Masks required, vaccination passports not, at most religious gatherings in archdiocese

Parish meetings and youth events can go ahead without checking participants’ vaccine status at the door, but masks are still the order of the day.

In response to a multitude of questions from pastors and parishioners, the Archdiocese of Vancouver has released clarification on when masks and the new B.C. Vaccine Card are required at churches under current provincial government regulations, and when they are not.

“Yesterday we received greater clarity from the Provincial Health Office regarding vaccination requirements for non-worship meetings, programs, and events at parishes,” begins the guidance letter, released today.

“In simplest terms, masks are required for all indoor events, meetings, and programs (archdiocesan requirement) and proof of vaccination is generally not.”

In the Archdiocese of Vancouver, masks are mandatory for all indoor events at parish facilities, including Mass, meetings, PREP classes, youth events, and others.

Exceptions to this rule are the same as those outlined by B.C. health authorities: masks are not required for people with health conditions or a physical, cognitive, or mental impairment that prevents them from wearing a mask, people who cannot remove a mask on their own, children under age 12, and people who need to remove their masks to communicate due to someone’s hearing impairment.

Proof of vaccination is not required to attend any Mass, worship service, church reception immediately following a worship service, meeting in a faith-based setting with a worship component, or indoor gathering of less than 50 people. This likely describes about 90 per cent of parish events.

The letter says this means government-instituted vaccination cards are not required to attend PREP or RCIA classes; pastoral council meetings; Catholic Women’s League or Knights of Columbus meetings; Alpha, Discovery or other faith study programs; prayer groups; youth groups and activities; choir practices; indoor recreational sports for people 19 years old or younger; and meetings with fewer than 50 participants.

Proof of vaccination will be, however, required for social events with more than 50 people, such as wedding receptions or funeral receptions not held immediately after the funeral, or other organized parties of more than 50 people in a parish hall.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said in August that proof of vaccination will not be required to access religious services, health care, retail, or grocery settings. She has said the province is “looking at all options” and asked faith leaders to encourage “only immunized people” to attend services, although she hasn’t said the government has enforcement in mind.

“Those are decisions that faith leaders, communities, church groups, choirs, make for themselves; they don’t need an order from me to do that.”

Proof of vaccination cards will bar anyone who has not had at least one dose of a Canadian-approved COVID vaccine from entering a wide variety of social events and venues in B.C. starting Sept. 13. The cards will be used to require two doses of a COVID vaccine to access those same scenes beginning Oct. 24.

Archbishop J. Michael Miller has voiced his support of getting the vaccine, calling it the “best protection” against the virus.

“Some people for health reasons or for maybe even for other reasons are not vaccinated or will not be vaccinated. Then, it’s up to them to keep the older way of not spreading disease. It’s up to them to be more conscientious about masking and social distancing,” he said in an interview prior to the government’s announcement of vaccination passports.

At press time, the total number of COVID cases in B.C. since the start of the pandemic was 171,564. Of that number, 5,550 people were currently ill, 261 people were in hospital, and 163,793 had recovered. There is a total of 1,842 confirmed deaths since March 2020.

The number of COVID cases, deaths, and recoveries is constantly changing. The latest numbers can be accessed here. Restrictions related to the virus are also constantly changing: visit this B.C. government website for the latest.