St. Francis Solanus Keeping Everything Clean:
In Face of Pandemic,
Parishioners Organize Church Cleaning
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f someone would have told Russ and Terri bathrooms clean. Russ and Terri also knew Rohrer back in January that they would how badly people missed attending Mass. have been running a new ministry of So, they wanted to do whatever it would volunteers who clean after each Mass, take to keep everything clean and they never would have believed help parishioners feel comfortable “This is very important it. But the COVID-19 pandemic attending Mass. They both jumped has changed a lot of things, in and told Fr. Don Blaeser they work, and we take it including the increased need to wanted to begin organizing a group keep St. Francis Solanus clean and to clean after each weekend Mass. seriously. We want people to sanitized. When churches were “When Russ and I talked about feel safe coming to church.” it, we both had no hesitations ordered to be closed in March, Russ and Terri realized how much that God was calling us to lead this — Terri Rohrer they missed receiving the Eucharist. ministry,” Terri says. They certainly appreciated the option Russ previously owned the local to watch the online streamed Masses, even Stanley Steemer franchise, and he has though it wasn’t quite the same as being there worked for ServiceMaster. Currently, he runs a in person. home for developmentally challenged adults through “I always took the Eucharist for granted,” Terri says. Transitions of Western Illinois. Terri has done some “I found that I wanted to go to church and I wanted to cleaning part-time. Both Russ and Terri are conscious receive the Eucharist.” of cleanliness and the importance of getting it perfect. They also found they missed being around their Their daughter, Katie Schuecking, also helps out. fellow St. Francis Solanus parishioners. When they “We were afraid that if people didn’t have a clean heard churches were set to reopen on the weekend of and safe place to come, they wouldn’t come back,” June 6-7, Russ and Terri knew there was important work Terri says. to be done to keep the worship space, entry, doors and Currently, Terri organizes a group of about eight continued on back cover
Volunteers work to clean our worship space after weekend Mass.
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