Rio Grande Valley residents attending Mass in the Catholic of Diocese of Brownsville churches will have to continue to follow strict safety protocols enacted by the diocese last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The faithful will need to continue to wear face masks, disinfect their hands and practice social distancing while attending Mass, diocese officials said.
Although the Centers for Disease Control and Protection released new guidelines on Thursday that stated fully vaccinated people would no longer have to wear masks while indoors, the diocese will still mandate parishioners to wear facial coverings while attending Mass.
“For the moment all the protocols for the diocese will remain in place,” said Brenda Nettles Riojas, spokeswoman for the diocese, on Friday.
As of December 2020, the total Catholic population in the Brownsville Diocese is 1,171,182. There are 72 parishes and 44 missions.
Bishop Daniel Flores announced on May 22, 2020 that the churches could reopen on May 25, 2020 with safety protocols in place after he ordered them closed in March of that year for about three months because of coronavirus pandemic.
Those protocols include practicing social distancing, the mandatory wearing of face masks and parishioners will be required to disinfect their hands as they enter and leave the church. Flores also issued special instructions for parishioners receiving Holy Communion.
Capacity in the churches is limited and every other church pew is blocked off.
