At a June 29 meeting of Pastoral Council, Admin Council, Liturgy Committee, Staff, and Selected Leaders, it was decided that COVID Protocols at St. Charles will be eased as of June 30. This is in response to Governor Brown's lifting of statewide restriction on June 30. We seek to respect the comfort level of each person who comes to St. Charles. Specifically, when you come to St. Charles for worship or any other purpose:

1. Masks are optional according to your comfort level.
2. Physical distancing is optional according your comfort level and that of others.
3. Sanitizing hands is optional. (Pews and other surfaces will no longer be sanitized after each worship service.)
4. Holding hands during the Lord's Prayer is discouraged, for now.
5. At the Exchange of Peace, do only what is comfortable for you and for the other person. Give a clear gesture that indicates the level of contact you wish.
6. Communion will be in the form of Bread only, for now. Respect others' distance in the Communion line.
7. Sunday Hospitality will resume, in a simplified format, in the entryway beginning July 11.
8. The option to worship via Zoom will continue indefinitely. The Zoom link for Sunday worship is https://zoom.us/j/98155735623 or dial in by phone 253-215-8782, Meeting ID: 981 5573 5623. 

Thank you for journeying with us through the pandemic. We have kept each other safe throughout, and we pledge to continue to do so. Your comments, questions, and suggestions are welcome. Contact Leif Kehrwald at lkehrwald@stcharlespdx.org or 503-351-9889.

On Sunday, April 18, Oscar Leong, President of De La Salle North Catholic High School gave a presentation at Mass updating our community on the progress of construction, renovation, and moving in. Renovation of the old school building should be complete in July, and the new building (kitchen, commons, gym) should be completed by the end of September. School will start the usual time in the Fall. De La Salle has about 270 students, with plans to grow to 360.

​Watch the video of Oscar's presentation here.

We have resumed Sunday Mass and Lenten worship in the church. All COVID precautions are being  followed carefully: hand sanitizing, mask wearing, physical distancing, and various worship protocols (see details below). You do not need to sign up in advance, but please arrive a few minutes early in order to hand sanitize and to be ushered to your seat.
 
Mass on Sunday is at 10:00 am and Lenten Evening Prayer occurs on Wednesdays at 7:00 pm during Lent, with the Parish Reconciliation Service on March 10, 7:00 pm. The Zoom connection is https://zoom.us/j/98155735623 or dial in by phone 253-215-8782, Meeting ID: 981 5573 5623. We look forward to seeing you.
 
Caution! Those who are vulnerable, at-risk, or otherwise concerned are encouraged to stay home and attend Mass via Zoom Liturgy of the Word. Those who are sick, feverish, coughing or with other symptoms, must stay home and are not allowed in the church.
 
What to expect when you come. The campus is undergoing major transformation to make room for De La Salle North Catholic High School. When you come for Mass, please enter from 42nd Avenue. At the church door, drop off any persons who have trouble walking. Limited parking is available on campus near the church entrance and along the Killingsworth driveway. You are allowed to park in the PCC lot at the corner of 42nd and Killingsworth. You might also find parking on Emerson Street and 42nd Ave.

​Entrance to the church will be available only through the northwest doorway. Please wear a mask (required for all those five years old and up). Use hand sanitizer upon entry. Someone will greet you and check you in. You will be escorted to your seat.
 
During Mass. While in Church and during Mass these restrictions apply:

·       masks worn at all times, except to receive Communion
·       no holy water in fonts
·       no hymnals or bulletins
·       no cry room
·       singing allowed with masks on
·       no holding hands during the Lord’s Prayer
·       exchange of peace at a distance
·       collection via basket available in back
·       no Communion cup
·       pews and all touch points will be sanitized after each Mass

To receive Communion, you will approach the front of the altar using either side aisle (not the middle) and return to your seat using the far side aisle. Please maintain six feet of distance from others.

When Mass concludes, please exit through the door you entered or through either of the Emerson Street doors. Due to construction, the gym doors are not accessible. We ask you not to congregate in the church after Mass.
 
We welcome your questions and comments. Call the Parish Office at 503-281-6461, or contact Leif at lkehrwald@stcharlespdx.org.

