Quebec Assembly of Bishops Cancels all Sunday Masses

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The Quebec Government recently banned all gatherings of 250 or more. Quebec bishops have said that since it is impossible to control the number of people attending a Mass, all Saturday evening and Sunday Masses and all Sunday Liturgy of the Word services are canceled until further notice.

Unprecedented! I wonder what my abbey will do? They’re of pontifical right and Sunday Mass is usually packed. However in these sorts of preventive measures, the abbey usually follows the local archdiocese.
 
Pretty extreme reaction. Why not just count people as they go in, and close the doors at 250?
 
Because most of these recommendations with a 250 limit are coming with suggestion to ban smaller gatherings too.
 
The bulletin also mentioned the large number of parishioners over 65 who are more at risk.

I suppose it might have been possible to say to all over 65 or with chronic health conditions to stay home but you know how it is with us geezers when it comes to being stubborn about going to Mass. So for our safety it probably makes sense to ban Mass.
 
I’m hoping it won’t get to this point here in New Zealand.

If it does, it will be for the safety of parishioners, but I just hope it won’t get to that point.
 
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My diocese has issued rules for avoiding the spread of COVID-19. Among them:
  • Hand sanitizer for priests and extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion before and after distribution of Holy Communion.
  • No reception of the Sacred Host on the tongue.
  • No reception of the Blood of Christ.
  • No handshakes or handholding.
  • No holy water.
 
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Shocking. I hope the rest of Canada does not follow Quebec on this. I wonder if Masses were canceled during the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, which had a much higher death rate.
 
I thought I read somewhere that they had been.

ETA: 1918 Archbishop John Glennon of St Louis suspended the Sunday obligation. However, the city had already banned public gatherings of more than 20 people.
 
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Is the collection basket still passed around? When I was at Mass on Sunday I was just shaking my head. No holy water - fine. No reception on the tongue - fine. No chalice - fine as it’s not normally distributed here anyway. Collection basket? Pass it around! Make sure everyone in the church puts their disgusting virus ridden hands all over it! Don’t get it.

I couldn’t bless myself with holy water. I get it - thats fine. No option to receive on the tongue - I get it, that’s fine. But I sure as heck was fully expected to take the collection basket from the elderly coughing lady next to me. Sometimes the logic in these situations just escapes me. The measures taken seem random and half hearted.
 
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While I’ve seen them in other parishes, all the parishes I’ve belonged to have had the baskets with long handles. No need for anyone to touch it except for the guy taking up the offering.
 
@twf: Each usher has a basket on a long pole. So the congregants don’t have to touch it. Most people drop in paper slips (about the size of business cards) saying they support the church through online donations.
 
Yes, those are common around here too… but at the parish I was at on Sunday they pass baskets around… and it just seemed odd after making announcements corona virus precautions.
 
njlisa said:
@twf: Each usher has a basket on a long pole. So the congregants don’t have to touch it. Most people drop in paper slips (about the size of business cards) saying they support the church through online donations.
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We have those slips here but I haven’t bothered with them. I figure that those who must know I donate through automatic payment already do.
 
The Archdiocese of Moncton has ordered the cancellation of all Sunday Masses for the entire province of New Brunswick, since the other 3 dioceses are its suffragans. It’s allowing lightly-attended daily Mass to be celebrated, as well as Baptisms.


Archdiocese of Halifax-Yarmouth cancelled theirs starting next weekend. For this weekend it’s worship as usual, minus Communion from rhe chalice, physical contact at the Sign of Peace, and Holy Water in the stoups.
 
The prior of the abbey wrote to me today to say the abbey is considering having their conventual Mass behind closed doors. There are three monks in their 90s and several in their 80’s, some with serious chronic health issues. That would seem prudent; they also cancelled a thank you lunch for their volunteers of which I am here.
 
OraLabora said:
The prior of the abbey wrote to me today to say the abbey is considering having their conventual Mass behind closed doors. There are three monks in their 90s and several in their 80’s, some with serious chronic health issues. That would seem prudent; they also cancelled a thank you lunch for their volunteers of which I am here.
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That would be the most prudent thing they could do. You can’t expose these men to this.
 
That makes sense. I hope the local abbey where I am will do the same, since most of the brothers and most of the lay people who attend are well past 65, and some of the brothers are frail.
 
Our Archdiocese (Vancouver) has just limited Masses to 250 people per… that will be a big problem for many parishes. First come first served. The archbishop’s letter basically says that if you show up and can’t get in (worshipper number 251), you should try to get to a later Mass, but your obligation is lifted. So we are still expected to try, but it’s understood that many of us won’t get in. I’ll try at least one morning Mass… then an afternoon Mass… and finally an evening Mass. we’ll see.
 
My diocese has not cancelled Masses at this point, and those who wish to attend may do so, but the obligation has been suspended until further notice. For those who do wish to attend, rules are in effect such as no peace sign, no chalice, Communion in the hand only (does not apply to EF Masses), etc.
 
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