OLPH Church weather-related closure decisions will be communicated to our website homepage and Facebook page.
If decisions are made to delay the weekday Mass, please assist our efforts to keep the campus safe, by not arriving before 9 am. If the decision is made to cancel liturgies or activities, our campus will remain closed for the day. In all inclement weather situations, please use discretion, erring on the side of safety and health.
Click the button below to receive weather-related push notifications.
- Saturday 4:30 pm Mass, the decision for cancellation or adjustment will be made by 1 pm.
- Sunday Morning Masses (7:30 am, 9 am, and 11 am), the decision for cancellation or adjustment will be made by 6:30 am. Sunday 5 pm Mass, the decision for cancellation or adjustment will be made by 1 pm. When feasible, the decision will be made in the morning and communicated with the day’s decision.
* In the event that inclement weather impacts our schedule, please note that the intention is to still livestream the Sunday Mass at 9 am.
For Weekday Masses and activities, the parish will follow Howard County School system for delays or cancellations. If schools are canceled, Mass will be offered via livestream. If schools are delayed, Mass will be offered at 9:30 am.
- Weekday 8:15 am Mass, decisions for cancellation or adjustment will be made by 7 am.
This Daily Mass (Monday to Saturday) may be delayed to 9:30 am or canceled.
If delayed, the Mass will be in the Church and livestream at 9:30 am.
If canceled, the Mass will be offered on livestream at 8:15 am and available throughout the day. - Reconciliations, offered on Wednesdays from 11 am to 12 Noon (in front of the Church) and from 6 pm to 7 pm (in the back parking lot) may be canceled or moved into the Good Shepherd Room (off the entrance of the Church). The decision will be communicated in advance as possible, or posted outside. The intention will be to post the decision with the Morning Mass information at 7 am.
- Availability for the Prayer in the Church or Adoration will be posted with the decision for Morning Mass at 7 am, if at all possible. If there is a need to adjust the schedule, the parish will post the decision on liturgies and other activities by 12 Noon.
- Decisions for other in-person activities will be communicated to the appropriate groups. Any exceptions to our decisions must be approved by the Pastor (Fr. Mike) or Parish Administrator (Lisa Sliker).
In all inclement weather situations, please use discretion, erring on the side of safety and health.
While the County has greater resources and therefore a stronger ability to determine the safety and condition of the roads, amidst this pandemic and with predominant virtual learning in County schools, the Howard County Public School Systems (HCPSS) has a different emphasis on its decisions. The parish will base decisions upon HCPSS decisions, as well as the collaboration of the Archdiocese in making particular decisions for Our Lady of Perpetual Help School.
Decisions will be communicated to the parish distribution list for Inclement Weather (register here) as well as posted to our website homepage and Facebook page. If decisions are made to delay the weekday Mass, please assist our efforts to keep the campus safe, by not arriving before 9am. If the decision is made to cancel liturgies or activities, our campus will remain closed for the day.
For Sunday Masses and specials feasts (such as Ash Wednesday),
▫ Saturday 4:30pm Mass, decision for cancellation or adjustment will be made by 1pm.
▫ Sunday Morning Masses (7:30am, 9am, and 11am), the decision for cancellation or adjustment will be made by 6:30am.
▫ Sunday 5pm Mass, decision for cancellation or adjustment will be made by 1pm. When feasible, the decision will be made in the morning and communicated with the day’s decision.
* In the event that inclement weather impacts our schedule, please note that the intention is to still livestream the Sunday Mass at 9am.
For Weekday Masses and activities,
▫ Weekday 8:15am Mass, decisions for cancellation or adjustment will be made by 7am.
This Daily Mass (Monday to Saturday) may be delayed to 9:30am or cancelled.
If delayed, the Mass will be in the Church and livestream at 9:30am.
If cancelled, the Mass will be offered on livestream at 8:15am and available throughout the day.
▫ Reconciliation, offered on Wednesdays from 11am to 12 Noon (in front of the Church) and from 6pm to 7pm (in the back parking lot) may be canceled or moved into the Good Shepherd Room (off the entrance of the Church). The decision will be communicated in advance as possible, or posted outside. The intention will be to post the decision with the Morning Mass information at 7am.
▫ Availability for the Prayer in the Church or Adoration will be posted with the decision for Morning Mass at 7am, if at all possible. If there is a need to adjust the schedule, the parish will post the decision on liturgies and other activities by 12 Noon.
▫ Decisions for other in-person activities will be communicated to the appropriate groups. Any exceptions to our decisions must be approved by the Pastor (Fr. Mike) or Parish Administrator (Lisa Sliker).
▫ Any online or digital offering is not affected by the decision of our campus. Leaders of the individual ministries or activities may communicate alternative plans if deemed necessary.
In all inclement weather situations, please use discretion, erring on the side of safety and health. When Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) is on delay or closed (communicated via HCPSS apps, media, and on status.hcpss.org), there may be knowledge they have about the road conditions and safety of traveling of which you are not aware from your home. Staying home and limiting the use of the roads, improves our counties’ abilities to keep the roads clean and safe, as well as improving the parish’s ability to clean the parking lot, entrances, and walkways.
If HCPSS is closed,
- Daily mass (Monday to Saturday) is canceled;
*Sunday Masses (including Saturday Vigil) and Holy Days are not canceled based on HCPSS - All Parish Activities including Confessions are canceled;
- Adoration will be suspended, with the times communicated via website and direct communication through myOLPH.
If HCPSS is delayed,
- Daily mass (Monday to Saturday) is delayed to 9:30 am;
*Parishioners are not to be on campus before 9 am - All Parish Activities are canceled before 9:30 am;
- Adoration will remain open.
*Adorers are urged to use caution and to decide based on safety and health.
If HCPSS cancels Afternoon/Evening or Weekend Activities,
- Daily mass (Saturday 8:15 am Mass for Weekend Activities canceled) is canceled;
- All Parish Activities including Confessions are canceled for the respective evening or weekend;
- Adoration will be suspended, with times communicated via website and direct communication through myOLPH.
If the pending weather is less severe than anticipated when HCPSS decision to cancel was made and verification of the readiness and safety of the campus are confirmed, exceptions may be approved by the Pastor (Fr. Mike) or Parish Administrator (Lisa Sliker). If an exception is granted, communication will be the responsibility of the particular group leadership.
Communications
Inclement Weather Updates will be made available to:
- The Parish Website
- myOLPH text/email, as applicable
- Communicate to Adorers, via myOLPH text/email
- The official OLPH Facebook Page
Parish Offices
- Employees are able to take leave for inclement weather (Vacation Time if applicable)
If HCPSS is closed with Offices “Open with Liberal Leave in Effect” (Code Orange), the parish
offices will open at 12 Noon; - If HCPSS is closed (Code Red), the parish offices will remain closed.
School - Our Lady of Perpetual Help School follows HCPSS decisions on weather. Teachers will be allowed
access to the classrooms if HCPSS is closed with Offices “Open with Liberal Leave in Effect” as of
12 Noon; if HCPSS is closed (Code Red), teachers are not allowed on campus.