1. Pastors in parishes are encouraged to celebrate “in camera” (privately) the Announced Masses for the requested intentions and to ask for the Lord’s help during these trying times. The mass offering should be allocated according to usual practice. Parishes can make provision for a community celebration, as soon as circumstances permit, extending an invitation to the families of the deceased for whom these masses will have been celebrated.

 2. Can we offer Holy Communion to those who request it during a personal visit to our church? At this stage in the progression of the pandemic, Archbishop Lépine has asked that we refrain from doing so. The sick, however, constitute one exception: priests and Eucharistic ministers not-at-risk are urged to respond to the needs of those struggling with illness on an individual basis, including giving Communion at home and offering the Anointing of the Sick, while observing the public-health regulations in place, which might be different for institutional settings. Please remember that end-of-life situations require “special attention ... and in the case of an institutional setting, following the protocol established by management” is necessary.

3. A clarification is required regarding permission to hold funerals “in camera” in cases where the bodily remains (coffin) are present. In cases where the remains have been cremated or the family intends to cremate the remains before burial, all these funerals must be postponed. The term “in camera” in this instance means that the celebration takes place with a strictly observed minimum of people present: close family members of the deceased, not exceeding 15 people, and respecting, of course, the public-health regulations in place at the time.

4. We remind you that catechetical activities for young people and adults are also suspended until further notice. A special section of our website includes a collection of resources to fuel our faith and our hope during this exceptional Lent. Soon, catechetical activities for families will also be available on the site. Please share the following address with your parishioners/associates/members of your community: ( https://www.diocesemontreal.org/en/covid-19).

5. For Easter celebrations:

•   You already know that World Youth Day, scheduled for Saturday, April 4, which includes the celebration of Palm Sunday and the Passion, has been cancelled. The Youth Festival also has been postponed. Undoubtedly, it is necessary to think of ways to commemorate Palm Sunday in parishes without a public gathering. Ideas are circulating such as the individual distribution of palms at church doors, along with other prayer tools for Holy Week. Depending on what’s practical, and in line with the state of the situation as assessed by the public-health department, we will share suggestions with you.
•  The public celebration of the Chrism Mass, scheduled to be held at the Cathedral April 8, is cancelled, as is the traditional supper, which was to take place immediately before. Instructions regarding how to participate in this celebration virtually via the web or TV will be sent to you. Likewise, distribution of the Holy Oils has also been postponed until a later date; we will let you how this will be arranged.
•   The public celebration of Holy Week may not be possible. We are still planning a diocesan broadcast of the Triduum, in conjunction with Salt + Light Television. In parishes, wherever possible, we must begin to search for creative solutions for observing the Lord’s Last Supper, Holy Thursday; highlight his Passion, Good Friday; and celebrate the Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday, doing so in a way that respects the public-health and episcopal guidelines in place at the time. Practical ideas will be shared.
•    For the celebration of baptisms and confirmations (usually adults) planned for the Easter Vigil, please remember to postpone them until a later date. The mass of neophytes, scheduled for May 3 at the Cathedral, is postponed.

6. The celebrations of First Communion and Confirmation planned for spring 2020 are postponed until next fall-winter. The Faith Education Office will contact you as soon as possible to arrange a new schedule and ways of proceeding. The annual visits of confirmands to the Cathedral, scheduled for March and April, are cancelled.

7.  It goes without saying that reservations, rentals of parish spaces – rooms in the basement, in the presbytery, and even the place of worship (church) – for events, activities, gatherings of any group whatsoever, even religious, must be cancelled, according to the public-health updates in place.

8. For religious congregations and institutes of consecrated life, for the chapels and oratories within their houses:

•   If you have an external chaplain who is over 70 years old, do not ask him to come and celebrate.
•   If you have an external chaplain who is less than 70 years old, but the average age of consecrated women is above 70 years, the house is considered a residence for the elderly and visits are prohibited. So, no celebrations.
•   Members of consecrated life who are required by the Constitutions of their community to attend daily Eucharist are exempt from that responsibility, as per the Archbishop’s decision.

Please note that as of Monday, March 23, the offices of the Archdiocese will be closed to the public; however, essential staff will still be present. You can reach us by leaving a message at 514-931-7311. Thank you for respecting these guidelines, in communion with our Archbishop and the whole Church. Let us continue along this demanding, bewildering journey through Lent in faith in the Lord’s Resurrection, and in ours!

+ Alain Faubert, VG Auxiliary Bishop in Montreal