July 1 Covid-19 Update: Archbishop Directives

Directives for Churches and Liturgies for the Archdiocese of Sydney under current COVIDSafe restrictions from 1 July 2020

From Wednesday 1 July 2020:

•  churches in the Archdiocese shall be reopened and Sunday Masses resumed

• the maximum number of people allowed in the church at one time shall be determined by dividing the total area in square metres by four (‘The four square metre rule’); the maximum number allowed in this church at the one time is therefore 100 worshipers can attend SCB and 66 worshipers can attend at OLQO; the parish priest or designated delegate must supervise this

• this applies to private prayer, Confessions, Masses, Baptisms, Weddings, Funerals, Eucharistic Adoration, the Divine Office, Rosary in common, Bible study etc.

• contact details of all those entering the church (name and phone number or email address of one adult in each family) must be recorded, either by registering online or signing up at the door

• current spatial distancing directions (people are asked to keep least 1½m from each other) and hygiene directions (including hand sanitizing and regularly disinfecting the church) must be observed; attendees are to sit only in marked places, to queue at a distance from others,  and to take care when coughing or sneezing

•  congregational singing is still suspended and in the Ordinary Form of the Latin Rite in Australia, Holy Communion is normally received in the hand under the form of the Body of Christ only; great care should be taken when exercising the option of Communion on the tongue;

• those who are unwell or at high risk must not attend (they might ask that Holy Communion be brought to them at home); those over 70 should exercise particular caution

• as the 4m² rule and prudential concerns will prevent many of the faithful attending, all but priests continue for the time being to be dispensed from the obligation of attending Sunday Mass; but those who are at low risk of infection and able should do so are exhorted to take all reasonable steps to attend Sunday Mass

• the faithful who do not attend Sunday Mass should keep Sunday holy by setting aside some time for prayer at home, reading the Scriptures of the day, and/or watching Mass on television or online, asking God for the graces they would normally receive in Holy Communion (‘spiritual communion’); they might attend a weekday where possible or pray before the Blessed Sacrament during the week.