This year, Ash Wednesday (Feb 17) will be unlike any other we have ever celebrated. 

• Will there be a Zoom worship service? YES 7:00 pm. Zoom connection info here.
• Will there be Mass in the church? Maybe. Don't know yet. If so, it will be 7:00 pm. 

The application of ashes is an important part of this first day of Lent. We want to make blessed ashes available to you in advance of Ash Wednesday. On Sunday, January 31, we will bless ashes during our Sunday Zoom Worship Service. Then, beginning Feb 1, we will have small containers/baggies of ash available for pick up or delivery. This way you will have ashes in hand and will be able to apply them to your own forehead during our Ash Wednesday Zoom Service. (If we have Ash Wednesday Mass in the church, ashes will be sprinkled on the head--no touching.)

If you would like to receive blessed ashes prior to Feb 17, please complete this form. We'll be in touch.

Our plan is to resume Mass beginning with the first weekend in October. We are allowed up to 50 people for Mass. The first three Sundays in October will be primarily reserved for families receiving sacraments:
October 4 – Baptism
October 11 – First Communion
October 18 – First Communion

There may be room for a few non-family members to attend these Masses. You will need to call to make your reservation to come to Mass. We are working through the details of the reservation system and will have it all set up very soon. We will continue to offer the Zoom Liturgy of the Word.

So the weekend schedule will be:
Saturday 5:00 pm – Zoom Liturgy of the Word (with simultaneous Spanish translation)
Sunday 10:00 am – Mass in the Church

Questions? Contact Leif Kehrwald at lkehrwald@stcharlespdx.org or 503-351-9889.

I want to personally thank you for your extraordinary financial generosity to the parish, and specifically your support for "maintenance and repairs" through the use of "Blue Envelopes."

I want to share our good news/bad news situation, and ask for your help.

The good news is we concluded the 2019-20 fiscal year on June 30 with a surplus of nearly $15,000 in restricted funds, most of which is for "maintenance and repairs." This is a result of two things: we had fewer maintenance and repairs issues than anticipated, and you, along with other parishioners, have been more generous than anticipated. Thank God! And thank you!

The bad news is, well, not exactly bad, just different. As we move into this fiscal year, our need for "maintenance and repair" money is greatly reduced because De La Salle North Catholic High School (DLSNC) now has responsibility for the majority of the campus. Essentially, we must continue to maintain the church portion of the property while DLSNC has the remainder.

In light of this, the Administrative Council would like your help.

May we request that you re-direct your giving away from the restricted fund of "maintenance and giving" to either the parish general fund that covers ordinary operating expenses, or to another restricted fund (see list below)?

Over the years, I know you have been encouraged to give to parish restricted funds (blue envelope) in order to help the parish avoid higher assessment from the Archdiocese. That strategy works when it is certain that all restricted funds will be spent in the fiscal year. Not the case for us. Also, I'd like to point out that over the last two years, we have received extraordinary direct support from the Archdiocese in the form of hundreds of hours of advice and consultation from Delia Wilson, Director of Property Management. She served as a full member of our De La Salle negotiation team, was present at every meeting, and available to me by phone, text, and email nearly every single day as we negotiated the deal. It was a very complex process and it would not have happened without Delia. And we certainly could not have afforded to pay directly for her services. Even though we may not agree with everything the Archdiocese does or stands for, I don't mind paying our fair assessment. And so we encourage you to contribute to the parish general fund.

That said, if you would rather 100% of your contribution go to the parish thus avoiding the archdiocesan assessment, please consider giving to any of these restricted funds:

• Relocation Expenses – cover expenses incurred by relocating parish offices, SVDP, and storage in order to make room for De La Salle
• Parishioners in Need - provide assistance to parishioners impacted by COVID-19
• Flowers & Decorating – cover expenses for flowers and decorations in the church throughout the liturgical seasons of the year
• School Scholarship Fund – our parish support for parishioner students attending De La Salle or a nearby Catholic Grade School

We are re-designing the “blue envelopes,” and we have updated the online giving portal to reflect these fund options.

Thank you again for your generosity. I am more than happy to respond to any questions you have. I'd be happy to talk with you by phone or meet with you in person if you wish. You can always reach me by return email or at 503-351-9889.