By Tanya Connor | The Catholic Free Press 

and Susan Bailey | CFP Correspondent  

Christmas Eve Masses in the Worcester Diocese can be celebrated earlier in the day this year, in light of space limitations and a state curfew aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus.  

Priests are trying to enable “all ye faithful” to “come” to these highly attended Masses, although Catholics are not obligated to do so this year. Some parishes are adding or omitting Masses, requiring reservations, or offering alternatives to worshipping in the church. 

The curfew had been included in a Nov. 2 order from Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker. On Tuesday this week, the governor also reduced the indoor gathering limit from 50% to 40% of building capacity, effective Dec. 13. 

“This reduction will … have little practical impact on our churches, since few if any have been able to reach a 40% capacity when observing the requisite social distancing,” said Msgr. James P. Moroney, director of the diocesan Office for Divine Worship. 

Bishop McManus expressed concern about safety, while also stressing the importance of receiving the Eucharist, in a Nov. 10 letter addressed to “my dear brothers and sisters in Christ.” It was published in the December issue of “Orantes,” the newsletter of the Office for Divine Worship. 

“As we prepare for the celebration of the Nativity of the Lord, the safe scheduling of Christmas Masses is on the mind of each one of our priests,” the bishop’s letter says. “In the interest of providing the opportunity for as many of our people as possible to participate in a Christmas Mass, I am granting permission for Mass to be celebrated as early as 3 p.m. on Christmas Eve … after consultation with my fellow bishops.”  

Moving up the earliest time that Masses may start on Dec. 24 is to help churches accommodate larger numbers of Christmas Eve worshippers and still comply with Gov. Baker’s Nov. 2 order, said Msgr. Moroney. In response to the Department of Public Health’s Stay at Home Advisory to slow the virus’ spread, parishes have been asked not to schedule Christmas Eve Masses later than 9 p.m.  

From March 17-May 23 this year, most Catholics in the diocese couldn’t go to Mass at all. Bishop McManus had suspended public Masses in the face of state restrictions on gathering sizes. Even after public Masses resumed, the bishop’s dispensation from the obligation to attend remained in effect, due to the danger the virus presented to elders and people with certain health conditions. 

In his Nov. 10 letter, he said he is continuing the suspension of the requirement to attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation until the first Sunday of Lent (Feb. 21, 2021), when he will “reconsider the question as circumstances may require it.”   

He also quoted Cardinal Robert Sarah, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments: “We cannot be without the banquet of the Eucharist, the table of the Lord to which we are invited … to receive the Risen Christ himself… in that Bread of heaven which sustains us in the joys and labors of this earthly pilgrimage.”  

Bishop McManus is to celebrate the 10 a.m. Christmas Day Mass in English at St. Paul Cathedral. 

“Because the Cathedral is everyone’s home, we look forward to welcoming as many people for the Christmas Masses as possible,” said Msgr. Moroney. Because of COVID-19 restrictions, pre-registration is required. St. Paul’s parishioners were given the opportunity to sign up first. Now others can pre-register at www.cathedralofsaintpaul.com or call Barbara Lizardo at 508-799-4193 while space is available. 

Christ the King Parish in Worcester also chose to communicate specifically with parishioners - at Masses, in the parish bulletin and via Flocknotes - since weekend liturgies are already well attended. 

“One thing we won’t be doing is advertising our Mass schedule,” said the pastor, Monsignor Thomas J. Sullivan. “The last thing we need to do this year is exacerbate the problem with all the restriction policies.”  

Parishioners are to pre-register for the three Christmas Eve Masses, two of which are also to be “telecast” into the Johnson Room adjoining the church. Pre-registration is not required for the less-well-attended Christmas Day Masses.  

 St. John, Guardian of Our Lady Parish in Clinton is planning 13 Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Masses, up from about seven last year, said Father James S. Mazzone, pastor.  

“The 4 p.m. Christmas Eve Mass is standing room only – and the church seats 1000 people,” he said. Four of this year’s Masses the two days are at the baldacchino, a permanent canopy under which the priest celebrates the Mass, while worshippers listen on the radio from their vehicles. Communion is not distributed there. 

“To ensure that we comply with seating capacity in our church and vehicle capacity in our baldacchino parking lot, we’ll employ a ticketing system,” Father Mazzone said in a letter on the parish website, which explained the process. 

“Like you, Father Sebastian (Sanchez, associate pastor) and I wish to fully participate in these liturgies with hearts full of peace and joy!” he said. “We feel that this ticketing system will pull the carpet out from underneath any anxieties that might arise from surprise ‘overcrowdings’ at Masses.” 

Mary, Queen of the Rosary Parish in Spencer is planning an outdoor Christmas Eve Mass, in addition to its other Masses, all of which worshippers are to sign up for on the parish website or by calling the office. At least one Mass will be streamed live on Facebook, accessible from the parish website, said Father William Schipper, the pastor.  

He said worshippers can hear the outdoor Mass, celebrated under a tent, on the radio from their vehicles. Eucharistic ministers will bring Communion to them there. 

St. Rose of Lima Parish in Northborough is also planning an outdoor Christmas Eve Mass at 3 p.m., but adds in a bulletin announcement, “weather permitting – bring your own chairs.” Other Masses are in the church, with the 5 p.m. Christmas Eve Mass also livestreamed on Facebook.  

In addition to livestreaming three of its Masses on Facebook, St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Fitchburg plans to air one later on the local Fitchburg Access Television Network (FATV), on Comcast (Ch  8) Verizon (Ch 35) and Fitchburg State University (Ch 32) cable systems. 

St. John Paul II Parish in Southbridge, which uses Notre Dame and St. Mary church buildings, is also serving Facebook viewers. 

“We omitted a 6 p.m. Mass in English at St. Mary Church, believing that, with fewer people going to Mass, with an earlier Christmas Mass than midnight, and with the huge size of Notre Dame Church, it will not be necessary this year,” explained Father Kenneth R. Cardinale, pastor. “Instead, we will be streaming a Mass from St. Mary Church exclusively for people who have been participating in Mass through our Facebook page.” People can attend Masses in English or Spanish in person at Notre Dame.  

St. Peter Parish in Worcester, and its mission, St. