Public masses to be resumed in June

Posted on by englishmassutrecht

UPDATE: This post is no longer valid, please check the new post here: https://englishmassutrecht.nl/2020/05/29/still-no-public-masses-for-the-time-being/

Good news!

On the 20th of May 2020 all the Dutch Bishops together have determined the protocol ‘Church life on one and a half meter’.
Starting from the 1st June 2020 onward public services in the churches can be resumed with a maximum of 30 people according to all other guidelines of the RIVM (National Institute for Public Health and the Environment).
From the 1st of June no Holy Communion will be handed out. That will happen from Sunday the 14th of June onward when in the Dutch diocese we will celebrate Corpus Christi day.

The protocol that will be send to the parishes and institutions by the bishop of his diocese, contains three parts. The first part is addressed to all the believers and provides guidelines to celebrate the liturgy in the churches together in a safe and dignified way. The second part is addressed to the ministers in accordance of the performance of their specific tasks in the liturgy. The third part is more specifically addressed and written for a safe use of the church buildings with rules for arrangements and logistics inside the church building, in accordance of the guidelines of the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment and by the specific character of the liturgy.

Perspective of Celebrating Together

The bishops emphasize the importance for parishes and institutions to work with diligence to guarantee as good as possible the safety of the church buildings. They are glad that now there is again a perspective of celebrating the Holy Mass together. Starting with 30 and hopefully from the 1st of July onward, with 100 believers.

Reference and more details (in Dutch): https://www.rkkerk.nl/protocol-voor-publieke-vieringen-in-de-r-k-kerk-vanaf-1-juni-uitreiking-heilige-communie-vanaf-14-juni