COVID-19 Update from Bishop Fabbro (Update #14)

With the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit moving into the Grey/Lockdown Level of Public Health measures on Monday, we must, unfortunately, make the changes  effective Monday, as outlined below. Charity means we must make these sacrifices to help ensure our neighbours are safe. We must care for others in our communities and our fellow parishioners, even if it means we cannot gather for a short time.

We thank all levels of government for their flexible approach to implementing these public health restrictions and their continued vigilance to keep us safe. I would also like to thank you, the faithful of our diocese. Your dedicated efforts during the pandemic have demonstrated that we are able to provide safe spaces in our churches.

I have not made these changes lightly. These new measures will further restrict participation in the sacraments and call forth sacrifices from the faithful in the Windsor-Essex area who have been drawing spiritual nourishment from the sacraments. The severity of the pandemic, however, means we must do our part, out of love, to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. 

While Windsor-Essex is in the Grey/Lockdown level, the following directives take effect Monday and remain in place until the area is moved back to the Red/Control level:  

• Public Masses and services in our churches are suspended. The faithful are asked to continue to pray at home and watch Mass online. Priests should continue to celebrate Mass privately.  
• Where the boundaries of a Family of Parishes cross county boundaries, all churches in the Family would come under the Government’s “Grey/Lockdown” requirements.
• Churches may open for private prayer, with a maximum occupancy of 10 people and with all other safety and cleaning protocols in place.   
• Weddings and Baptisms may be celebrated without a Mass, but provincial occupancy restrictions, a maximum of 10 people, including the priest, must be observed.
• Funeral wakes or services may also be held in the church with the same restrictions, or in a funeral home, with the restrictions put in place there.   
• Parish teams are encouraged to keep in contact with parishioners through telephone calls or other electronic means. Such calls could be a simple chat, praying a decade of the Rosary with the person or asking how we can be of help. 
• Priests may hear Confessions, by appointment, or in church, provided gathering restrictions of a maximum of 10 people, including the priest, are observed.  
• Parish offices are to close, and employees are asked to work from home. Employees may enter offices and churches to carry out essential duties only.  
• All regular meetings and social activities in parishes are cancelled. Sacramental preparation can continue online. Celebrations of First Confession, First Communion, and Confirmation will be postponed.  
• Events in parish halls and meeting areas should be cancelled unless they are deemed an essential service (e.g., childcare, Alcoholics Anonymous, social services).   
• Priests may preside at outdoor burial services but must obey gathering restrictions of a maximum of 10 people including the priest.   
• Mausoleums are closed to visitation. Interments are permitted with a maximum of 10 people including the priest. Cemetery grounds can remain open for individual and family visits.   
   

For London-Middlesex in Red/Control, church capacity limits are unchanged at 30 percent. There are changes, however, effective Monday to gathering limits and hall capacity limits. The details can be found at this link.

This is a time for us to unite in prayer. May we soon be able to resume public worship in our churches without restrictions. May God comfort those who have lost loved ones and return to full health those who are ill. May God keep our frontline healthcare workers safe and give them strength to care for the sick.  

Most Rev. Ronald P. Fabbro, C.S.B.
Bishop of London