Although the Catholic Diocese of Brownsville is amending some of its safety protocols and has said church members fully vaccinated against COVID-19 are no longer required to wear a face mask while attending Mass, they are encouraged to do so.
Bishop Daniel E. Flores, of the CDOB, made the announcement on Thursday where he provided additional updates to the diocese safety protocols. In addition, churches will once again be allowed to use all pews, but families must sit 3 feet away from one another.
“But because we have looked at the situation now, which has improved because so many people have been vaccinated and people are taking precautions, and because of that the situation has improved and so we are able to restore the practice of using every pew for the seating of people at Sunday Mass,” Flores said.
Lectors who have been vaccinated won’t have to wear facial masks while doing the Mass readings since they will be at a distance from other church members, Flores said.
“That danger is not as acute there, but I am asking people who are serving on the altars, the deacons and altar servers” and musicians to continue to wear their masks, Flores said
Church members who have not been vaccinated will need to continue to wear face masks. The church will not be asking for proof of vaccination.
“I am going to trust that people will be responsible… I must say people in the Valley have been very responsible and will continue to do so,” the bishop said.
The updated protocols take effect on Saturday.
The Centers for Disease Control and Protection on May 13 released new guidelines that stated fully vaccinated people would no longer have to wear masks while indoors, but the diocese at that time stated parishioners would need to continue to wear facial coverings while attending Mass.
In the updated protocols Flores announced Thursday, church members will be able to receive communion on the tongue or in the hand. The temporary suspension of receiving wine from the chalice remains in effect.
“We are encouraging and we continue to encourage those who have not been vaccinated they should be vaccinated if at all possible,” Flores said. Many churches in the diocese are providing vaccination clinics for those individuals who want to get vaccinated but have not been able to make it to any of the other clinics because of transportation or other issues.
Flores said priests in the diocese were relieved and supportive of the updated protocols that were announced.
“I have never felt any pressure to act any sooner than I felt was needed and the priests have felt that way also. I think we have timed this appropriately based on how the conditions are on the ground and I think they are happy that basically things are getting better.”
However, Flores added the pandemic is not over and that everyone needs to continue to monitor the conditions. “It’s not out of the question that during the summer or in the early fall that we could have some changes, maybe a variant, and we have to watch that. If we have to go back to something stricter we certainly will not hesitate to do so.”
The bishop 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 the coronavirus pandemic.
Those protocols included practicing social distancing, the mandatory wearing of face masks and parishioners would be required to disinfect their hands as they enter and leave the church. Flores also issued special instructions for parishioners receiving Holy Communion.
