Catholics worship together for the first time in months

Catholics across the country worshipped together today for the first time in over three months. On this occasion however, they were guided by a slew of protocols including a condition that anyone desirous of attending would have to register in advance.

At least seven congregations held mass and facilitated communion in sanctuaries reconfigured to facilitate physical distancing. Ushers greeted churchgoers at the door with hand sanitizer, thermometers and face masks in an effort to minimize the possible spread of COVID-19.

At Our Lady Queen of the Universe Catholic Church, management opted to facilitate Sunday’s service in the spacious and well-ventilated annex instead of the main sanctuary.

Black Rock Priest and former Vicar General, Monsignor Vincent Blackett revealed that services would resume in the main church building  in approximately one month.

“…but I like it here, because we have chairs instead of the benches in the main building and that way, we can better control the numbers. Even if there were more people today, we could at least let them sit in the corridor,” Monsignor Blackett told Barbados TODAY.

“I had said from the beginning that 20 or 30 people would be a good start, because people can also come on Wednesdays and Fridays for mass and some other parishes have other days as well,” he added.

The longstanding religious leader admitted that even when restrictions on face-to-face services were lifted, he was somewhat apprehensive about reopening.

“I was a bit apprehensive, but as I got into it I realized that it was just another day, another Sunday celebrating mass with the people. It doesn’t have the elaborate things that we would usually have, but it was very good,” he added with a chuckle.

Mass was conducted at St Patrick’s Cathedral, St Dominic’s, Sacred Heart of Jesus, St Francis of Assisi, Our Lady of the Rosary and Corpus Christi Community.

For the most part, churches under the Pentecostal Assembly of the West Indies (PAWI) remained closed while a handful of other non-denominational faiths resumed service. Meanwhile, Anglicans are expected to resume face to face services next Sunday.  (KS)