Bishop Daniel E. Flores, of the Catholic Diocese of Brownsville, announced that he is withdrawing a general dispensation that excused Catholics from attending Sunday Mass and Holy Days of Obligation because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The dispensation withdrawal will take effect March 20, which means the normal obligations of Catholics attending Sunday Mass apply. “These obligations include participating in Sunday Mass and using good charitable judgment when approaching the sacred assembly,” Flores stated in a letter to members of the Diocese of Brownsville.
Flores said he arrived at the decision because conditions have improved and more people have decided to attend Mass in person. “This is a sign of great hope, and of our awareness as Catholics that to be charitable people the Lord calls us to be, we must, whenever possible, seek the Sacrament of Charity, Christ himself in the Eucharist.”
According to the Brownsville Diocese, there are 1,171,199 Catholics in the Rio Grande Valley.
The bishop said individuals who care for a sick person at home should stay with the person who is ill instead of attending Mass in person. “The Charity of Christ in the Mass itself requires that we not abandon the sick.” Flores added that if a person is feeling sick and may be experiencing mild systems of COVID-19, they should also stay home as to not endanger others.
“Individual Catholics and families must use their good judgment in those instances when to attend Mass, would place us or others in danger, or would cause us to neglect an obligation in Charity to someone at home,” Flores writes.
Although Flores encourages Catholics to attend Mass in person, the Diocese will continue to live stream the 11 a.m. Sunday Mass from the Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Brownsville.
Flores said parishioners attending Mass in person are strongly encouraged to continue to wear face masks and get vaccinated. They should also continue to practice safety protocols such as the disinfecting of hands and maintaining a reasonable distance between families.
“In some ways, the withdrawal of the dispensation is a sign of a tentative return to a kind of normalcy. But, at the same time, the lessons of these many months must not be forgotten. To worship the Father in union with Christ at the Mass is an obligation in conscience. So too is our obligation to live not for ourselves but for Christ and others. We move forward together keeping both obligations of love in mind,” Flores stated.
On March 13, 2020, Flores issued the dispensation in response to the pandemic in order to stem the spread of the highly contagious and life-threatening virus. He stated the faithful were dispensed from the obligation of attending Mass on Sunday and Holy Days until further notice. He also stated the sick, anyone over 60 years of age, those who suffer chronic medical conditions or compromised immune systems and persons caring for them should avoid attending Mass or other church gatherings.
