St. Joseph's Church, Highland Creek
200 Morrish Road M1C1E8 Toronto, ON, Canada

From the beginning of Advent (Nov. 29, 2020) to the end of the Christmas season (Jan. 10, 2021), the New Weekend Mass Schedule will be as follows: Saturdays - 5:00 pm Sundays - 8:00 am 9:30 am... 11:00 am 7:00 pm When you come into the church, please wear a mask, observe our social-distancing protocols and cooperate with our ushers. God bless you!

To: All Parishes & Clergy From: Cardinal Thomas Collins Date: July 3, 2020 Re: Mandatory Masks New By-laws impacting places of worship... In recent days, you may have seen numerous media reports regarding municipalities considering new by-laws requiring the mandatory use of masks in indoor spaces (including places of worship). City of Toronto by-law passed June 30 masks in indoor spaces (including places of worship) become mandatory as of July 7, 2020. Peel Region by-laws proposed in Brampton, Mississauga and Caledon expected to take effect as early as July 9, 2020 (including places of worship). York Region report on mandating masks will be presented to council on July 9, 2020. Simcoe Region mandatory masks being considered but no formal process has been initiated. Durham Region mandatory masks being considered but no formal process has been initiated. If a by-law has been passed in your area, enclosed is a sample announcement that can be shared from the pulpit and through various communication channels with parishioners. Other important points: Priests do not need to wear masks in the sanctuary while celebrating Mass but should ensure they are wearing a mask when distributing Holy Communion and any other setting where they are in close proximity (less than 2m/6 ft) to parishioners. Lectors should remove masks to proclaim the Word of God. Parishes are not required to distribute masks some parishes have ordered a small quantity to make available however, there is no obligation to do so. Exceptions to the by-law include people who cannot wear a mask for medical reasons (trouble breathing or unable to remove a mask without assistance) and children under two years old. Proof of a medical condition is not required. In addition to the announcement provided, we encourage Ministers of Hospitality to kindly and thoughtfully communicate this new requirement to those who may not be aware upon arrival, perhaps welcoming the faithful just outside the doors of the church. While it is impossible to force someone to wear a mask, this measure is being undertaken to care for our neighbour and to minimize the spread of Covid-19. Masks are not mandated in church offices at this time although their use is recommended for those who will be in close proximity to others in a work setting. Thank you for your continued co-operation as we work to foster a safe environment for all.

TO: All Clergy, All Parishes, All Chancery, Satellite Offices, Building Tenants FROM: Mark Brosens, Communications Manager, Office of PR & Communications DATE: June 15, 2020... RE: How to Return to Mass Video The Office of Public Relations & Communications has produced a video that explains the temporary changes to the Mass that are being implemented in response to COVID-19. It is hoped this video will inform parishioners of our WorshipSafe protocols before they leave for church, thus reducing the number of questions directed to the parishes and improving the flow of worship when Mass resumes. You can watch the video here: https://bit.ly/ReturnToMass. The video will also be added to the Archdiocese of Toronto’s COVID-19 response Dropbox. Please share the video widely via social media, email and word of mouth. We hope yesterday’s period of private prayer went well in your parish. We will continue to share coronavirus-related information in the weeks to come, including lessons and best practices coming out of our first weekend of publicly celebrated Mass under these new protocols. Thank you again for your hard work; it is greatly appreciated!

In order to maintain social-distancing, the parish office will now begin to admit visitors but by appointment only. So please, if you need to make an appointment to come see us, email us at [email protected] or call us at 416.282-0370. Kindly state the reason of your visit so we can properly be prepared to address your needs. We will get back to you within 24 hours of receiving your email or voicemail. Thank you and may God be with you during these trying times.

Regarding Stage 2 re-opening in Ontario: "All places of worship in Ontario will also be permitted to open with physical distancing in place and attendance limited to no more than 30 per cent of the building's capacity." Source: https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/these-are-the-businesses-allowed... Please come back to this Page for detailed updates regarding our parish. Thank you!