Welcome back to Church!

BSC KUCHING: In line with the conditions imposed for reopening of Churches in the Archdiocese of Kuching, the Rector of Blessed Sacrament Church, Fr Patrick Heng and his team of parish councillors and relevant ministries, set in motion steps to ensure a safe environment for returning parishioners.

After several trial-run Masses adhering to the new SOP for Churches, BSC finally held its first public Mass on 18 July at the Saturday Sunset Mass, limiting the congregation to 100 parishioners.

Catholics were told to register online from the parish website on a first-come-first-serve basis.

Henceforth, registration for all weekend Masses will commence on Wednesday morning and close on Friday noon or when the numbers reach their limits, whichever comes first.

There will be three scheduled weekend Masses: English Sunset Mass at 6pm, Chinese Sunday Mass at 7.30am, and English Sunday Mass at 10.30am.

Fr Patrick Heng, in his address to parishioners after almost four months of Church closure, welcomed everyone back with a request to adhere to the Church SOP, particularly on wearing face masks, social distancing and sanitising of hands. He expressed his hope that a vaccine for the corona virus be found soon.

The Chinese Sunday Mass on 19 July was celebrated by Fr Nicholas Ng.

Although thankful to be able to physically attend Mass and to receive Holy Communion sacramentally and not “spiritually” at an online Mass, one cannot help but compare the current COVID-19 trend to the old practice.

Noticeably missing were the procession and entrance hymn, the absence of altar servers, and the choir.

It is time to adjust to the “new norm” for attending Mass. Welcome back to Church!