By Ivy Chai
KUCHING — Over the past few weeks, the Rector of Blessed Sacrament Church (BSC), Fr Patrick Heng, with his team of parish councillors and relevant ministries, had set in motion steps to ensure a safe environment for returning parishioners in line with the conditions imposed for reopening of Churches in the Archdiocese of Kuching.
After several trial-run Masses adhering to the new SOP for Churches, BSC finally held its first public Mass on 18 July at the Saturday Sunset Mass, limiting the congregation to 100 parishioners.
Catholics were told to register online from the parish website on a first-come-first-serve basis.
Henceforth, registration for all weekend Masses will commence on Wednesday morning and close on Friday noon or when the numbers reach their limits, whichever comes first.
There will be three scheduled weekend Masses: English Sunset Mass at 6pm, Chinese Sunday Mass at 7.30am, and English Sunday Mass at 10.30am.
Fr Patrick Heng, in his address to parishioners after almost four months of Church closure, welcomed everyone ‘home’ with a request to adhere to the Church SOP, particularly on wearing face masks, social distancing and sanitising of hands. He expressed his hope that a vaccine for the corona virus be found soon.
The Chinese Sunday Mass on 19 July was celebrated by Fr Nicholas Ng.
Although thankful to be able to physically attend Mass and to receive Holy Communion sacramentally and not “spiritually” at an online Mass, one cannot help but compare the current COVID-19 trend to the old practice.
Noticeably missing were the procession and entrance hymn, the absence of altar servers, and the choir.
It is time to adjust to the “new norm” for attending Mass. Welcome back to Church!
You can download BSC General Guidelines and Church Bulletin from the links below:
