Reopening Guidelines for Public Worship – Phase 1

On May 29, pastors and priests of the diocese received the following information from Father Robert Hughes, Vicar General for the Diocese of Camden:
In the Diocese of Camden parishes may reopen for the celebration of weekday Masses on Tuesday, June 9th with a limit of 10 persons in attendance.  On Saturday, June 13th that limit will rise to 30% of the church building’s capacity (this is the expected percentage but must be confirmed when the State of New Jersey releases specific guidelines).  Remember, however, that the six-foot social distancing rule must also be considered.  So, for example, if a church can seat 1000 people, 30% would be allow a maximum of 300 persons.  However, if the church can only accommodate 260 given the social distancing rules, the maximum becomes 260 persons.  This may be the limit for the foreseeable future.  Sunday Masses may resume with vigil Masses on Saturday, June 13th – the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ.
As was noted previously, pastors are NOT PERMITTED to add Masses to their pre-COVID-19 Mass schedule.
Other Considerations:

  1. Bishop Sullivan has given permission for the use of livestreaming to another site on a parish campus. As such, a parish that has a hall or other space may welcome parishioners to be seated together in that space (all social distancing requirements considered and posted) to participate in Mass via livestream. Holy Communion may be distributed in that location AFTER the celebration of Mass has concluded.
  2. In addition, Bishop Sullivan gives permission for parishes to distribute Holy Communion INSIDE the Church at specified times (social distancing requirements considered and posted) to those who watched the Mass livestreamed in their homes. At these times, it would be wise to create a station specifically for those who wish to receive Holy Communion on the tongue.
  3. A pastor who wishes to conduct one or more Masses outdoors with the faithful bringing their own lawn chair must write to the Bishop for permission. The letter must contain the date(s), time(s), place and specific parameters under which the Mass will be celebrated and how all social distancing requirements will be maintained.  No permission will be given for drive-in Masses where people remain in their cars.
  4. The dispensation for the faithful from the obligation to participate in Mass on Sundays and Holy Days remains in effect.
  5. All Catholics in the Diocese of Camden are likewise dispensed from the requirement to make their Easter Duty this year.
  6. Pastors must encourage those who are at high risk for contracting COVID-19 to stay home. Priests and deacons are permitted to bring Holy Communion to the homes of shut-ins beginning on Saturday, June 13th.  This permission may be extended to Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion if they live with the recipient or if they have received special training about the necessary protocols for safely visiting the home of a shut-in.  Ministers must be cautious – it is not just that a minister might get sick, but also that a minister might spread disease to the shut-in and their household.
  7. The elderly and families with young children (who may find it difficult to maintain a six-foot distance from others) are encouraged to stay home.
  8. Pastors are to remind the faithful that on any given day when they have a cough or feel sick, that they are not to participate in Mass or visit the church for any ceremony.
  9. All parishes are to provide hand sanitizer at the entrance(s) of the Church. Doors must be clearly marked as ENTRANCE ONLY and EXIT ONLY (emergency doors may be employed during this time if necessary as EXITS).  The faithful should not, if possible, use the same doors for entering and exiting.  Pathways to and from the church must be clearly marked with tape to remind people to stay 6 feet apart.
  10. Parish maintenance teams must regularly clean and disinfect commonly-touched surfaces in the church (CDC Guidelines for Facilities). Hymnals, missalettes and other materials generally left in the pews must be removed.  Worship aids may be produced if necessary for one-time use.  Please be mindful of copyright laws involving the reprint of music and texts.  Microphones and other shared equipment also need to be disinfected.
  11. In accord with current public health recommendations, the faithful should wear cloth face coverings when in public, including when they come to church. Surgical masks or N-95 respirators are not recommended. Cloth face coverings should not be placed on: young children under age 2, anyone who has trouble breathing, or anyone otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance (CDC Guidelines on Face Coverings).
  12. In accord with the dates and capacities provided above, a Catholic church or chapel may hold public Masses (taking account of local health guidance), as long as it maintains strict physical distancing. For a public Mass, to maintain strict physical distancing

THE FOLLOWING ARE REQUIRED:

  1. The faithful are to maintain a 6-foot distance from each other at all times. You may use tape to close off rows of seating in the church (caution tape or colored painter’s tape are recommended), in order to guide the faithful to sit at least 6 feet from each other (for example, allow seating every third row and six feet apart in a given pew).  Remember that people must be distanced by six-feet in all directions.
  2. Members of a single household do not need to practice physical distancing with each other and so may sit together in the same row – planning and identifying where families may be seated will need advanced consideration.
  3. In areas where the faithful might stand in line (for example, waiting to go to confession; receive Holy Communion; use the restroom), place tape on the floor to indicate proper spacing between persons (colored painter’s tape is recommended – you may want to test whatever is used to be sure that it doesn’t ruin the carpet or finish on the floor).
  4. Competent volunteers (wearing masks and gloves) must be stationed at the entrances of the church to help “direct traffic,” to ensure that the faithful keep 6 feet from each other while entering and exiting the building. Those who are assigned these duties will need to have some basic training and must be briefed in the parish reopening plan so that they can answer questions and give proper directions.  They should also be instructed to be non-confrontational especially with those who arrive after the church has reach capacity for a particular Mass.
  5. Doors are to be propped open as people enter and leave the church so that people do not need to touch the door handles. Doors should not be locked to prevent entrance as that is a violation of the New Jersey Uniform Fire Code when people are gathered inside.
  6. Dismiss the congregation by rows at the end of Mass to avoid crowding at the exits (this should be easy since Holy Communion is to be distributed at the end of Mass – see below).
  7. Encourage the faithful to maintain physical distancing everywhere on the church property (on the church steps, in the parking lot, etc.).
  8. Develop and communicate a plan for restroom use: limit the number of people who enter a restroom at the same time, and place tape (colored painter’s tape is recommended) on the floor outside of the restroom to indicate where people should stand in line to wait for the restroom, while maintaining a 6-foot distance from each other. Instructions should also be given that the facilities are for emergency use only given as they cannot be cleaned properly between each use.  Parishioners should be reminded to use the restroom BEFORE they come to church.  A pastor may choose to close and lock the bathroom but a volunteer will need to be close at hand with a key should an emergency arise.
  9. Choirs are discouraged, especially if seated together. Vigorous singing, especially in close proximity to others, may increase the risk of viral spread.
  10. Church cry-rooms and chapels are to be closed when Mass is being celebrated in the main church. Access to a restroom may be provided but no one is to be seated in these spaces.

FOR THE CELEBRATION OF MASS, THE FOLLOWING MUST BE OBSERVED:

  1. A priest with a respiratory infection of any kind should avoid celebrating public Masses or administering sacraments. The same holds for other ministers who might serve at a Mass (deacon, lectors, musicians, sacristans, ushers, etc.).
  2. Altar servers are not to minister at this time.
  3. The priest celebrant and other ministers are not to wear masks or gloves during the celebration of Mass. Instead, they should remain more than 6 feet from the congregation during the entirety of the Mass. In such circumstances, there is no substantial risk of infection.
  4. To the extent possible, the other ministers (a deacon, lectors and musicians) should maintain a 6-foot distance from the priest and from each other. The priest should place the missal on a stand at the chair or even on the altar when he recites the presidential prayers, rather than having someone hold the book. All ministers must maintain a proper distance in the sacristy and during the entrance and recessional processions. If necessary given the configuration of the church, consider modifying the procession’s route in order to maintain a 6-foot distance from members of the congregation.  When marking seating places – pastors must be mindful that the end of the pews may be less than 6 feet from the center aisle where the entrance and recessional processions will take place.
  5. The offertory procession (bringing up the gifts) is to be omitted.
  6. Special provision should be made for the collection — baskets should not be passed from person to person. Long-handled baskets could be acceptable if the ushers can remain a suitable distance from others – these baskets will need to be sanitized between uses. Baskets may be placed in central locations to receive the collection but must be monitored.
  7. Holding hands during the Our Father is not permitted except among family members. The invitation to the faithful to exchange a sign of peace is to be omitted.

