Churches close doors on the faithful once again?

With a few parishes in the state closing their doors as a precautionary response to the rising number of Covid-19 and Omicron cases in the state, a question that once again surfaces in the minds of Goa’s Catholic population is whether churches will continue to have services in a physical manner or will there be curbs on church attendance?

This came soon after the Church of Our Lady of Succorro, in Socorro, closed their premises for two weeks to prevent the spread of the virus. Moreover, St Francis Xavier Church, Duler, has been closed since January 3, 2022 for temporary basis.

The Director of the Diocesan Centre for Social Communications Media (DCSCM), Fr. Barry Cardozo, clarified that currently no new guidelines have been issued by the church authorities, and they will continue to follow the earlier guidelines, which include wearing masks, sanitizing and social distancing.

“If any new guidelines and notifications are issued by the government or civil authorities, the church will abide and follow them,” said Fr Barry.

He further said that masses in Goa are going on, and if cases of Covid continue to rise in a particular area, the local parish priest can gauge the situation and take the required action.