While Archbishop Etienne has lifted the dispensation from attending Mass (which means that as Catholics we are required to attend Mass in person once per week), we encourage those who are not comfortable yet in large groups to participate in the weekly Masses from our website or Facebook page. One distanced section will still be maintained in the sanctuary. Singing short responses has returned. Congregational singing will be cued by projected lyrics on the sanctuary screens. Contact Anne Frederick for any questions.
Based on the updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), University of Washington Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, and the Washington State Department of Health, masks are no longer required at Mass in the Archdiocese of Seattle. However, we will continue to uphold other COVID safety measures and welcome all people regardless of their mask preference.
Those other COVID safety measures include:
- Continue to self-screen. Stay home when you are sick. Symptoms to screen for include:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Masks will be available for those who wish to wear them and do not have their own.
- Doors and windows will be opened to ensure greater ventilation. You may wish to wear a coat.
- A socially distanced section continues to be available.
- Hand sanitizer will continue to be available.
- Eucharistic ministers will sanitize their hands before distributing Communion and will continue to be masked while distributing Communion.
- Holy Communion will still only be given on the hand, not on the tongue.
- Limit your visiting before/after Mass to less than 15 minutes.
- Bread will still be covered when on the altar. We have been reassured that uncovered hosts being distributed at communion time would not be compromised in the short exchange with communicants, masked or unmasked.
- Encourage people to be vaccinated, unless there are serious reasons not to.
People will have different needs and comfort levels related to masking. Let us respect everyone’s choice, while upholding our other safety measures. Let us keep our focus on maintaining a safe environment so we may continue to carry out the mission of the Church to gather in prayer, grow in discipleship and go for service.
While Archbishop Etienne has lifted the dispensation from attending Mass (which means that as Catholics we are required to attend Mass in person once per week, we encourage those who are not comfortable yet in large groups to participate in the weekly Masses from our website. We have two distanced sections in the sanctuary and we continue to require attendees to wear masks. Singing short responses while masked has returned, however only the choir will sing longer songs. Contact Anne Frederick for any questions.
All people attending Mass must wear a mask and must self-screen for symptoms of illness: fever, cough, loss of smell or taste, gastro-intestinal upset. If you are not vaccinated, please choose a seat in the distanced section, which is marked as such in the Sanctuary with alternating rows closed. In order to maintain distance between households, you should leave three chairs between unvaccinated households.
Sometimes people may believe they simply have a cold or allergy when it may actually be Covid, and vice versa. Please stay home when you or a family member are not feeling well. To help distinguish the differences, here is a chart from the Washington State Department of Health:
