GUIDELINES from Chris Kraft, Director of the Office of Catechesis and Youth
As we begin the month of August during which all of our Catholic schools are planning to re-open, and knowing that our Parish Faith Formation programs usually begin a few weeks after that, I am sending some general directives which I ask you to observe for all of your teachers and children and parents involved with your Parish Faith Formation.
Please note that these are general directives which you may need to adjust depending on your parish facilities, numbers of children and teachers and the day or days each week when you have Faith Formation. However, you are not free to disregard any of these general directives.
General Directives: The current directives for social distancing must be maintained for all classes and meetings for Faith Formation.
Ample amounts of hand sanitizer in each room or area for the use of teachers, children and parents. The rooms and furniture used are to be sanitized completely after each class or meeting.
If needed, have extra sessions on the day or days for classes or meetings. If this is not possible then consider shortening the class or meeting period to accommodate all.
Parents must monitor their child’s health and NOT send the child to class if sick or someone at home is sick. In this case each Parish must be prepared to send books or class lessons home to be completed and returned.
Confirmation Preparation: Observe all of the above. Additionally, no overnight or off-site retreats or day of recollection. A day of recollection using the Parish Church is fine and Confessions can be heard but observing the directive for Confessions.
For the Confirmation itself, the Pastor must decide if his Parish Church is large enough to have it at a regularly scheduled Mass or have another Mass on that day with the current directives for social distancing, families and guests being observed. If you need to reschedule for a later Mass, please contact my Executive Assistant, Brianna Connelly, at 701-204-7219 or bconnelly@bismarckdiocese.com, as soon as you are able.
There will be no group pictures taken before or after Mass, but pictures may be taken by a photographer or family member during the actual Confirmation Rite. Provided there is adequate space for social distancing, I will take questions as normal from the students. No reception should be held after the Confirmation unless the small number of persons present makes it possible to maintain social distancing. Again, this is the Pastor’s decision to make.
In addition, Chris Kraft, Director of Catechesis and Youth, will be reaching out with additional information to assist you in the implementation of these directives.
Please make sure a copy of this letter is shared with the necessary people in your offices.
Fraternally yours in Christ,
+David D. Kagan