ADMINISTRATIVE DECREE 2020-01
DATE:16 MARCH 2020
TO:ALL DIOCESAN AND RELIGIOUS CLERGY, WOMEN-RELIGIOUS AND LAY FAITHFUL
RE:STRINGENT MEASURES AGAINST COVID-19 CODE RED SUB-LEVEL TWO ALERT
Reverend Fathers, Brothers and Sisters,
On 12 March 2020, the President has raised the alert level for COVID-19 to Code Red Sub-Level 2, the highest local alert level for COVID-19, and has placed the entire Metro Manila on virtual lockdown being under “community quarantine” for 30 days, from 15 March 2020 to 14 April 2020. On 16 March 2020, he has placed entire Luzon under “enhanced community quarantine”, following the rapid surge of COVID-19 in the country, from 17 March 2020 to 12 April 2020.
On 13 March 2020, under Executive Order No. 22, the Provincial Governor has placed the entire province of Oriental Mindoro under “voluntary community quarantine” from 14 March 2020 to 25 March 2020. On 14 March 2020, due to the virus’ serious threat, our local medical experts and practitioners have recommended the strict prohibition of mass gatherings, inclusive of religious services and practices, to avert the local transmission of COVID-19.
We, in the Apostolic Vicariate of Calapan, are morally obliged to cooperate and support all the reasonable recommendationsthat our local civil and medical authorities offer us to keep our people safe and healthy. Hence, we are demanded to exercise vigilance as one local Church, lest our churches become venues of transmission of the viral disease.
Abovementioned situational reports and recommendations duly considered, the following STRINGENT MEASURES are hereby in order:
1. All public Masses – Sunday, Weekday, Fiesta – are cancelled in all churches and chapels, including malls and offices, beginning 12:01 PM of 15 March 2020 and ending 12:01 PM of 1 April 2020, unless circumstances warrantand situation dictates otherwise.
2. The faithful are advised to make the Day of the Lord holy by reading the Bible or viewing the celebration of Holy Mass on TV, radio or social media. They are dispensed from the Sunday and the Holy Days of obligation.
3. All churches and chapels should be open all day so that people may come and find solace in silent prayer while keeping the social distancing (i.e. at least one meter away). Sanitizers must be available at the entrances and disinfection must be regularly done.
4. Adoration Chapel, given its small space to preserve socialdistancing, should be closed.
5. Daily celebration of Mass in private should remain an obligation for all priests. Even in the absence of a congregation, we unite ourselves with our flock in the bond of spiritual communion.
6. Nuptial Mass is not allowed to be celebrated in the church or chapel. Only the Celebration of Matrimony Rite is allowedprovided that guests should be limited to bridal couple, their parents and two witnesses, without prejudice to the strict observance of face mask wearing, social distancing and hand sanitizing.
7. Funeral Mass is not allowed to be celebrated in the church. Only Funeral Blessing is allowed during the wake but only for the bereaved family, on the time when people are small in numbers, without prejudice to the strict observance of face mask wearing, social distancing and hand sanitizing.
8. Communal Baptism should be prohibited. Individual Baptism may be allowed but only the child, parents and two sponsors should be present, without prejudice to the strict observance of face mask wearing, social distancing and hand sanitizing.
9. Individual Confession may be done in confessional box with a protective cloth or plastic cover installed at the grill. Face-to-face confession is strictly prohibited.
10. Anointing of the Sick should be offered without prejudice to the strict observance of face mask wearing, social distancing and hand sanitizing. The Communion for the Sick, administered by the EMHC, is suspended.
11. Recollections, pilgrimages, conferences, meetings and any similar conduct that will involve mass gatherings are to be cancelled or postponed indefinitely.
12. Liturgical spaces, facilities and equipment should be disinfected or sanitized after every liturgical service. Hand sanitizers should be placed at the doors of churches.
13. Holy water fonts at the entrance doors should be emptied.
14. The kissing, wiping or touching of sacred images and statues are strictly prohibited; images and statues are to be covered with purple linens.
15. All parishes should sound together the church bells at 12:00 NN and 8:00 PM and pray the Oratio Imperata via public address system.
16. Priests are encouraged to spend time in silent adoration of the Blessed Sacrament for the safety of our flock and the healing of the sick.
17. A Day of Prayer and Fasting will be held on 25 March 2020, Feast of the Annunciation of the Lord, intended for all those who are infected with the COVID-19 and those who have died, and for our deliverance from this pandemic. Holy Hour, solely by clerics, will be held simultaneously in all parishes from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM, men and women religious in their own chapels notwithstanding.
18. In seminaries, parochial and congregational schools, classes are suspended indefinitely. Study-from-home may be done. Baccalaureate Masses, Commencement Exercises and Moving-Up Ceremonies are to be cancelled or postponed (cf. DepEd Orders).
19. All offices should suspend work from 17 March 2020 to 12 April 2020 to protect the employees from possible viral infection. Strict home quarantine is imposed.
20. Be guided and directed by any and all CBCP Circular Letters that should serve as our primary and complementary guidelines.
CHRISM MASS and HOLY WEEK liturgical celebrations are subject to “until further notice.” An official Directive will be issued whether to cancel or not, insofar as the circumstances warrant and the situation dictates.
In this time of crisis, let us not to abandon the faithful as we continue to exercise our duties of pastoral care while keeping the precautionary measures. May the Holy Spirit give us pastors the capacity for pastoral discernment “that we adopt measures that do not leave God’s holy and faithful people without assistance… that the people of God feel themselves accompanied by their pastors: by the comfort of the Word of God, the Sacraments, and of prayer” (Pope Francis’ Homily, Chapel of Domus Sanctae Marthae, 13 March 2020).
This Administrative Decree shall enter into force effective 12:01 AM of 17 March 2020 and continue to be in full force and effect until 12:01 AM of 1 April 2020, unless the circumstances warrant and the situation dictates otherwise.
Obstantibus contrariis.
(sgd) VERY REV. FR. NESTOR J. ADALIA
Apostolic Administrator of Calapan
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