resuming public masses in the catholic diocese of wichita ......resuming public masses in the...
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ResumingPublicMassesintheCatholicDioceseofWichita
PhaseOne|May6-20,2020
OnMay6,2020,publicmasses,includingfuneralsandweddingswillresumefortheCatholicDioceseofWichita.Pastorsmaychoosetostartatalaterdateiftheyrequiremoretimeforpreparation.Thefollowingguidelinesandrestrictionsaretobeobservedwithoutexceptions.
1. ThedispensationoftheobligationtoattendtheSundaycelebrationoftheMasscontinuesforthosewhoseekitinordertoavoidtheriskofinfectionofCovid-19.Thisdispensationwillremainavailableuntilfurthernotice.• PleasenotethatCatholicsdonotcommitamortalsinwhentheydonotattendSunday
Masswhenthebishophasdispensedthemfromtheobligationtodoso.• Personswithhighervulnerabilityarerequestedtousethisdispensationandrefrain
fromattendingtheMassinordertopromotethehealthandwelfareofeveryperson.o TheCatholicChurchhasalwaystaughtthatseriousillnessautomatically
dispensesaCatholicfromtheobligationtoattendSundayMassandisavalidreasontostayhome.
• Pleasedonottakeunnecessaryriskswithyourhealthoradverselyaffectthehealthofothers.
• Thishealthcrisiscontinuestobeveryseriousandrequiresallofustodoourpartinreducingthespreadofadeadlyinfection,forwhichwecurrentlyhavenovaccine.
2. Ifpossible,livestreamingMassesshouldcontinueforthosewhoremainathomeduringthisperiod.
3. Eachmassislimitedtonomorethan33%oftheoccupancyofthechurchandotherindoorspacesusedforoverflow.Pastorsareaskedtoregulatethisattendanceinordertoprovidethenecessaryspacetopracticesocialdistancingduringtheliturgies.OutdoormassesduringPhaseOneoftheplanareprohibited.
4. PastorsmayconsiderofferingadditionalMassestoaccommodatemoreofthefaithful.Iftheychoosetodoso,theymayalsoofferSundaycelebrationsoftheMassbeginningatNoononSaturdayafternoon.Thistemporaryallowancewillremainineffectuntilfurthernotice.
5. AdorationoftheBlessedSacramentmayresume,limitingthenumberofadorersinthechapelsatanyonetime,providingthenecessaryspaceforsocialdistancing.Pastorsareaskedtofacilitatethisfortheirparishes.
6. Otherparishgatherings,suchasadultfaithformation,BibleStudies,etc.thoughimportantarenotessentialandshouldremaindiscontinueduntilfurthernotice.
TheBishop’sLeadershipTeamwillmonitortheseguidelinesandmakeadjustmentsasneeded.
Pleaserefertotheaccompanyingdocument,“GuidelinesonResumingPublicMassesintheCatholicDioceseofWichita,”thatlistsguidelinesforresumingpublicMasses.