POPE FRANCIS – DECREE:
IN TIME OF COVID-19 HOLY WEEK AND THE CELEBRATION OF THE PASCHAL TRIDUUM 2020 Having reviewed the Decree: In Time of COVID-19, issued by mandate of Pope Francis and published by the Offices of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments (Prot. N. 153/20) on March 19, 2020, I, Douglas Crosby, OMI, hereby decree the following to be observed during Holy Week and the Sacred Triduum 2020 in the Diocese of Hamilton: 1. CHRISM MASS: The Chrism Mass will be celebrated privately at the Cathedral Basilica of Christ the King by the Bishop and members of the Episcopal Board on March 24, 2020. The oils will be delivered to the Deans to be distributed to Parishes at a later date. 2. PALM SUNDAY: The public celebration of Palm Sunday is not permitted. During the private celebration of Mass, Pastors may bless the palms and make them available at a later date when health authorities permit public gatherings. 3. SACRED TRIDUUM: The celebration of the Sacred Triduum is not to be celebrated in Parish churches. It is not possible to celebrate the various rites, which require a suitable number of ministers, given the limitations currently in force in the Province of Ontario. 4. SACRED TRIDUUM EXCEPTIONS: The only exceptions to the prohibition against celebrating the Sacred Triduum are cloistered religious communities in the Diocese and convents with a resident chaplain, providing that social distancing is observed. 5. HOLY THURSDAY: Priests are permitted to celebrate privately the Mass of the Lord' s Supper on Holy Thursday. The faculty to celebrate this Mass without the people is granted in an exceptional manner by the Holy See to all Priests. The washing of the feet, which is already optional, is omitted. Likewise, the procession with the Blessed Sacrament to the place of repose is omitted. The Blessed Sacrament is to be kept in the tabernacle. Priests who are unable to celebrate Mass should instead pray Vespers of the day. 6. GOOD FRIDAY: The Celebration of the Passion on Good Friday is not to be celebrated. Instead, Priests are encouraged to read the Passion of the Lord and pray the Universal Prayer from the liturgy of the day, and include prayers for all whose lives are being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. 7. EASTER VIGIL: The Easter Vigil is not to be celebrated in any Parish in the Diocese. Priests are to pray the Office of Readings for Easter Sunday. The Sacraments of Christian Initiation and the reception of candidates for Full Communion are to be postponed until a later date. 8. EASTER SUNDAY: On Easter Sunday, Priests are to celebrate Mass, without the presence of the faithful. During the Mass, they are to light the Paschal Candle and bless water using the formula on page 358 (no. 54) in the Roman Missal. Given at Hamilton, Ontario, this 23rd day of March, 2020. Sincerely in Christ and Mary Immaculate, Most Rev. Douglas Crosby, OMI, Bishop of Hamilton Very Rev. Msgr. Murray Kroetsch, VG, PH, Chancellor
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