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GUIDELINES FOR THE REOPENING OF HOLY FAMILY PARISH KAMIAS

PUBLIC WORSHIP

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The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, has issued certain Basic Guidelines that we have to follow as we reopen the churches for Mass celebrations:

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1.  MASS ATTENDEES

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  • Elderly (60 years old and above), children (under 21 years old), the sick are urged not to attend following government regulations and as a precaution to avoid infection.

 

The IATF-EID clearly mandates that under GCQ:

“Any person below twenty-one (21) years old, those who are sixty (60) years old and above, those with immunodeficiency, comorbidities, or other health risks, and pregnant women, including any person who resides with the aforementioned, shall be required to remain in their residences at all times, except when indispensable under the circumstances for obtaining essential goods and services or for work in permitted industries and offices.” [Section 2, No. 3] 

 

A visit from a priest, a deacon or extraordinary minister of Holy Communion to bring them the Eucharist is instead highly recommended.

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  • Mass attendees should all wear face masks

  • Markers will be attached on pews or benches to indicate where to sit to observe social distancing of 1 meter between

  • Collection Baskets will not be passed from person to person; instead ushers will place designated boxes or collection points where you will drop your donations

  • Markings will be placed on the floor, to indicate proper spacing between persons lining up for Communion

  • There will be no holding of hands during the singing/praying of the “Our Father” and shaking of hands during the Sign of Peace

 

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2.  CHURCH PERSONNEL

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  • Priests and Lay ministers will practice proper hygiene before and after the Mass

  • Lay ministers will wear face masks when not speaking at the altar

  • Priests will not wear face masks but will be 1 meter from the congregation

  • There will be a minimal number of altar servers and lectors in the sanctuary who will also be practicing social distancing

  • Number of choir members singing will be reduced in order to keep social distancing

  • Holy Communion will still be distributed only on the hand, with ministers wearing face masks and their hands sanitized before and after the distribution 

 

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3.  HOLY MASS

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  • Live stream or televised Holy Mass will be continued for those who cannot attend church Masses (i.e. persons ages 20 and below and persons 60 and above)

  • New schedule of Masses are as follows:

 

Saturday:

  • 4:00pm

  • 6:00 pm

Sunday:

  • 7:00 am

  • 9:00 am

  • 11:00 am

  • 4:00 pm

  • 6:00 pM

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  • There will only be 100 parishioners who will be allowed entry to the church for every Mass, to comply with social distancing requirements of the IATF.  This will be on a first come, first serve basis.   This is also the reason why the Diocese has advised that we add more anticipated Masses. A faithful who attends any Mass after midday of Saturday shall be in fulfilment of his/her Sunday obligation.

 

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4.  CHURCH ENTRANCE

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  • Specific entrances and exits of the church will be indicated to help maintain social distancing

  • Ushers will be stationed to help direct traffic

  • Thermal scanners will be used by ushers for temperature check as required by the health department

  • Please bring any means of identification, and show the same to the usher who will take the photo, which may be used as a means of contact tracing, if the need arises.

  • To sanitize your footwear, footbaths are set up in all entrances of the church for you to use prior to your entry.  This is a requirement by the health department

  • Hand sanitizers/alcohol will be made available at the entrances of the church to sanitize your hands as you enter the church

  • Ushers and Collectors will guide you on how to sanitize before entering the church, where to sit in the church, when to come to the communion line during Holy Communion, and when and where to enter and to exit the church

  • Regular General Disinfection will be done for the entire place of worship

  • Disinfection after every Mass will also be done for the safety of the next batch of mass goers.

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RULES ON THE SACRAMENTS:

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A. BAPTISM


1.  The celebration of Baptism is allowed but restricted to the immediate family members and to one or a pair of        godparents. They need to wear face masks and observe social distancing.

2. The baptismal water to be used will be clean and blessed for that celebration.

3. The Holy Oils will be applied, using cotton, on the one baptized.

 

B. SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION

 

We will forego mass confirmations this year. Those who are to be baptized as adults or who are getting married can be confirmed by the parish priest as church discipline dictates.

 

C. CELEBRATION OF WEDDINGS

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The Wedding Rites prescribed in the liturgical book have to be followed. But, due to the demand of social distancing, wedding celebrations this year will have to be simpler than the usual. We have to forego all of the secondary elements of the normal wedding ceremonies, e.g., the wedding entourage (abays). Only the bride and the groom, the parents of the couple, and one set of sponsors are to be present in the ceremony.

 

D. FUNERALS

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Attendance is restricted to the immediate family and all must wear face masks and all should observe social distancing.

 

E. CONFESSIONS

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1. The sacramental nature of confession requires that it must be done in person; safe distancing between the confessor and the penitent will however apply.  The confessionals will not be used, rather a place with better air circulation will be used by the priest who will hear your confession.

2. When hearing confessions, the confessor and the penitent will both wear face masks.

3. Confessions via telephone or Zoom teleconferencing are not permitted. Though they may use these methods should the penitent need spiritual counselling.

4. Act of Perfect Contrition. When the Sacrament of Reconciliation is not possible, for example, to a patient who is isolated or in quarantine, he/she can make an Act of Perfect Contrition. God is always present to us, even when the Sacrament of Reconciliation is not possible. While a priest cannot give absolution over the phone, he can use the phone to give a blessing and even guide a person to make an Act of Perfect Contrition. This can be done provided the person expresses faith in and love of God above all things and resolves to make a sacramental Confession as soon as possible. All his/her sins, even mortal sins, are forgiven.

 

 

F. ANOINTING OF THE SICK

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A priest will continue to minister to the sick by offering them the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick but following the necessary precautions proposed by the DOH, in particular the wearing of face mask.

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