Gate of Heaven & Our Lady of Victory

Click Here for Parish Information for the
Green Phase and Making Mass Reservations

Returning to Weekend Masses….one step at a time…

As we work to re-open our churches safely, I am pleased to announce that we will begin celebrating  PUBLIC MASSES on SATURDAYS, starting next weekend, JUNE 27^th.

Saturday Masses:

4 pm at Our Lady of Victory

5 pm at Gate of Heaven

Even if we are in the Green Phase, we must still follow all the guidelines set forth by our Bishop for social distancing, so the attendance at these Masses will be limited.  

Reservations are a must for Saturday evening Masses.  To make a reservation please call Gate of Heaven or Our Lady of Victory parish office (GOH: 570-675-2121, ext 105 / OLV: 570-639-1535). 

You can all make a reservation on line (www.goholv.org) Click on the reservation link.

Reservations must be placed by Thursday at 3 pm to give us time to compile a list and sent out the confirmations.    We will be able to take approximately 30 at OLV and approximately 50  at GOH.  Once you make a reservation, you will receive a confirmation.  You must bring the confirmation with you to Mass.  If you want to attend Mass on Saturday you must call each week beginning on Monday for the following Saturday.

Please be patient and kind and remember that we would like to be able to give as many parishioners as possible the chance to attend Mass.  Please understand that we have to evaluate everything we are doing and work with changing guidelines.  My assumption is that Saturday Masses will continue. 

Father Daniel Toomey
Pastor

Distribution of Communion for all parishioners who are live-streaming Sunday Mass

There will be an opportunity to receive Holy Communion in the Our Lady of Victory parking lot and the Gate of Heaven parking lot  at 11:30 am every Sunday.

We will still be live-streaming Masses on Sundays at 8am from OLV and 10am from GOH.  You are welcome to receive Holy Communion after watching the live stream.  Sunday at 11:30am we will be distributing Holy Communion in both of the church parking lots. Please be aware of instructions and guidance by staff.

Important for Gate of Heaven:  Please go to the parking area near Spring Street, and receive instructions.

Important for Our Lady of Victory:  Please go to the far parking lot along Lakeside Road, and receive instructions.

Upon directions from the staff, you will leave your car and proceed to the place where communion is distributed.   Please wear a mask and social distance from people in other cars.

As we continue to move forward, we are planning to have communion in the parking lots every Sunday.  We will evaluate the effectiveness of this process weekly to determine if we will continue.

Father Daniel Toomey
Pastor

Outdoor Confessions Every Saturday from 2 – 3:30

During the month of June (even month), confessions will be at Our Lady of Victory. Confessions will be at GOH for the month of July (odd month).

We will continue the outside procedures until further notice.

Public Mass update from the Pastor….

Earlier, we sent out a very detailed letter inviting all back to public Masses during the Yellow phase. We have sent this out to all our parishioners and have posted it on the website and on Flocknote. Based on conversations with several parishioners I am aware some people have simply skimmed the letter and think they can just show up for Mass. Please note the Mass schedule is different. And please note that we have protocols and guidelines that we must follow to ensure that we provide a safe and healthy environment. Please read the entire letter. This letter can be found on our web titled – ‘Parish Information for the Yellow Phase and Making Mass Reservations’

We have begun offering public Masses on the weekdays in the morning and evening. We continue to provide a live-stream from each church for Sunday Mass. The Bishop continues to provide a dispensation from weekly attendance at Mass, so please know if you do not feel comfortable coming back to Mass you can stay at home and pray with us on the Internet.

After we establish our protocols by having weekday Masses, we will then start having Saturday evening Masses while we continue to live-stream for Sunday Masses. I will keep you informed of our planning. Please be patient, there are many requirements that must be followed – we want you to be comfortable coming to Mass knowing that we are providing you a safe and healthy environment.

Father Daniel Toomey
Pastor

A Note from the Pastor regarding the Parish Prayer Hour

At our Parish Prayer Hour, we pray for our parishioners and all that we do as a parish.  The Parish is always in need of prayer, but now even more.   We are in the Yellow phase, and we must now restart Masses and other programs, according to standards and ways of proceeding that we could never have imagined before –  we want ensure the safety and well-being of all.

Prayer allows us to open ourselves up to God’s action in our lives.   Prayer is a time when we humbly approach our Lord and submit our lives, intentions and plan for his guidance, insights, strength and providence.

You can view the Parish Prayer Hour at: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=266027494461107

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD
PARISH PRAYER PACKETS

(CNS photo/Vatican Media)

Join with Bishop Bambera and Catholics around the world as we pray the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary in Response to COVID-19 during this live broadcast on Catholic Television.

Watch the live broadcast at: https://www.dioceseofscranton.org/media/ctv-catholic-television/rosary-in-response-to-covid-19/

As Pastor, my concern is for the safety of all my parishioners and my staff.  I believe we have to be safe and sensible during this time of concern.  The Gate of Heaven and Our Lady of Victory offices will be closed to walk-in traffic beginning on Monday March 16 until further notice.  The office staff will be able to monitor the phones and manage all your needs and parish business accordingly. 

Gate of Heaven Church will be open for regular hours as usual.  Please monitor the website for details.

Please sign-up for Flocknote, our on-line parish community, so that you can receive messages from us.   Go to GOHOLV.Flocknote.com and sign up.   You will then be on the sign-in page and you may enter your ‘email’ and ‘cell phone number’ then click ‘next’ and select the groups from whom you would like updates. You may also elect to receive the bulletin electronically from the group titled ‘weekly bulletin’.

Please consider the profound spiritual benefits at this time through our access to the Formed.org website, which is essentially ‘Netflix for Catholics’.   The passcode for access is: VAMGCT

If you are attending Mass please be sure to provide a safe distance of 6 feet between yourself and other parishioners (family members excluded).   Please do not come to Mass if you are sick.  If you have allergies and appear to be sick, this yields the same concern – please stay home for the emotional sake of others.