MAPUSA
With people rushing for masses on Sundays and the threat of a third wave of Covid-19 remaining a concern, the Mapusa Church as a means of abundant caution has decided to suspend the Sunday services.
Parish Priest Fr Dennis Fernandes has informed the parishioners that all Sunday masses have been cancelled from Sunday (Sept12) onwards.
However, masses during the weekdays will be held as usual for a restricted number of devotees.
The church authorities were compelled to cancel masses as the number of devotees attending the Sunday services began to swell.
“People from neighbouring villages also began to attend the services in Mapusa. We are enthused by the response of the people who want to attend masses but at the same time we did not want to put our people at risk as concerns about the third wave of Covid-19 still remain,” said a member of the parish council.
Besides the church, masses held on Sundays in other chapels in Mapusa have also been cancelled.
The archdiocese has not issued any specific directives but each parish priest was expected to act with prudence and follow all SOPs and Covid-related protocols.
“It’s a very good, cautious and concerned decision. The Mapusa Parish Priest has shown not only his concern but acted by taking the right step as a precautionary measure with the third wave looming large,” said Trajano D’Mello, a resident of Mapusa.
He said it was a very pragmatic decision and all religious places particularly the Catholic churches should follow it without any hesitation.
For now, the only other church in Duler, Mapusa, and the Carmelite monastery at Peddem will continue to have masses on Sundays.
The Duler church follows a strict regimen for the Sunday services, as parishioners need to book their place in advance.
Fr Ivo Dias of the Carmelite Monastery informed that Sunday masses were being conducted for a limited number of people by adhering to all the Covid protocols.
“But since Mapusa Parish has stopped masses on Sundays and if we find more people flocking here then next Sunday we may also stop the services,” Fr Dias said.
Goa has been witnessing a drop in new confirmed cases but experts have warned that lowering the guard could allow a resurgence of the virus.
