WelCom March 2022
Cardinal John Dew has written to priests and lay pastoral leaders, urging them to relieve the anxiety of parishioners by clearly having precautions in place for their safety.
‘This may involve going beyond the government’s guidelines in some areas, such as by not singing, and requiring the priests and other ministers to be masked,’ the Cardinal wrote in his letter of February 17.
At the current Red Level of the Covid-19 Protection Framework, gatherings of vaccinated people are limited to 100 people. A Mass registration process is in place to manage numbers attending Masses.
The Cardinal goes on to say that if the cases of Omicron in your area ‘rise to a point where you think you need to cancel Masses for safety reasons, or if you contract the virus or need to self-isolate, please remind the people that the dispensation from the Sunday obligation is in place.
‘Also ask them not to try to attend Masses in other parishes as they will be trying to provide for their own people within the 100-person limit.’
The Cardinal writes that while it is important to prepare for Lent and Holy Week, we have to acknowledge that we may not be able to gather for the Easter ceremonies this year, as happened in 2020.
The Cardinal’s letter was accompanied by guidelines for Parish Liturgy Committees preparing for the Easter liturgical celebrations in a Covid environment. Guidelines include a number of adaptations in liturgical practice. These include sprinkling ashes on the head on Ash Wednesday without saying anything, rather than the usual practice of applying ashes to the forehead. On Palm Sunday there are to be no processions. Palms will be blessed in baskets near the altar and collected by the faithful as they depart. There will also be no Washing of the Feet at the Mass of the Lord’s Supper.
Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception 8 December
‘As has been the custom for many years an archdiocesan Mass will be celebrated on our diocesan feast day, 7pm, Thursday 8 December, at St Teresa’s Pro-Cathedral, Karori. The archdiocese will again be entrusted to the care of Mary under the title of the Immaculate Conception at this Mass. Parishes are asked to renew that Consecration on the following Sunday, 11 December, at All parish Masses.’ – Cardinal John Dew
Dates and events – what’s on
December 2022
If you would like your event listed on this page, please send an outline to welcom@wn.catholic.org.nz including name of event, date, time, location and contact.
Pope Francis registers for the next World Youth Day in Lisbon
At the conclusion of the Sunday Angelus, Pope Francis registered for the next World Youth Day to be held in Lisbon, Portugal, in August 2023. Assisted and accompanied by Portuguese university students studying in Rome, the Pope tapped his way to becoming the first officially registered pilgrim for World Youth Day.