Archbishop Miller readying plans to gradually open Vancouver churches

Update: On May 15, Archbishop J. Michael Miller released guidelines on the celebration of Mass in the Archdiocese of Vancouver that will allow the reopening of some churches to public Masses with a maximum of 50 people as early as May 23-24.  See story here.

As the B.C. government prepares for a gradual reopening of businesses and return of various events after the COVID-19 outbreak, the Archbishop of Vancouver is doing the same.

On May 8, the archbishop’s office released a statement saying it is preparing guidelines that will direct how Masses with fewer than 50 people can take place.

For now the exact guidelines are unknown. Archbishop J. Michael Miller only said the return to publicly celebrating Mass “will be gradual” and “informed by our provincial health authorities, who have guided the province prudently through the early phase of the pandemic.”

Until those guidelines are published, he said the suspension of the obligation to attend Sunday Mass and the restriction on celebrating Mass with a congregation both remain in effect.

In a video interview (watch below), Archbishop Miller said the plan is to reopen most churches, although in “very small churches, physical distancing might not be available.”

The archbishop said other details that remain to be worked out include how to determine who can enter the church, how to sanitize the church, and how to distribute Communion. He raised the possibility of the faithful receiving Communion after Mass so the necessary precautions can be taken without interrupting the flow of the Mass.

As for other large gatherings such as confirmation and Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults classes, the archbishop said it may be possible for small gatherings to take place, but not large.

Catholics in the Archdiocese of Vancouver have not been able to participate in a public Mass since March 21. That means eight missed Sundays, including Easter – which many devout faithful have lamented since the restrictions came into effect.

Closed churches have also meant missed Sunday collections, although it’s still too early to tell what the financial implications of the current health crisis will be on parishes and the archdiocese. Archdiocesan finance officials are working to get a clear picture of the overall impact as parishes are being affected in different ways.