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Thursday, April 2, 2020
Southern Cross, Page 2
Pope Francis raises the monstrance during eucharistic adoration at the end
of Mass March 30, 2020, in the chapel of his Vatican residence, the Domus
Sanctae Marthae. The pope offered the Mass for “the many people who cannot
cope, who remain frightened by this pandemic.” (CNS photo/Vatican Media)
Vatican asks bishops to
help faithful celebrate
Holy Week, Easter at
home
VATICAN CITY (CNS)
he Vatican has asked
Catholic bishops around
the world, both in the
Latin rite and the Eastern
Catholic Churches, to provide
their faithful with resources
to support personal and family
prayer during Holy Week
and at Easter, especially
where COVID-19 restrictions
prevent them from going to
church. The Congregation for
Eastern Churches, publishing
“indications” March 25 for the
Paschal celebrations in the
churches it supports, urged the
heads of the churches to issue
concrete, specific norms for the
celebrations “in accordance
with the measures established
by the civil authorities for the
containment of the contagion.”
The statement was signed by
Cardinal Leonardo Sandri,
congregation prefect, and
asked the Eastern churches
to “arrange, and distribute
through the means of social
communication, aids that
allow an adult of the family
to explain to the little ones
the ‘mystagogy’ (religious
meaning) of the rites that
under normal conditions would
be celebrated in the church
with the assembly present.”
The Congregation for Divine
Worship and the Sacraments,
updating a note originally
published March 20, also
asked that bishops’ conferences
and dioceses “see to it that
resources are provided to
support family and personal
prayer” during Holy Week and
Easter where they cannot go to
Mass.
Quebec dioceses start
layoffs as anti-COVID-19
measures get stricter
QUEBEC CITY (CNS)
A s the Quebec government
tightens measures to
prevent the spread of
COVTD-19 and allows only
essential services, the Catholic
dioceses of the province have
started temporary layoffs
affecting hundreds of Catholic
employees and priests. The
Quebec government has
ordered the closure of all
nonessential businesses
through April 13. Churches
and other institutions of a
religious or spiritual nature
are not on the government’s
list of essential services. The
Diocese of Saint-Hyacinthe
announced March 23 that
it is laying off all staff
at its diocesan center. It
recommended parishes do
the same. “Unless there is
a real need, I recommend to
the parishes of the diocese
to temporarily lay off, as
of Friday, March 27, all
personnel, including priests,
so that they can benefit from
employment insurance,” said
Bishop Christian Rodembourg.
He called the provisions
‘heartbreaking. I do so,
however, in the hope that they
will help us get back on track
as soon as possible,” he added.
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LITURGICAL DIRECTIVES: HOLY WEEK
GENERAL NOTES
• The public celebration of Holy Mass was
suspended until April 5 with the hope that
we could celebrate Holy Week and the
Sacred Triduum with our people: unfortu
nately, we are unable to do this. The pub
lic celebration of Mass will continue to be
suspended through Holy Week until notice
is given that the faithful may again attend
mass.
• If needed, a lector, server or musician
may be present if proper social distanc
ing can occur and they are not forced to
violate any local protocol (e.g., shelter in
place/shelter at home).
• It is understood that parishes with multiple
priests will be concelebrating the liturgies.
• Deacons may also serve if they are agree
able to it and if the local pastor requests it.
PALM SUNDAY: APRIL 5, 2020
• Palm Sunday mass will not be celebrated
publicly.
• The faithful derive great consolation from
the possession of the blessed palms: this
sacramental is a reminder of the Lord’s
Passion and is a sign of God's providential
care against danger.
• Please do not cancel your orders for
palms, nor leave the palms out for peo
ple to pick them up. Rather, because of
concerns for people handling the palms,
determine a way to distribute them that
would take this into account.
• Since there will be no public celebra
tion, the option for a procession is not to
be used. The Second Form (The Solemn
Entrance) or the Third Form (The Simple
Entrance) is to be used.