Please send this out to the parish:                                            April 28, 2020

Governor Abbott has relaxed the protocols for the Coronavirus and has cancelled the Executive Order that ends April 30, 2020. This means certain small business and even Churches may open for business or worship. However, they must all continue to maintain social distancing that has been in place.  This would allow us to open Churches with an occupancy limit of 25% of the occupancy of the building. However, due to the great increase of the number of confirmed COVID-19 active cases over last weekend, the governor's opening up of small businesses and Churches  will not pertain to us! The governor did say that the number of new active cases will not be the only criteria used to determine if a particular jurisdiction can open up. Another very important criterion will be the increase of active cases that will be admitted to a given hospital. As of today, 2/3 of the critical beds in the hospitals are occupied. Therefore, Bishop Zurek's Protocols of March 17, 2020 are  extended for the time being. Therefore, it is only prudent that we do not have services in our Churches. Each parish will abide by the same protocols. We are one Church; so we celebrate together and we fast together. The concern of the Bishop is above all for our safety and good health. Please abide by the pleas of civil officials to continue to be  Sheltered-in-Place and when you need to buy things such as groceries, maintain  Social Distancing!