Sunday Mass obligation being restored for Louisville archdiocese Catholics

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - The obligation for Roman Catholics in the Archdiocese of Louisville to attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days will soon be back in place.

In a letter to priests, Archbishop Joseph Kurtz informed them that he is restoring the obligation effective the weekend of September 4 and 5.

Kurtz had suspended the Mass attendance obligation in March 2020 following the outbreak of COVID-19 in the United States.

Kurtz said the Mass obligation does not apply to those in the following cases:

Sick
Have a serious health risk or live in a household with those at risk
Serve as primary caregivers to those at risk.
Have serious anxiety or concerns about being in a large-group setting due to COVID-19
Are unable to attend Mass in person
In addition, prudent caution may be exercised about Mass attendance for those who are unable to be vaccinated, such as children under the age of 12

For those who are unvaccinated, Kurtz said he is requiring those people to wear masks while attending at Mass and other church settings.

“As I have said many times before, mask wearing and vaccinations are exercises of the common good and should be supported,” Kurtz said.

Kurtz asked priests to continue to urge parishioners to get vaccinated.

“As I have said many times before, mask wearing and vaccinations are exercises of the common good and should be supported,” Kurtz said.