CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — The Archdiocese of Chicago is preparing for in-person Holy Week Masses for the first time in two years.
Holy Week in 2020 happened three weeks after the stay-at-home order that prohibited all public gatherings.
This year, Roman Catholic parishes will have in-person masses, but there are rules in place to reflect the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Church capacity is capped at 20%. Online registration is required. Churches will require social distancing and masks. Hand sanitizer will be available.
While the pandemic has forced parishes to become adept at streaming Masses online, Bishop Robert Casey, Vicar General of the Archdiocese, said he looks forward to the day when capacity restrictions are lifted.
"That's our hope: to find our way out of this pandemic and return to those days when we can be at full capacity in our churches.”
He said this is a different Holy Week compared to previous years, but he encourages people to take part in its customs and traditions.
"Even though they might be different, to really look for ways to join in the grace and the goodness that this week offers to us," Bishop Casey said.
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