Operation Return to Jerusalem

Operation Return to Jerusalem: Preparing to Gather Together Again

“How lovely your dwelling, O Lord of hosts!” declares the psalmist (ps.84). The temple was in Jerusalem, the Holy City. The temple was the dwelling place of God. Pilgrims would flock to Jerusalem to pray in the temple. Today, the wall of the ancient temple remains and is a holy site. In this time of COVID-19, we yearn for our temple, our Jerusalem, here on earth so as to help us get one day to the eternal Jerusalem in heaven. We long for our church, for the dwelling place where God is made known to us in the Word and in the Eucharist. 

At St. Thomas More, we are planning for the time when we can return to the public celebration of Mass. When we will return will be decided by the Bishop of Raleigh, relying on information and directives from public officials. We have assembled a taskforce to help plan for the many aspects of this undertaking. We have named this undertaking “Operation Return to Jerusalem. The taskforce consists of experts in the fields of risk management, logistics, public safety and public health. Click here for information on taskforce members. 

The taskforce will be looking at every aspect of what it will take to celebrate Mass with our parishioners again. While we do not yet know the number of people that will be initially allowed in church and then what that number will grow to over time, we will plan for various scenarios. We have already begun to figure out things such as spacing of individuals, couples and families in the church. We have thought about what will be required of all who come to Mass so that we can be protected. Things will look and feel different. 

We want to be ready to begin Mass again with our people the moment we can so we are planning now. St. Thomas More is already a pacesetter when it comes to safety and security. We have helped other parishes think and plan about what is necessary to protect their parishioners and respond to emergency situations when they arise. No doubt we will be a pacesetter with this undertaking as well. We have great resources in our parishioners to be able to plan for when we are together again, for our return to Jerusalem.