Masses in Catholic churches in KL, Selangor suspended due to Covid-19

As the Movement Control Order (MCO) takes effect in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur this week, masses in Roman Catholic churches here will be suspended.

May 06, 2021

By Marina Emmanuel
As the Movement Control Order (MCO) takes effect in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur this week, masses in Roman Catholic churches here will be suspended.

Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur Most Reverend Julian Leow Beng Kim has ordered the temporary suspension of masses, effective May 7.

"Although the National Security Council standard operating procedure permits activities in non-Muslim places of worship, His Grace, Most Reverend Archbishop Leow, is cognisant of the worrying developments of alarming figures of new infections, escalating rate of infectivity, utilisation of hospital beds and intensive care units approaching maximum capacity in the Klang Valley," said the chancellor of the Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur, Reverend Fr Michael Chua in a notice today.

"Furthermore, he (Archbishop Leow) notes that inter-district travel restrictions will impede the movement of parishioners and volunteers to the various churches, chapels and mass centres."

Fr Michael Chua said other protocols to be observed in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor by the church, include:

* Parish offices - At the discretion of the Parish Priest/ Administrator, parish offices may be opened with additional precautionary measures, such as shorter opening hours, shift work among staff and no over-counter transactions;

* Weddings - Scheduled weddings may proceed with a maximum number of 30 persons (inclusive of minister, couple, witnesses). All attendees should be pre-registered;

* 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 pre-registered;

* Baptisms are to be postponed except in the case of an emergency; and

* Anointing of the Sick shall be reserved for urgent cases.

Fr Michael Chua also said masses would continue to be live-streamed from various parishes.

"The links can be found on TV.ArchKL.org," he noted, adding that parishes which are 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 and holy days of obligation."––NST

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