BOSTON (WHDH) - Cardinal Seán P. O’Malley announced Tuesday that the Archdiocese of Boston parishes have undertaken significant preparations to celebrate Christmas Masses amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“By following Archdiocesan safety policies our parishes are able to welcome a reduced number of parishioners and visitors at Masses this week,” O’Malley said. “Despite all of the challenges we will celebrate Christmas; in smaller groups, with some attending Mass in person and others watching the Mass live-streamed from their parish or on Catholic television.”
Those who attend in-person Mass must wear a mask, social distance, register prior to attending, refrain from singing Christmas carols out loud, and stay home if they are not feeling well.
Parishioners are also encouraged to dress warmly as windows will be opened to allow for extra airflow.
“Our message is clear: we want people to be able to safely share in the celebration of the Mass, welcoming the Christ Child,” said MC Sullivan, Chief Healthcare Ethicist and a member of the Archdiocesan Pandemic Response team.
“For in-person Masses, we will adhere to the state requirements regarding capacity levels,” she added. “In fact, we operate well below the 40% threshold currently authorized. We know that we can be together by safely practicing well-designed and established protocols that respect the common good.”
Most parishes are offering Masses both in-person and online through live streaming.
More information can be found on the Archdiocese of Boston’s website.
Cardinal O'Malley delivering a Christmas message, talking about what people can expect from Christmas services during the pandemic. @7News pic.twitter.com/rSA9IHoSns
— John Cuoco (@JCuocoNews) December 22, 2020
(Copyright (c) 2024 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)