in collecting food for Hillsborough Hope. Last week, we shared with our parishioners how we are working with Catholic Charities to help feed those residing at 
In preparation to celebrate Palm Sunday, you are invited to stop by Sacred Heart and pick up blessed palms, the day before Palm Sunday, Saturday, April 4th. Also, during this pandemic, we can’t forget about those less fortunate than ourselves. We are working with Catholic Charities to help feed the homeless in our community (read below for more details) and hope you can help us.