Milwaukee to Resume Public Masses, Kinda-Sorta

The Archbishop of Milwaukee has decided to allow public celebration of Mass beginning May 31.

There are a few conditions which MUST BE OBSERVED:

• Priests and deacons over age 65 or those with pre-existing health conditions, must first receive permission from the Archbishop/Vicar for Clergy before publicly celebrating Mass, by contacting the Vicar for Clergy.

• Priests celebrating “help-out” Masses cannot celebrate at two different parishes on the same weekend.  Optimally, help-out priests would help out only at one parish week-to-week.

• Public Mass will be celebrated on Sundays only.  This includes Saturday evening Mass(es) of Anticipation and Sunday Masses.

• Attendance at each individual Mass is limited to no more than 25 percent of your Church’s Occupancy Permit.

• The obligation to attend Sunday Mass is dispensed through Sunday, July 5.

• Communion is to be distributed only by the priest(s) and vested permanent or transitional deacon.  If the presider is a priest in a higher-risk category (age/pre-existing condition), then a designated Extraordinary Minister can be used.
• Communion is to be received ONLY in the HAND.
• Communion will not be distributed by the Cup.
• Social distancing of a minimum of 6 feet between people not living in the same household must be followed.
• A minimum of using every other pew should be followed.  Every third pew is preferred.  Intervening pews must be cordoned off.
• All Missals, Bibles, prayer cards or other paper resources must be removed from pews.
• Frequently touched surfaces in the church (pews/pew tops, door handles, microphones, etc.) should be cleaned and sanitized per CDC recommendations after every liturgy.  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/disinfecting-building-facility.html
• Hand sanitizer should be available at all church entrances.
• Holy Water fonts should be emptied.
• Priests should not celebrate more than three Masses for Sunday.

I deleted a lot of the "sanitize, wipe, yada" stuff.

But wait!!  There's MORE!!  The following are "guidelines," not "directives."

• All those as defined by the health department as more vulnerable (i.e. 60+ years of age, those with compromised immune systems, those with underlying health conditions, those who are especially anxious about being in a large group, etc.) should be encouraged to stay at home.
• Mass attendance should be organized in some way.
  • Designate Mass time by household name (A to H, Mass 1; I to O, Mass 2; P to Z, Mass 3);
  • Provide a sign-up system either on the parish website or by calling the parish office;
  • Assign a Mass time per registered family;
  • Some space designation must be allowed for walk-in attendance.
• The use of facemasks should be encouraged.
• Directions for dismissal after Mass should be provided by the celebrant to provide an orderly exit with proper social distancing.  Pew-by-pew, for example.
• Attendees should be advised to wash their clothes following the service.

All based on hyped-up, overblown, scare tactics swallowed whole by the Chancery (and/or its lawyers).  It appears that the USCC/B has created a template for the country, as a Texas Diocese has similar text.

If there's a way to break the Faithful from habitual Mass attendance,  .........well............the Archdiocese will find it.