Suspension of Masses in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor
It was announced that six districts under the state of Selangor and the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur would be placed under the Movement Control Order (MCO) effective May 6, 2021 for Selangor and May 7 for Kuala Lumpur.
May 10, 2021
It was announced that six districts under the state of Selangor and the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur would be placed under the Movement Control Order (MCO) effective May 6, 2021 for Selangor and May 7 for Kuala Lumpur.
Although the MKN SOP permits activities in non-Muslim places of worship, His Grace, Most Reverend Archbishop Julian Leow D.D., is cognisant of the following worrying developments: alarming figures of new infections, escalating rate of infectivity, utilisation of hospital beds and ICU approaching maximum capacity in the Klang Valley. Furthermore, he notes that inter-district travel restrictions will impede the movement of parishioners and volunteers to the various churches, chapels and Mass Centres.
1.0 After having consulted the Archdiocesan Crisis Management Task Force, it is the decision of His Grace to temporarily suspend all public Masses in parishes located within Kuala Lumpur and the state of Selangor with effect from Friday, May 7, 2021 until further notice.
2.0 These additional protocols are to be observed for all parishes located in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur:
2.1. Parish Offices - At the discretion of the parish priest/ administrator, parish offices may remain open with additional precautionary measures, e.g. shorter opening hours, shift work among staff, no over-counter transactions etc.
2.2. Weddings - Scheduled weddings may proceed with a maximum number of 30 persons (inclusive of minister, couple, and witnesses). All attendees should be preregistered.
2.3. Funerals - Parlours in churches may be opened. There should be no in-person communal prayers (which could be done via ZOOM) and private prayers within the parlour are limited to not more than five persons at any one time. Funeral Masses may be celebrated with a maximum number of 30 persons. All guests and family members should be preregistered.
2.4. Baptisms are to be postponed except in the case of an emergency.
2.5. Anointing of the Sick shall be reserved for urgent cases. All home communion by extraordinary ministers of holy communion will be suspended until further notice.
2.6. Confessions can be heard by way of private appointment with the priest.
2.7. Masses will continue to be live-streamed from various parishes. The links can be found on TV.ArchKL.org. Parishes conducting live-streaming should not have more than 10 volunteers present at any Mass. The Archbishop has also dispensed the faithful from the obligation to attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation.
3.0 Other States - for parishes located within Negeri Sembilan, Pahang and Terengganu, the status quo is maintained and public Masses will continue as scheduled.
As our Holy Father, Pope Francis, has called us to pray for an end to this pandemic, let us not cease in invoking God’s intervention and seeking our Lady’s intercession as we pray the Holy Rosary during this month of May.
Fr Michael Chua
Chancellor Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur
May 5, 2021
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