New Catholic Mass Guidelines In RI Ahead Of Regulation Changes

PROVIDENCE, RI — New rules are coming for parishes in Rhode Island on May 7 as the state's coronavirus restrictions loosen, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence announced this week. Every other pew will no longer be required to be blocked off, and certain activities off-limits throughout the pandemic will be allowed to resume.

When the new rules go into effect May 7, businesses and houses of worship in Rhode Island will be allowed to return to 80 percent capacity, and spacing requirements will be lowered from 6 feet to 3 feet.

That means that parishes will no longer be required to close off every other pew, and the diocese asked that churches remove plexiglass, ropes, tape and signs related to coronavirus restrictions. Tickets and reservation systems, frequently used for busy holidays and other popular times, should no longer be used, the diocese said.

"In order to facilitate a more welcoming environment, pastors are asked to make the additional effort to avoid any unnecessary social restrictions on the faithful," the diocese said in a statement.

As restrictions lift, Rhode Island Catholics are again encouraged to return to weekly mass. Regular, weekdays mass schedules will be allowed to resume, as well. Bishop Thomas Tobin previously suspended the requirement that Catholics attend mass weekly at the beginning of the pandemic, just days before all masses were suspended in March 2020. As the first wave subsided, churches were allowed to reopen under extremely strict guidelines.

Those serving in the liturgy, especially the priest, will no longer be required to wear a mask under the new rules. All members of the congregation must continue to wear a mask.

In addition, processions to and from the altar can resume, and hymnals and other books can again be used. Holy water fonts at church entrances can be refilled, as well.

Singing, which was discouraged throughout the pandemic since it increases the spread of respiratory particles, can be expanded under the new rules. Both members of the congregation and choirs will be allowed, provided proper spacing of 3 feet is maintained.

Baskets can again be passed for collections, though ushers are encouraged to do so, rather than from person-to-person, to avoid unnecessary contact. Similarly, priests can again give the directive to offer the sign of the peace, though attendees should do so without physically touching, the diocese said.

In a major change from earlier in the pandemic, communion will no longer be distributed at the end of mass, instead at the usual time in the mass structure. Congregants will be able to receive communion on the tongue, if they choose. Communal wine will still be off-limits under the new guidelines.

Although frequent environmental cleaning and sanitizing will be encouraged, churches will not have to clean pews after every mass. Churches should continue to keep hand sanitizing stations at entrances to encourage attendees to clean their hands as they enter. When possible, churches are encouraged to continue with proper ventilation practices, either by opening windows or using filters on the HVAC system.

Despite the loosened restrictions, the diocese encouraged all attendees to maintain the 3-foot recommended spacing between others, and to avoid gathering in groups at the entrances and in aisles.

Related: 100% Capacity, Unlimited Social Gatherings Coming To RI