MEMORANDUM

To:  Clergy, Parishes and Catholic Faithful

From:  Most Reverend Larry Silva, Bishop of Honolulu

Date:  March 27, 2020

Subject:  Updated General Directives and Liturgical Guidelines Due to the COVID-19
(Update #4)

Peace be with you!

As we continue to adapt to a different way we live our daily lives, as well as to the way we worship during the rapidly evolving COVID-19 pandemic, our Diocese's top priority remains the spiritual welfare, health, and safety of our faithful, employees, and the vulnerable of our community. Our Governor has ordered a stay-at-home lockdown until April 30 in order to mitigate the effects of the virus and stop its spread. After consultation with my staff and the Presbyteral Council, I am issuing the following directives, which go into effect immediately:

• Parish churches, chapels, oratories, centers, and missions are to be closed to the public through April 30, 2020, or until further notice. (This is more restrictive than the last notice, which encouraged that they remain open, and is based on the restrictions recently imposed by Governor Ige.)

• There will be only one Chrism Mass for the Diocese on Thursday, April 2, at 7:00 p.m., but it will be celebrated in private with only the Bishop and the handful of ministers needed for the liturgy. The invitation of priests and deacons issued earlier is rescinded in light of new developments. The Office of Worship will see to the distribution of the sacred oils to the parishes on all islands.

• All liturgical and sacramental celebrations from now through April 30 are canceled, including those during Holy Week, the Paschal Triduum, and Easter Sunday. The obligation to attend Mass on Sundays is dispensed through April 30, 2020. [Priests are to celebrate private Masses, with only the liturgical ministers necessary, especially for the intentions of their people. We encourage parish priests to live-stream their liturgies to their parishioners via social media platforms and to communicate to them the times of these services and log-in information.]

• The celebration of the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, First Communion) for the Elect, normally celebrated at the Easter Vigil, are postponed to a future day after the Covid-19 crisis subsides. A future date when these sacraments may be rescheduled will be announced by the Bishop.

• Parishes are invited to inform their parishioners of opportunities to view the Mass and other services via livestream or the parish's Facebook. Daily and Sunday Mass are currently being livestreamed from various parishes in our diocese. For a comprehensive and updated list please visit our website at www.catholichawaii.org.

• The faithful are encouraged to keep the Lord's Day holy. Some ways to do this include: reading the Scriptures of the day, especially the Gospels, praying with your families, and to joining yourself to the sacrifice of the Mass by making an act of spiritual communion. For more information and resources, please visit our website at www.catholichawaii.org.

• Sacramental confessions will not be offered, for the safety of penitents and priests, Confessions by phone or via the internet are not permitted. General absolution is not permitted, because it presumes a gathering of people. Because confessions will be curtailed during this time, the following should be noted from The Catechism of the Catholic Church #1452:

"When it arises from a love by which God is loved above all else, contrition is called 'perfect' --- contrition of charity. Such contrition remits venial sins; it also obtains forgiveness of mortal sins if it includes the firm resolution to have recourse to sacramental confession as soon as possible."

What the Apostolic Penitentiary said about the Sacrament of Penance might be applied analogously to the Sacrament of the Sick:  "Where the individual faithful find themselves in the painful impossibility of receiving sacramental absolution, it should be remembered that perfect contrition, coming from the love of God, beloved above all things, expressed by a sincere request for forgiveness (that which the penitent is at present able to express) and accompanies by votum confessionis, that is, by the firm resolution to have recourse, as soon as possible, to sacramental confession, obtains forgiveness of sins, even mortal ones."

The following Act of Contrition, sincerely prayed, might be used:

Father of mercy, like the prodigal son, I return to you and say: "I have sinned against you and am no longer worthy to be called your child." Jesus Christ, Savior of the world, I pray with the repentant thief to whom you promised Paradise, "Lord, remember me in your kingdom." Holy Spirit, foundation of love, I call on you with trust, "Purify my heart, and help me to walk as a child of light."

• All funerals, weddings and baptisms should be postponed at this time until further notice.

• All Confirmations/First Holy Communions scheduled from now through April 30 are postponed. The Office of the Vicar General will contact parishes which need to reschedule once the "all clear" is indicated by the civil authorities.

Liturgies at which Bishop Larry Silva will preside will be private, with only the liturgical ministers necessary, but will be live-streamed for all to see at www.hictv.com or https://www.facebook.com/HonoluluCathedralBasilica. They are as follows:

• Mass for Fifth Sunday of Lent, 9:00 a.m.

• Lenten Penance Service (without indvidual confessions): Wednesday, April 1, 7:00 p.m.

• Chrism Mass: Thursday, April 2, 7:00 p.m.

• Mass for Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord:  April 5, 9:00 a.m.

• Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord's Supper:  Thursday, April 9, 7:00 p.m.

• Good Friday Liturgy of the Lord's Passion:  Friday, April 10, 3:00 p.m.

• Easter Vigil of the Holy Night:  Saturday, April 11, 7:00 p.m. [NOTE: This is a long but very beautiful liturgy, with many Scripture readings and Mass, as a Vigil for the celebration of the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus.]

• Easter Sunday Mass:  Sunday, April 12, 9:00 a.m.

• TENTATIVE, PENDING FURTHER NOTICE: Easter Sunday Mass:  Sunday, April 12, 12:00 noon. Broadcast on KHNL, a Hawaii News Now Station and local NBC affiliate; virtual channel 13; digital channel 35; spectrum TV: channel 8 or 1008.

• Mass for Second Sunday of Easter/Divine Mercy Sunday:  April 19, 9:00 a.m.

• Mass for Third Sunday of Easter:  April 26, 9:00 a.m.

Please feel free to contact Deacon Modesto Cordero at the Office of Worship, 808-585-3342 or email at [email protected] should you have any questions.

Our Lady of Peace, patroness of the Diocese of Honolulu, pray for us!

Lenten and Easter blessings!
 

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DIOCESE OF HONOLULU
PRAYER FOR THE COVID-19 CORONA VIRUS PANDEMIC
by Bishop Larry Silva; March 12, 2020

Dear God of all the living, you sent your Son Jesus to heal us from illness and sin. We turn to his healing power in this time of anxiety over the pandemic of this potentially deadly virus.

St. Damien and St. Marianne Cope dedicated their lives to service of those who had an infectious disease. St. Marianne Cope said, “I am not afraid of any disease,” because she was confident of your power to save. At the same time, she took prudent precautions of hygiene to assure that she and her Sisters would not be infected.

Let us learn from this example to put our trust in you to save us from the ravages of disease and to take prudent measures to prevent its spread. Guide us to know when to isolate ourselves from the possibility of infection, but never let anyone be left without the care and concern of others in the community.

As our Diocese of Honolulu has been dedicated to the Divine Mercy, we pray with confidence, “Jesus, I trust in you.”