No Masses as Wellington moves to Alert Level 2

Wellington Cardinal John Dew (file photo).

Wellington Cardinal John Dew said there will be no Vigil or Sunday Masses in the Greater Wellington Area including the Wairarapa and the Kapiti Coast after the government announced it was placing the area into Alert Level two after 6 pm Wednesday night up to 11:59 pm on Sunday.

“Out of concern for safety, the whole North Island part of the Archdiocese is included in the information below, as the contacts with the infected person have been extensive,” the cardinal said in a memorandum to all clergy and lay pastoral leaders.

The government’s move came after a Covid-positive Australian tourist visited Wellington over the week-end.

In the same memorandum, the cardinal said weekday Masses are also suspended.

“For the next three days, due to the number of places the infected person visited and the likelihood of multiple contacts, there will be no weekday Mass either,” he said.

“Funerals are restricted to 100 people, and social distancing and contact tracing are essential. Please follow the directions of the Funeral Director.”

Cardinal Dew said the move to Alert Level Two means “good parish communication is more important than ever”.

“Please make contact with as many parishioners as possible through emails, parish apps, emailed newsletters etc to ensure that parishioners can be reached quickly,” he said.

In Auckland, Auckland Vicar for Maori Manuel Beazley led a socially distanced mihi and karakia for Caritas Aotearoa NZ staff Mareta Tana, who was accompanied by Caritas Aotearoa NZ director Julianne Hickey.

The two arrived in Auckland from Wellington shortly before the government announced it will put Wellington on Alert Level 2.

 

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Rowena Orejana

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