Current State of COVID-19 News:

Monday, June 1, 2020 Update: Please see the letter from Bishop O'Connell regarding the restarting of public Masses (click here). A fully detailed plan will be presented here by Wednesday, June 3.

In short, we will indeed restart Daily Masses beginning Monday, June 8. A temporary schedule of 3 Masses a day between the two linked parishes of Precious Blood and St. Dorothea will be made available Monday through Friday.

• 7:30 AM at Precious Blood
• 12:15 PM and 7:00 PM at St. Dorothea

However, we will wait a few weeks longer than allowed by the bishop to restart Sunday/Weekend Masses. These Masses will have issues with crowds and keeping social distancing that have to be worked out. Again, a fuller explanation will be provided by Wednesday, but a careful reading of the bishop's letter should make many of those concerns very apparent, such as dealing with a church that is at 30% capacity.

Meanwhile, our society is in turmoil over this pandemic and outrage at injustice toward people of color. It is all the more important that we all pray for and work for peace and justice and the health and well-being of all people.

To help those with financial needs, food donations may be made to the St. Dorothea Food Pantry by bringing donations to the lobbies of St. Dorothea Church. Donations to St. Vincent de Paul can be made directly to the 'Poor Box' in St. Dorothea.

April 1, 2020: As we enter a period in which the COVID-19 infection is peaking in New Jersey, our governor, bishop, and health officials have asked us to avoid all contact as much as possible unless it is essential for life and safety. Therefore...

Please pray for peace and healing. Especially for those who have lost loved ones to this virus, for those who are ill, and for the healthcare workers and those who are providing essential services.

Under the direction of the bishop, all churches had been closed and locked. Starting on May 13, churches were reopened for private prayer. All Masses and services (except for the few exceptions listed below) are suspended at least until the end of April (and probably later). All are encouraged to watch live streaming liturgies or live telecasts of liturgies. Please see links on this page to the live-casts.

Palms will not be distributed. We will attempt to have blessed palms available once we are back to being able to have Masses.

Holy Communion will not be distributed to the sick and homebound. In cases of danger of death, a priest will still anoint the dying with the Sacrament of the Sick.

Confessions are suspended indefinitely until the ‘stay-at-home’ directive is lifted. Confessions, by Church Law, may not take place remotely (by phone, mail, email, live conferencing). As soon as one is sorry for their sins and expresses that to God, they should have the Blessed Assurance they are forgiven through the bounty of God’s mercy and have received sanctifying grace. To sacramentally celebrate that mercy, pray an Act of Contrition with the intent of getting to Confession once it becomes available again.

Baptisms are indefinitely postponed. In danger of death, a priest can baptize a child, or, in fact, any person can perform an emergency baptism by pouring water of the head of the unbaptized and saying: I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. The local parish must be informed if an emergency baptism has taken place. A baptismal blessing ceremony may take place afterwards, once we are back to having Masses.

First Communion and Confirmation are indefinitely postponed, and will be rescheduled once we are able to again have regular Masses. Religious Education is canceled. The Rel. Ed. office is providing resources for home schooling.

Weddings may take place with just a few immediate family members present. Otherwise, they can be rescheduled.

Funeral rites may only be the graveside committal service with just a few immediate family members present. A Memorial Mass may be scheduled at a later date once regular Masses resume in which a larger number of people may be in attendance. If one’s dearly departed is cremated, the ashes may be brought into the church for a Funeral Mass once regular Masses resume.

The office is closed to all walk-in business. Urgent business can be arranged by calling the parish office and leaving a message or emailing: office@churchofthepreciousblood.org

If you are able to still support our parish and our diocese, your donations are gratefully welcome. Envelopes can be placed in the mail slot of the parish office entrance. For online giving, please see the links on this page. If choosing online giving, please opt for monthly giving to avoid the weekly fees.

Link to Our Diocese

Church is open for private prayer daily from 7 AM to 8 PM starting Wednesday, May 13.

Restrooms not available. Scheduled liturgies are still on indefinite suspension. Use the hand sanitizer at the doors on the way in and out. Do not arrange group prayers. Individuals or family groups should maintain a 10 foot distance from one another.

Live-Streamed and Telecast Liturgies:

Live-streaming of Masses in our Diocese

For the Papal Masses with an English translation voice-over, click here.

Office Closed

The parish office, like the church, is closed to walk-in business. Please call and leave a message or email us for urgent business. Please use the mail slot on the office door to drop off envelopes.

phone: (732) 222-4756

email: office@churchofthepreciousblood.org

All Liturgies are either Canceled or indefinitely postponed.

New Mass Schedule 2020

Reconciliation

• After the Tuesday & Thursday weekday Masses
• After the Saturday night vigil Mass

Sunday Masses

Saturday vigil: 5:30 PM

Sundays: 8:00; 9:30; & 11:00 AM

Weekday Masses

Monday - Friday: 7:30 AM

Catholic Charities

Know someone needing assistance with food, housing, drug addiction, mental health, domestic violence or immigration? Contact Catholic Charities, Diocese of Trenton
http://www.catholiccharitiestrenton.org