In the light of spiking numbers of new COVID cases and the likely increase in those numbers in the upcoming holiday season, Cardinal Seán is mandating that throughout the archdiocese all people attending public Masses, including weddings and funerals, wear masks. This mandate takes effect the weekend of December 18/19, 2021, and expires on January 17, 2022.

Mass celebrants, deacons, readers, servers, choir members, and instrumentalists, should all wear masks except when they are speaking.

Children under the age of five are not required to wear masks. Children under the age of two should not wear masks.

In addition, all churches must continue to provide a designated area in which social distancing is respected for those who want to use it.

Parishes should have masks available for people inasmuch as possible, as some people attending especially on Christmas may not be expecting to need masks.