ILLINOIS (WAND) - The Diocese of Springfield has announced its parishes can return to hosting Mass as soon as the weekend of June 6-7.
Bishop Thomas Paprocki made the announcement in a Thursday letter. He said while churches will have service, there will be restrictions in place that are in line with Phase 3 of Gov. JB Pritzker's Restore Illinois plan.
Attendance at each parish will be limited to 25 percent of capacity. Attendants will be asked to maintain appropriate distancing.
The Diocese said its staff had already started preparing a training and certification process that allows parishes to safely reopen with precautions. This includes detailed cleaning protocols and communication plans to parishioners.
Each parish is required to have a Parish Response Team. These teams must attend a mandatory training webinar and hand in a readiness checklist for certification before Mass can happen.
"As Christian citizens, Catholics of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois have made a profound and consequential sacrifice for the sake of the greater good by foregoing the most sacred sacrament of our faith - the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass,” said Paprocki. "We have done so with particular concern to do our part in preventing a surge in hospitalizations that may have overwhelmed health system capacity and out of concern for the most vulnerable among us. We have all done our best to unite in prayer and acts of spiritual communion during this time, offering this sacrifice for the good of our neighbor.
It is now time for the Church to return to the proper practice of the faith and celebration of Mass, which we will do responsibly and safely, with proper preparation, precautions, and safe distancing.”
The full contents of Paprocki's letter are attached to this story.
