PANJIM: Avoid daily mass and postpone marriage celebrations are some of the important instructions given by the Archbishop of Goa and Daman, Rev Filipe Neri Ferrao in wake of spread of nCOVID-19.
The advisory issued by the Archbishop says, “Coronavirus Disease (COVID – 19) has practically placed the whole world in a health emergency situation. Nationwide lockdowns have been imposed by some governments, as the pandemic keeps unravelling and threatening the life of entire populations. This unprecedented situation calls for unprecedented measures that we are required to adopt urgently”.
Hence, he said, instructions are necessitated by the fact that the virus spreads in a most subtle, unsuspecting and rapid manner.
The Archbishop added that the faithful are dispensed from the obligation, required by Can. 1247 – of participating in the Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation.
“In order to prevent community transmission of the virus, the faithful are advised not to go for daily mass, unless it is strictly necessary. They should, in any case, keep a distance of not less than a metre from one another. Children and those above 60 years of age; those who are under a bout of even a common cold; including cough, sneezing, runny nose or fever; those having co-existing ailments like hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, lung disease, cancer; those who have travelled from any of the virus-infected areas, outside or inside the country, after March 1, 2020, should strictly not take part in the Mass,” he said.
He further advised the priests to take sanitary precautions wherever mass is celebrated, even with a tiny congregation, before and after the distribution of Holy Communion.
“Weekly or other such novena services in our places of worship are hereby suspended with immediate effect,” he said.
He, however, advised pastors to keep the Churches/Chapels open during the day, at least for a few hours, with prior announcement, so that the faithful can come and pray privately.
“We do hereby revoke the recommendation we had made in our previous Circular (CP-Cir/10/2020) of 14th instant for an Hour of Adoration to be organized in our places of worship either on 20th or 27th of this month, both Fridays,” he said.
He also advised that the use of the confessional should be avoided for the celebration of this Sacrament.
“Priests are not to deny the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick and the Viaticum, whenever requested. However, the priest should sanitize his hands before and after touching the recipient and take other precautionary measures; such celebrations should avoid the gathering of many persons,” the Archbishop has advised.
He said that Baptism are to be celebrated taking the necessary sanitary precautions and with the participation of close family members only, provided they do not show symptoms of the disease or of a common cold. In case they, or even the godparents, show such symptoms, they are not to participate in the celebration.
“Funerals are to be celebrated only with the participation of the minister and of close family members, who are to take the necessary precautions. On the occasion of deaths, gatherings in the house of the deceased are to be avoided. Masses for the dead, with the participation of a large congregation, are to be rescheduled to a safer time,” he added.
The Archbishop said the above instructions are in addition to those issued by the President of the CBCI (Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India) on March 10 and endorsed by them on March 14.
