Archbishop Gomez has posted these announcements on the
archdiocese website. The full announcement is attached below.
LITURGICAL GUIDELINES FOR THE YEAR 2020 DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC (Updated: March 24, 2020)
GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS
- Parish churches, chapels, centers, and missions are to be closed to the public effective March 24, 2020 until April 19, 2020 (inclusive), or until further notice.
- Church offices are to be closed to the public. Pastors may allow a minimal number of parish staff members (less than 10) to continue working in the office provided that social distancing is observed. For example, while the office is closed to the public, staff members can still answer telephones, answer emails, process payroll. If these functions can be performed remotely from home, this would obviously be ideal and diminish the risk of contagion.
MASS
- The public celebration of Mass has been suspended in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles until April 19, 2020 (inclusive), or until further notice. Priests are encouraged to continue celebrating Mass for their faithful but should take the form of a “Private Mass” (i.e. without a congregation) in their church or chapel and be live-streamed. One or two ministers may assist the priest.
RECONCILIATION/CONFESSION
- Parishes are to cancel all Lenten penance services and suspend all regularly scheduled confession times.
- Priests may offer the Sacrament of Reconciliation only in danger of death or extremely extraordinary situations. Please observe social distancing, while at the same time ensuring privacy for the penitent. There are no confessions by telephone, electronic means, or by “drive-up.”
ANOINTING OF THE SICK
- Priests are to attend to the needs of those who ask for the Anointing of the Sick. If a priest is sick or considered to be a high-risk individual (e.g. above 65 years of age, suffers from respiratory conditions, immunocompromised, etc.), he should request assistance from another priest.
HOLY WEEK
- The Archbishop will celebrate the Chrism Mass in the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels on April 6, 2020. Instead of attending, priests and the faithful are encouraged to view the Cathedral’s livestream of the Mass. Additionally, the Archbishop will celebrate the liturgies of the Sacred Paschal Triduum at the Cathedral, which will also be live-streamed.
Links to live-streamed masses as well as the archdiocese website can be found on the parish website:
www.stmaxchurch.org