Eucharistic Ministers are no longer required to wear masks when distributing Communion. The priest celebrant will continue to wear a mask during Communion.

Lent is perhaps our greatest annual opportunity to make a concerted effort to turn back to the Lord. Whether we are walking closely with him or have strayed far away, all of us are invited to turn again from our sins and earthly attachments and seek him ever more fervently.

Deacon Don Tienter will preach all Masses this weekend to share the work of our society, and there will be a second collection at each. Please be generous so we can continue our help to the poor in 2022.

Sunday at the 11:00 AM Mass we celebrate the Rites of Acceptance and Welcoming for our RCIA Catechumens and Candidates, an essential step along the way towards full initiation into our Catholic Church.

Last week we sent home a letter to each of our registered parishioner households explaining our new Sunday Mass schedule. If you haven't received one yet, please let us know!

In order to accommodate increasing congregational sizes, we are adding an additional weekly Sunday morning Mass at 7:30am, and moving our current weekly 8:15am Sunday Mass to 9am.

We are excited to announce that our three-day Nativity County Fair event is coming back in 2021, including outdoor Mass and open fair time on Sunday, 9/19.

Tuesday and Friday 5pm Masses to return, with Confessions beforehand; Distancing requirements removed; Adoration to move to chapel, expand overnight Tuesday into Wednesday afternoon, pending commitments

As the pandemic subsides and restrictions have been lifted, the Minnesota bishops have reinstated the obligation to attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation beginning the weekend of July 3-4, 2021.

We welcome the newly ordained Fr. William Duffert as our new parochial vicar, as we say goodbye to Fr. Nick Hagen, who will take over at St. Raphael's in Crystal.

Fr. Patrick details the transition to full capacity in the church and previews a Mass schedule change. He also welcomes our new Faith Formation Director, and congratulates the soon-to-be Fr. David Hottinger and 1st Communicants.

Plus: The offertory collection returns to Mass, and an invitation to give to the CSAF.

Fr. Patrick introduces the 2021 Catholic Services Appeal and offers congratulations to our 2nd graders.

Ready or not: it's coming! Sign up for daily prayer prompts and Gospel reflections and make this one the Best Lent Ever.

To help us maintain appropriate safety measures, we will require reservations for Christmas Mass attendance. Reservations will open on Monday, December 7 at 9:00 AM — first come, first served.

I invite you to take some time this to pray and reflect and ask Jesus, through the intercession of his mother, what he wishes to tell you, in preparation for Stewardship Sunday.

The 5pm Mass will re-open to the public and Communion returns to its normal time during Mass (on a trial basis), both beginning Saturday, September 26. Plus, the Nativity Choir plans a return.

I am pleased to announce that we will return to limited public Mass here at Nativity of Our Lord beginning on Wednesday, June 3. Sign-ups open Monday at 9am.

The priests and parish leadership of Nativity of Our Lord are currently in ongoing discussions on when and how to re-open our liturgies to public assembly as soon as is possible in a safe and healthy way.