Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur: Pastoral Care during the Movement Control Order

In light of the additional restrictions in movement and activities imposed by the MCO, I have decided to issue further directives in compliance with the above order to ensure that pastoral care for the faithful are not unduly impeded nor unnecessarily disrupted.

Mar 29, 2020

Dear Brother Priests, religious and lay faithful,

As you are well aware, our nation has been placed under a Movement Control Order (MCO) made under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 and Police Act 1965, which will be in effect from March 18 to 31, 2020 (the restriction period).

In light of the additional restrictions in movement and activities imposed by the MCO, I have decided to issue further directives in compliance with the above order to ensure that pastoral care for the faithful are not unduly impeded nor unnecessarily disrupted.

These additional measures will take effect from March 18, 2020 and will be reviewed as we approach the end of the restriction period:

a) Suspension of all public weekend and weekday Masses, gatherings, meetings, catechism classes and RCIA sessions, decided and promulgated in the letter of the three arch/bishops of Peninsular Malaysia dated March 12, 2020, will continue until March 31, 2020.

b) All Churches and Chapels will be closed in compliance with the MCO;

c) You may prayerfully follow the televised private Masses from your homes and you are invited to continue making spiritual communion during this period.

d) All priests are asked to celebrate their own private Masses.

e) The archdiocesan and parish offices will be closed to the public during the restriction period but parishes should make available emergency hotlines to attend to emergencies requiring pastoral care and support. The archdiocesan and parish office staff are to work from home.

f) For the Sacraments of Penance (Confession), Anointing of the Sick and Holy Communion, these will be reserved for critical cases. Kindly contact the Parish emergency hotline and provide details. Holy Communion for the homebound who are not in a critical situation should be deferred till after the restriction period.

g) Couples who are scheduled to be married during the restriction  period, and in the following months of April and May, should contact their Parish Priest to discuss their plans in accordance with the MCO restrictions.

h) Funerals and use of funeral parlours in churches will have to strictly comply with guidelines and restrictions issued by the Ministry of Health and the church authorities. Please contact your Parish Priest for details.

i) We call upon all BECs to mobilise their joint resources, in collaboration with their respective parish Integral Human Development ministries, to support and care for the needs of the vulnerable, the elderly, the sick, those who are living alone, those who have been affected financially by this crisis, and the family members of the healthcare providers who are in the frontline battling this pandemic.

j) Preparation and celebration of the Scrutinies under the RCIA are currently deferred.

k) The Chrism Mass scheduled for March 31, 2020 is suspended. We  will evaluate the situation to determine if there is a need for postponement to another date. Further directives with regards to the Holy Week Celebrations and the celebration of the Easter Mysteries (Sacraments of Initiation), will depend on the development of the crisis and further directions from the civil authorities.

Though we are physically separated from each other during this period of social distancing, we remain closely united in the person of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour. For as St Paul reminds us, “For I am certain of this: neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nothing already in existence and nothing still to come, nor any power, nor the heights nor the depths, nor any created thing whatever, will be able to come between us and the love of God, known to us in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom 8:38-39)

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