PANJIM: The Archbishop of Goa, Reverend Filipe Neri Ferrao, has issued a Circular on Wednesday permitting the gradual opening of the Churches, Chapels and Shrines in the State.
He has directed the priest in charge of each place of worship to seriously consider, after careful deliberation, if he is able to meet the requirements of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) of the government and of the Diocesan Guidelines, especially regarding the regular and proper sanitisation of the premises, having in place a sufficient number of hand sanitizers, infrared thermometers and other equipment. He is then to ask for due permission from the Archbishop through the respective Episcopal Vicar, who will send his delegate to verify that all the conditions are fulfilled in each place of worship. The written permission will be given only on the recommendation of the delegate.
“On receipt of the petition, the Diocesan Authority will send his delegate for an on-site inspection and will grant the requested permission only if he is satisfied that the church or chapelshrine can in fact comply with all the requirements,” he said.
“The places of worship should not be opened to the faithful before this permission is granted in writing. The time required to comply with the safety protocols may vary from place to place,” the Archbishop added.
Further, sacred places such as churches and other places of worship situated in containment or buffer zones will continue to remain closed and ‘vulnerable’ worshippers are discouraged from coming to the church.
In his Circular, the Archbishop cautions the priests in charge to realize the seriousness of the situation and to proceed with great prudence and discernment.
He also added that “finally, it is the responsibility of each individual faithful to decide when he/she should attend the religious services in the current situation.”
For the faithful, It is to be noted that only the asymptomatic people will be allowed inside the premise for worship.
Wearing of face mask, use of hand sanitisers and thermal temperature checks are to be made mandatory before allowing the faithful to enter the premises.
Senior citizens above 65 years, children below 10 years, pregnant women, those with comorbidities like hypertension, diabetes, heart, lung and kidney ailments; and those residing in containment zone or undergoing home quarantine, have been discouraged from visiting churches.
It may be recalled that churches along with other religious places in the State have been closed for devotees since mid-March, March in wake of the COVID outbreak.
The Archbishop in the circular issued to the Parish Priests, Chaplains and Rectors of Churches/Shrines, stated the decision for gradual re-opening of churches had been taken after assessing the situation in hand and taking into consideration the need to offer adequate spiritual and pastoral care to the faithful; as well as the directives of the civil authorities; and the suggestions of their close collaborators.
“It is in this spirit that the present proposal for the gradual reopening of our places of worship is made, in keeping with the guidelines of the government and of the health authorities,” the Archbishop said.
However, all meetings or programmes of PPCs, SCCs, Associations, Movements and other groups as well as community devotional practices and retreats continue to remain suspended. Catechesis and faith-formation programmes for children and adults that require them to gather together are to be deferred till further instructions and online meetings are to be encouraged.
Further, the ‘Coordinating Team’, under the chairmanship of the Priest in charge, has to be put in place; to make the necessary arrangements in the light of the directives of the Church and of the civil authorities; to facilitate the process of the gradual opening of the place of worship, monitor the implementation of all the guidelines and periodically evaluate it, in view of the safety of the faithful.
