Mumbai, June 22, 2020: Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Bombay, has appealed to his priests not to open churches and hold church services without the standard operating protocols in place.
“Even if there is government permission, please do not open churches and start Masses unless you have a protocol (SOP) in place,” said Cardinal Gracias, in his latest communication to the clergy in his archdiocese on June 20.
The cardinal, who leads the Church in the country as the president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India has stated that churches may soon be opened and that a video conference with the deans will be held during the week to start preparing for the re-opening. The deans in turn could discuss the opening with their parishes, he said. At the same time he
With municipal authorities permitting all burials including of Covid-19 cases in all cemeteries after the World Health Organisation (WHO) and government of India guidelines concluded that there is no evidence of danger of infection from corpses, provided usual precautions are observed, he appealed to the clergy to caution family members to avoid any physical contact with the body.
“Wear a mask, or even better a face shield. The restriction on the numbers still holds. Our priests are advised not to go to the house and to complete all the burial rituals with sensitivity and respect in the graveyard itself,” he stated.
On June 7, in a communication to all bishops, the day before the government of India permitted religious places to be opened, Cardinal Gracias urged bishops not to be in a hurry to start services at churches until they have satisfactory protocols in place.
“The factors that need to be taken into account are; the right of our faithful to have pastoral care; our responsibility to protect people from the danger of infection that could prove to be fatal; government directives, and liturgical law,” he stated, giving bishops guidelines for the reopening of churches.
He suggested one square meter distancing unless it is a family from one household, restrictions on number of people entering the church with the bishop specifying how many can enter each church, depending on its size. He recommended that one third of the capacity of the church, with only one entry point and one exit point with clear signage indicating this.
Besides sanitizing hands, he suggested that the church doors be kept open to avoid physical contact with handles and doors, where people are requested to come with their hands sanitized at home. He also recommended provisions for washing of hands with soap, water and tissue at the entrance of the church and a dustbin where used tissues may be disposed and burnt after the liturgical service.
Similarly, Holy water stoups should be dry with no sprinkling of Holy water permitted. Ushers should ensure that no one enters without a mask and people should sit at a distance, one in a pew or if the pew is long, one at either end, with households permitted to sit together but distanced from other people, he said, adding that social distancing is not just sideways but also at the front and back of church-goers.
No choir will be permitted and cantors could be used if there is singing. While exiting people should leave pew by pew to avoid crowding at the door. He also suggested distribution of communion during the mass only to servers where communion could be distributed after the mass outside the church in a neighboring hall.
Source: The Times of India
As most parishes for example in Mumbai have a large population of parishioners and as all would like to fulfill their Sunday obligation and with distancing of 2 seated in a pew and distance behind and front I feel just 20 percent of parishioners would be accommodated in the church where will the others parishioner accommodate them self
As of date all churches are packed that at least 20percent have to stand outside the church and hear mass so in conclusion about 80percent will be standing outside church so where will the distancing be maintained
A deeper thought be given by our Cardinal how to manage the crowd
We all want to come to church so we have to leave it in God’s Hand how soon the pandemic ends and we faithful can once again come
Why so much hurry…. I feel better to wait atleast till rainy season gets over…..
Why no choir..?…. Practically all churches are having atleast 4 to 6 mikes, for choir. One choir member per mike, with a safe distance should not be a problem.
We should remove the sandals and keep outside the church and wash the feet and sanatise the hands and enter the church. Each member should be aware of his or hers responsibility and behave the right manner. Then all will be saved. Cannot put all responsibility to only to the priest. Or increase the number of masses on Sunday.
Good to think of phase wise unlock, rather than permanent shutdown.
The church should ask the faithful to carry their own communion to celebrate during mass
There is an “UTTER CONFUSION” among the church prelates regarding the SOP, opening of the church and conducting worship/mass/liturgy. With this confused mindset, they are all going to enact “dramas” in the churches. SAD indeed!
Suggestion to church prelates: “BE COOL, RELAX, REFLECT, PRAY. Please DO NOT PLAY WITH THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE. Be assured that GOD/JESUS WILL NOT BE ANGRY OR UPSET IF YOU DO NOT OPEN YOUR CHURCHES. Safeguard yourself and help people to save themselves from the deadly virus”.
You cannot even touch holy books. That would include the lectionary and the missal. So how can you celebrate the Mass at all?
The CBCI should dialogue with the Health Minister on contentious issues, or file a PIL for infringement of constitutional rights.
In U.P. only 5 are permitted and the pastor has to submit a self declaration assuming liability. This is absurd.
If prasad (Communion) is banned how can you distribute it? How does giving it in a hall change the ground realities?
The Government SOPs are hitting Christians, especially Catholics. No Communion, no baptism, no marriages. Read the fine print.