Full information here

Due to the Governor's mandatory shelter-in-place St. Nicholas will be following the recommended guidelines that follow:
 
This message is for all clergy and parish staff in the archdiocese.
 
Governor Pritzker has just announced a mandatory shelter-in-place order for the State of Illinois.  What this means for our parishes is that effective 5 p.m. Saturday, March 21 through Tuesday, April 7:

• All churches and adoration chapels must be closed and locked until the order is lifted by the governor. Private prayer in any parish building must be discontinued until the order is lifted.
• There can be no live Stations of the Cross or any other gatherings anywhere on parish/school property, nor can any parish personnel be involved in organizing them on any other site.
• All weddings and baptisms must be postponed and can be re-scheduled only once the order is lifted. There are no exceptions to this, regardless of the size of the group. However, in case of an extreme emergency for baptism, please seek the permission of your bishop.
• Funerals and wakes must be postponed until the order is lifted.
• Parish offices must be closed until the governor’s order is lifted. 

 
These circumstances require all of us to pastor and lead our people in new ways. Further liturgical and pastoral guidance will be provided over the course of the next few days. As always, all current guidelines can be found on our dedicated https://www.archchicago.org/coronavirus

The Archdiocese of Chicago Distributed the Following Guidelines and Policies to Clergy and Parish StaffMarch 19, 2020The Chrism Mass will NOT be celebrated publicly, nor will we hold our annual Day of Reflection. Cardinal Cupich and the auxiliary bishops will celebrate the Mass in Holy Name Cathedral, which will be livestreamed for the benefit of the faithful to view in their homes.
Holy oils will not be distributed until the current health crisis has abated.
Palm Sunday and Holy Week Liturgies will not be celebrated publicly in our parishes.

• There are NOT to be any public celebrations, even outside including live Stations of the Cross on Good Friday.
• There are NOT to be any distribution of blessed palms; however, if a priest blesses palms privately, those palms may be reserved for distribution at a later date to be determined by the USCCB and/or Archdiocese of Chicago.
• Easter sacraments for RCIA candidates and catechumens are to be postponed – guidance will be provided later on when they might be celebrated after this crisis subsides.
• The Mass of the Lord’s Supper (without washing of the feet), the Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion, and the Easter Vigil will be celebrated by Cardinal Cupich and the auxiliary bishops in Holy Name Cathedral without a congregation and will be livestreamed. If/when the Mass of the Lord’s Supper is celebrated privately in your parish, it is not to include the ritual of the washing of feet.
• There should be no Communion services currently nor during Holy Week until we are cleared to return for public liturgies.
• Please continue to follow the CDC guidelines by allowing no more than 10 people to gather together at one time inside or outside the church, practicing social distancing, and cleaning and disinfecting of churches after use.

Full statement in English is found here: statement 

Be informed about the Coronavirus (COVID 19):
CDC (The Center for Disease Control)
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
 
Illinois Department of Public Health has daily press briefings
http://dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/diseases-and-conditions/diseases-a-z-list/coronavirus/media-publications/daily-press-briefings
 
City of Evanston
https://www.cityofevanston.org/government/departments/health-human-services/coronavirus-disease
 
Village of Skokie
https://www.skokie.org/civicalerts.aspx?aid=166

Be aware of others in your circle:
Your daily routines matter. Stay home except for essential activities. 
This virus is a serious threat and it’s important to take the advice of our Illinois public officials literally.  Never before have we had such a clear understanding of how every daily interaction directly impacts others.

Check on your neighbors’ and fellow parishioners’ physical and mental well-being. Make a personal connection with phone calls or old-fashion style notes.

Nature, solitude, prayer, reflection…some paint and some write.
These are the advantages of visiting Christ in the Wildernes

Updates from Youth and Young Adult Ministry
The following events and programs are CANCELED

• Friday, March 13th – St. Patrick’s Day Youth Dance
• Saturday, March 14th – Young Adult Outing for St. Patrick’s Day
• Sunday, March 15th – Pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe
• Children’s Liturgy of the Word in Spanish and English at St. Nicholas Parish – until further notice
• Friday Night Youth Group – until further notice
• Sunday Night Youth Group – until further notice (please watch for alternative meetings and e-learning)
• Young Adult Lenten Group – until further notice (please watch for alternative meetings and e-learning)
  
• Mass

Also this weekend:
- Friday March 13th's Lenten Friday "Knight" Fish Fry has been canceled.
- Sundays Adult Faith Enrichment WILL HAPPEN.
- As of TODAY: St. Joseph's Table – is taking place as planned!
​- Religious Education will continue as planned. It is up to you to decide if you feel the need to keep your child home.
 
We do ask that anyone showing any symptoms of the flu or Covid-19 please stay home.
We will keep you updated of any changes to this.

​Adult Faith Enrichment
“Give Me One Good Reason: Fueling Your Lenten Practice With Gratitude”
with Claire Noonan, March 15th.
 
Join us in Oldershaw Hall after the 9:00 am Masses on March 15 for a fresh perspective on how we might deepen our experience of Lent.
 
Claire Noonan, DMin, a practical theologian and speaker who brings more than two decades of experience in university ministry, adult faith formation, and social
justice education to her work as Vice President for Mission and Ministry at
Dominican University. She is author of Full of Grace, a book of spiritual essays and exercises for women; Together We Share, Grow and Rejoice! Daily Reflections, Prayers and Actions; and most recently, Sharing the Bread of God’s Love.
 
Claire and her husband were married and their elder daughter baptized at
St. Nicholas.
 
We are honored to welcome her back!

St. Nicholas Parish, in accordance with Archdioceses Directive ( https://www.archchicago.org/coronavirus) has canceled all meetings and events until further notice.
 
We will continue creating a bulletin and sending a Stay in the Loop in order to continue communication with our parishioners as things progress. Updates and the bulletin will be posted on our web site www.nickchurch.org

Religious Education will not meet  during this time, any related retreats and meetings will be postponed to a later date.

Our Office will be closed starting tomorrow, Saturday March 13th as of 3:00 pm.
Staff will have access to their e-mail and voice mails and will be working without any physical contact.
Office phone number is 847.864.1185
You can get email addresses and phone extensions on our website http://www.nickchurch.org/staff-directory.html

Thank you all, and lets continue in prayer as we walk through this journey together.