THE DISTRIBUTION OF HOLY COMMUNION

  1. Holy Communion is to be distributed AFTER the celebration of the Mass – this respects the symbolic and liturgical integrity of the Mass (which should be celebrated without mask or gloves); avoids any practices in the Mass that could become sources of future liturgical abuse; gives a greater freedom to the faithful to determine whether or not they will come forward for Holy Communion (some may be nervous about doing so); and also provides for additional precautions to reduce risk. It also permits the priest to remove his chasuble for the distribution of Holy Communion, given that it is difficult to launder if anyone should sneeze or cough on him.
  2. At the start of Mass, or at a suitable point during Mass, the priest should explain that those who desire to receive Holy Communion may do so at the conclusion of the Mass. He may add that the faithful are to maintain a 6-foot distance from each other as they come forward for Holy Communion.
  3. The Precious Blood is not be distributed to the faithful, nor should the faithful receive the Eucharist by intinction.
  4. A sufficient quantity of hosts for distribution to the faithful should be consecrated at the Mass.
  5. The priest (and, if present, the deacon) would consume the Eucharist in the normal way, but would not immediately proceed to distribute Communion to the faithful. Rather, the newly-consecrated hosts would be briefly placed in the tabernacle awaiting the conclusion of the Mass.
  6. After the concluding blessing and the dismissal, the priest (and deacon, if present) remain in the sanctuary. At the chair, the priest removes his chasuble and the deacon removes his dalmatic.
  7. A small table should be placed at each communion station, with an unfolded corporal and a bottle of hand sanitizer.
  8. The priest (and any other ministers distributing Holy Communion) should use hand sanitizer immediately before approaching the tabernacle. The priest and each extraordinary minister should don a surgical mask or cloth face covering.
  9. Now vested in alb and stole (a cope is not to be worn), the priest retrieves the newly-consecrated hosts from the tabernacle and returns to the altar.
  10. Holding up a single host, he says: “Behold the Lamb of God. Behold him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.” He then leads the people in saying: “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word, and my soul shall be healed.”
  11. The priest (and other ministers if present) proceeds to the place prepared for distribution of Communion. Each stands next to a table with corporal and hand sanitizer in order to distribute Communion. Plexiglass barriers should not be used.
  12. The faithful should remove any face coverings before coming forward for Holy Communion or as they approach the minister.
  13. Holy Communion may not be distributed with gloves, nor may it be received in the hand if a member of the faithful is wearing gloves. The faithful are encouraged to not receive Holy Communion on the tongue, but those who wish to do so are not to be denied.  It is forbidden to use tongs or any other implement for the distribution of Holy Communion.
  14. If the priest, deacon or Extraordinary Minister touches the hand or tongue of the person receiving Holy Communion, they should place the ciborium on the corporal and proceed to sanitize their hands before distributing Holy Communion to the next individual.
  15. At the conclusion of the distribution of Holy Communion, the priest (and any other ministers) return the remaining hosts to the tabernacle.
  16. The faithful may depart after making a brief prayer of thanksgiving using only the EXIT doors and maintaining physical distancing – volunteers may be required to assist in giving directions.
  17. The ban on DRIVE-IN, DRIVE-UP or DRIVE-THRU Masses, Confessions, Adoration or Distribution of Holy Communion remains in effect for all parishes in the Diocese of Camden.
  18. Parishes are not permitted to schedule additional Masses beyond the regular Sunday Mass schedule. One or more Masses may continue to be broadcast via live-stream.

OTHER CELEBRATIONS – beginning on Saturday, June 13th the following protocols go into effect.

  •  Sacrament of Baptism for Infants – Pastors may begin to celebrate the Sacrament of Baptism keeping in mind the requirements for physical distancing.  With the exception of twins or multiple children in the same immediate family, baptism is to be celebrated for one child at a time.  A bowl of water may be brought from the baptistery to the center of the church in order to facilitate the participation of those gathered but who must remain at a distance from one another.  New water is to be used and blessed for each baptism.  Only the parents of the child may approach the font with the priest or deacon for the actual baptism.  Priests and deacons are reminded that they must wash their hands in between baptisms and that the sacred oils should be dispensed in small quantities so as to not contaminate a larger container.
  • Easter Sacraments – the baptism and/or reception into full communion of those who were prepared for the Easter Vigil is postponed until the Fall.  Bishop Sullivan’s Office will provide further information about a suitable date or dates for these celebrations.
  • Sacrament of Confirmation – The celebration of Confirmation will not take place until Fall.
  • Celebrations of First Holy Communion – Pastors may celebrate First Holy Communions but must observe all of the protocols in place (including the occupancy limits for the church).
  • Sacrament of Matrimony – Pastors may celebrate weddings in accord with the protocols in place for the celebration of Mass.  These protocols are likewise to be applied when a marriage is celebrated outside of Mass.
  • Sacrament of Penance – all current precautions and protocols regarding the celebration of the Sacrament of Penance remain in place.  DRIVE-UP confessions continue to be prohibited.
  • Funerals – Pastors may celebrate funeral Masses in the parish church as long as all protocols for physical distancing are applied.  Funeral directors will need to explain the limits on the number of people who may be in attendance and the requirement that they wear masks.  All attendees are to be seated BEFORE the liturgy begins.  The presider alone may conduct the rituals at the doors of the church prior to the entrance procession.  If Mass is celebrated, Holy Communion is to be distributed at the conclusion of Mass and after the prayers of Final Commendation.  The faithful are to then proceed directly to their cars.  The funeral directors can attend to the casket in the recessional procession.
  • Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick – all current precautions and protocols remain in place.
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