sunday mass - CathNews New Zealand https://cathnews.co.nz Catholic News New Zealand Thu, 13 Aug 2020 23:27:22 +0000 en-NZ hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.1 https://cathnews.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/cropped-cathnewsfavicon-32x32.jpg sunday mass - CathNews New Zealand https://cathnews.co.nz 32 32 70145804 No Masses in Wellington this weekend https://cathnews.co.nz/2020/08/13/no-masses-wellington/ Thu, 13 Aug 2020 06:01:44 +0000 https://cathnews.co.nz/?p=129602 no masses

The Archbishop of Wellington, Cardinal John Dew, in a letter to parish leaders has announced that he has suspended all masses and parish activities which involve gatherings until 18 August. "This means there will be no Masses this weekend, and the dispensation from the Sunday obligation is in place." The dispensation also applies to the Read more

No Masses in Wellington this weekend... Read more]]> The Archbishop of Wellington, Cardinal John Dew, in a letter to parish leaders has announced that he has suspended all masses and parish activities which involve gatherings until 18 August.

"This means there will be no Masses this weekend, and the dispensation from the Sunday obligation is in place."

The dispensation also applies to the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which is a Holy Day of Obligation and falls on Saturday.

The New Zealand Catholic Bishops have written a letter to priests and parish leaders about the increased COVID-19 alert levels which came into effect at midday on Wednesday 12 August. The situation is to be reviewed on Friday.

Auckland has been put on Alert Level 3. The rest of New Zealand is at less restricting Alert Level 2.

The letter reminds people of the restrictions that apply at each of the alert levels.

"This letter assumes they [ the alert levels] will continue at least until next week.

We will provide additional updates as needed."

The bishops note that parts of the country could be returned to Alert Level 1 at midnight on Friday.

Should this occur, they have left the decision about Mass and communion restrictions to the diocese or parish so long as the Ministry of Health guidelines are met.

They note that the Government could change the existing guidelines.

In Auckland where Alert Level 3 has been enforced Bishop Patrick Dunn has chosen to take a "wait and see" approach.

In a post on his Facebook Page Dunn said: "We are not sure what this will mean for our weekend Masses as there is the possibility that this period of Level 3 restrictions could be extended if community tracing has not been successful.

However, we are hopeful that things will return to normal after Friday, and that our weekend Masses will be on.

I will keep you all updated as we get more clarity in the coming days."

The Christchurch diocese envisages that weekday and Sunday Mass will be offered subject to the ability of parishes to accommodate the conditions of the alert level existing at that particular time.

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No Masses in Wellington this weekend]]> 129602 Virus causes cancellation of Sunday Mass https://cathnews.co.nz/2020/03/18/sunday-mass-jeopardy/ Wed, 18 Mar 2020 07:19:10 +0000 https://cathnews.co.nz/?p=125220 Sunday Mass

With Sunday Mass suspended at least one venue more suspensions are likely to follow as the Catholic Church responds to the coronavirus. The dean of St Patrick's Cathedral in Auckland, Father Peter Tipene has already announced that he is suspending all Sunday Masses. He says the 7 am and 12.15 pm weekday Masses will continue Read more

Virus causes cancellation of Sunday Mass... Read more]]> With Sunday Mass suspended at least one venue more suspensions are likely to follow as the Catholic Church responds to the coronavirus.

The dean of St Patrick's Cathedral in Auckland, Father Peter Tipene has already announced that he is suspending all Sunday Masses.

He says the 7 am and 12.15 pm weekday Masses will continue to be celebrated, as the threshold of 100 is not often passed at these Masses.

Thursday, the New Zealand Minister of Health, David Clark announced the cancellation of all indoor events of more than 100 people.

This will likely have significant country-wide implications not only for Sunday Masses but also for the likes of confirmations, first holy communion, funeral and marriage services.

Reacting to the Government's decision, the Catholic Bishop of Auckland says he wants to keep people regularly informed of the measures the diocese is taking to keep us all safe.

"As we know, this is a rapidly-changing situation," Dunn said on his Facebook page.

"We are carefully and calmly reviewing the advice from the Ministry of Health and will keep you informed of all decisions we have been obliged to make."

Dunn said that while the Mass is the core and source of Catholic identity, people who are ill, self-isolating or believe that attending Mass would put others at risk should stay at home.

He said such people in the Auckland diocese are dispensed from the obligation to attend Sunday Mass under these circumstances.

"Older adults, people with underlying medical conditions, and family members of such individuals should take special care in discerning Mass attendance."

"At times like these, our faith will help sustain us, and united with Christ we are never alone. Just as Jesus will never abandon us, so too is the Church committed to walking alongside all who are distressed and suffering."

Communications adviser for the NZ Catholic Bishops, David McLoughlin says the New Zealand Bishops will issue national guidelines in response to Thursday's announcement.

The new measures announced by the government, do not apply to workplaces, schools, supermarkets or public transport.

In Australia, where the limit placed on indoor gatherings is 100, there has been a wide-spread cancellation of Sunday masses.

Many dioceses in the United States have stopped having Sunday mass.

The New Zealand restriction on outdoor gatherings remains 500.

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Virus causes cancellation of Sunday Mass]]> 125220