Churches open this weekend

CLIFTON  All churches in the Diocese of Paterson will be reopened to resume publicly celebrating Mass and the Sacraments beginning this weekend, June 13-14, which is the Solemnity of Corpus Christi (The Body and Blood of Christ).

The announcement that all 109 churches will be reopening was made by Bishop Serratelli, the Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese, in a letter emailed to all pastors on June 8. Public Masses have been suspended in the Diocese since March 16 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and state mandates put in place to ban all large gatherings of people indoors.

Last month, in preparation for the time when churches would be open again, Bishop Serratelli issued to all pastors protocols for the reopening of churches to be strictly followed for the safety and health of all.

In the protocols, the Bishop wrote: “The Diocese of Paterson has been in close communication with state officials, medical professionals, and the other dioceses of the state. We wish to provide the faithful with access to the liturgical life of the Church while maintaining the public health and safety of the faithful and others with whom they may have contact.

“These mandated guidelines are general enough to be adapted to diverse parish settings and institutions of the Diocese. They are also specific enough to attend to the health and safety of the clergy and faithful as we provide for the spiritual good of our people.

“Each parish community or institution will be required to work closely together, involving clergy, staff, and volunteers in order to implement these guidelines and to provide, as much as it is humanly possible, a safe environment proper for Liturgy during this pandemic.”

Among the guidelines issued are the following:

• When Churches reopen, public liturgies, including the sacraments, such as Baptism and Matrimony, funerals and Memorial Masses for those who have died during the pandemic may be celebrated.


• No group for any celebration of the Mass, sacraments, and funerals should be larger than 25 percent of the total seating capacity within the Church. It is left to the discretion of the pastor to determine how this is to be, e.g. first-come, first-served basis, registering online, etc.


• Pastors must clearly publicize in advance whatever way they select so that people may understand that, if they arrive after the permitted number has been reached, they may have to be turned away. This is to protect everyone's health and to follow the regulations on health and safety.


• The dispensation from the obligation to participate in Sunday and Holy Day Masses remains in effect until further notice. For this reason, those who wish to attend Sunday Eucharist and are unable to do so because of the limited access to the church may choose to attend Mass on another day.


• Those who are particularly vulnerable to the coronavirus, i.e. those 60 years of age and over, and those with underlying medical conditions, should follow Mass at home via live stream or television until all restrictions are removed.


• A person with a cough or fever of any kind should stay home to protect the health of others.


• Livestreaming of Mass should be continued for those unable to attend.


• All of those attending the Liturgy over the age of 2 must wear a face mask. A good number of disposable face masks may be available to the faithful for those who neglect to bring them. The faithful need to be informed of this safety precaution.


• All people inside the church must practice social distancing by keeping six feet from other persons. People in the same household do not have to follow the social distancing guidelines, but must keep 6 feet from those not in their household.


• Social distancing of six feet should be maintained by the faithful when they approach to receive the Eucharist at Communion time. The faithful should be encouraged to bring hand sanitizer to use before the reception of Holy Communion.


• The Body of Christ should be placed in the hands of the communicant.


• The distribution of the Precious Blood from the chalice is discontinued for the foreseeable future. The Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ is received under either species.


• There is to be no choir. Singing, especially in close proximity to others, may increase the risk of viral spread. The parts of the Mass, e.g., Gloria, Gospel Acclamation, etc. must be recited.


• There is to be no offertory procession. Collection baskets are to be placed in appropriate places to receive the offering of the faithful. Electronic giving should be encouraged weekly.


• Regularly cleaning and disinfecting commonly touched surfaces in the church is necessary. This should be done after every service in the church.


• A reasonable period of “empty time” should be scheduled after the time when people leave the church so the entire church can be washed, wiped down, and sanitized.
• Only then can people be admitted into the next Mass.


• Pastors should establish and publicize the hours when the parish church and offices will be open. It is advisable to schedule special times at the end of the day when the entire building can be empty and cleaned to the fullest extent needed.


• Maintenance staff should use the guidelines from the diocese or Center for Disease Control on the best ways to sanitize their building.


• All hymnals and missalettes should be removed from the church pews.


• Hand sanitizers are to be placed at the entrance into the church and in a place easily accessible to the priest presiding at the liturgy.


• Provision should be made for the handicapped.


• Volunteers should be available to welcome parishioners to church, maintaining social distancing, directing them toward seating and limiting the number of persons to whom the church is accessible.


• Holy Water fonts and the baptismal fonts are to remain empty. When Baptism is celebrated, small individual bottles of purified water should be blessed and be used for each adult or infant individually.


• To avoid crowding at the end of Mass, people may be dismissed by the ushers one pew at a time to avoid crowding.



 
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