St Fiacre's Parish, Leichhardt

From Wednesday 1 July 2020, the Archdiocese of Sydney has issued the following regulations:

• Churches in the Archdiocese shall be reopened and Sunday Masses resumed.
• The maximum number of people allowed in the church at one time shall be determined by dividing the total area in square metres by four (‘The four square metre rule’); the maximum number allowed in this church at the one time is therefore 100 people (at St Fiacre’s Parish); the parish priest or designated delegate must supervise this.
• This applies to private prayer, Confessions, Masses, Baptisms, Weddings, Funerals, Eucharistic Adoration, the Divine Office, Rosary in common, Bible study etc.
• Contact details of all those entering the church (name and phone number or email address of one adult in each family) must be recorded, either by registering online or signing up at the door.
• Current spatial distancing directions (people are asked to keep least 1½m from each other) and hygiene directions (including hand sanitizing and regularly disinfecting the church) must be observed; attendees are to sit only in marked places, to queue at a distance from others, and to take care when coughing or sneezing.
• In the Ordinary Form of the Latin Rite in Australia, Holy Communion is normally received in the hand under the form of the Body of Christ only; great care should be taken when exercising the option of Communion on the tongue.
• Those who are unwell or at high risk must not attend (they might ask that Holy Communion be brought to them at home); those over 70 should exercise particular caution.
• As the 4m2 rule and prudential concerns will prevent many of the faithful attending, all but priests continue for the time being to be dispensed from the obligation of attending Sunday Mass; but those who are at low risk of infection and able should do so are exhorted to take all reasonable steps to attend Sunday Mass.
• The faithful who do not attend Sunday Mass should keep Sunday holy by setting aside some time for prayer at home, reading the Scriptures of the day, and/or watching Mass on television or online, asking God for the graces they would normally receive in Holy Communion (‘spiritual communion’); they might attend a weekday where possible or pray before the Blessed Sacrament during the week.
• NEW: Congregational singing is still not permitted – though small cantor groups are permitted, provided they stay well apart and many metres away from the congregation. Besides, the cantors should sing less familiar works, and that no texts are projected for all to read.
• NEW: It is strongly recommended to wear a face mask while in the church.