Reopening Plan for St. Mary of Vernon
As you may have heard we have received permission to reopen our parish in phases as soon as we can provide the required safety precautions. You can read Cardinal Cupich’s letter and the Archdiocesan Reopening Plan at:  https://www.archchicago.org/coronavirus/reopening
Before we can open our church, we will need volunteers to work in these groups.

Set-up team: Volunteers will ensure that: all supplies needed for each sacramental celebration/gathering are ready for use, entrances and exits are marked and propped physically open prior to attendees’ arrival/departure, windows are open, restrooms are stocked and managed, etc. They will ensure hand sanitizer is available. 

Greeting team: Greeters will assist in managing the flow of congregants as they enter the church, participate in the liturgy/sacrament, and exit the church.  Team members will combine some of the functions of an usher, such as directing participants to appropriate seating/waiting area, but will include additional responsibilities, including , but not limited to, making sure attendees use hand sanitizer upon entering, are wearing a mask, and are reminded not to enter if ill.  Given the circumstances, greeters will need to be tactful and firm paying careful attention to all people on-site.

Cleaning team: These volunteers will help maintain and clean essential and trafficked areas of the church before and after the church as been used.  Masks, gloves and face shields will be provided, in addition to approved cleaning/disinfecting supplies.  Guidance on proper cleaning procedures will be provided via an online webinar.  

Requirements: For the health and safety of our volunteers, is important that volunteers not be a part of the “vulnerable population.” (i.e., volunteers should not be older than 65 or have underlying medical conditions such as diabetes; lung disease; undergoing cancer treatment, etc.).  For this reason, young adults are especially needed.  If individuals in the vulnerable population choose to volunteer understanding the inherent risks, they may do so at their own discretion, depending on the needs of the individual teams as identified by the team captains.

For the Greeting team, those from 18 years or older to 65 are welcome. High School students who wish to volunteer may do so for set-up teams or cleaning teams, provided they have permission from their parent or guardian.

If you are interested in volunteering, please fill out the Church Reopening Volunteer Form below and email it to smv@maryofvernon.org . Once that is returned you will be contacted by the appropriate Team Leader.