Diocese encourages return to church, lifts many COVID-based protocols

REVISIONS OF CURRENT COVID PROTOCOLS

INTRODUCTION

The Bishops of New Jersey have ended the dispensation from the obligation to attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation effective June 5-6, 2021, the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ.  The faithful are to return to the practice of participating at weekly celebration of Mass in-church.  As is always the case, the obligation does not apply to the sick, those with underlying health conditions, and those who remain fearful of COVID-19 transmission.

Effective May 28, 2021, N.J. Gov. Phil Murphy lifted the mandates requiring the wearing of masks and social distancing. Yet, recognizing that the COVID-19 pandemic remains active, wearing a mask is an option for those who wish to do so.  The clergy and faithful should use their best judgment to protect their own health and the health of their neighbors. Moreover, those who are not fully vaccinated are strongly encouraged to wear a mask. Limits on church capacity to pre-pandemic levels will be lifted on June 4, 2021.

In light of these developments, the protocols regulating the celebration of Mass and Sacraments in effect since June 2020 are greatly modified, if not ended. The following guidance is provided to facilitate an orderly and careful return to parish life. No one is to be refused the Sacraments due to vaccination status.

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