Holy Water Fonts Turned Off, Bread-Only Communion: LA Archdiocese Releases Guidelines For Reopening
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Catholic churches within the Archdiocese of Los Angeles could reopen for daily mass as soon as June 3 under guidelines released Tuesday.
Parishes were instructed to prepare plans for reopening, starting with allowing personal private prayer, and moving toward daily mass as early as June 3. The earliest date to begin Sunday mass would be on June 7.
"As we enter this new moment, it is important to remember that the coronavirus is still out there, it is still contagious, and it is still dangerous," Archbishop José H. Gomez said in a letter to parishes. "So, we need to proceed with prudence and caution and concern to protect our most vulnerable parishioners. Let us continue to pray and stand together with our people as we begin to reopen our churches and our society."
The guidelines follow public and government health recommendations of limiting capacity to 25% up to a maximum of 100 people, requiring face masks and maintaining distance between priests and the penitent during confession. Catholic churches were also advised to remove missalette and hymnal books, empty holy water fonts and cordon off "frequently touched objects" like statues.
"The Blessed Sacrament may be exposed for silent adoration by the faithful, but no Benediction or other organized/communal prayer should take place," in the first phase of reopening, according to the guidelines.
Mass will continue to be livestreamed in the church's phase one of reopening, and people considered "vulnerable" to COVID-19 should stay home, according to the guidelines.
In the next phase of reopening, the guidelines allow for communion, with priests sanitizing their hands before and after distribution, and only in the form of bread handed to the hands of parishioners. Choirs will be replaced with a cantor and accompanist, and people will be dismissed after mass by groups of pews.
The LA Archdiocese is the largest Catholic diocese in the U.S. and spans Los Angeles, Ventura, and Santa Barbara counties.
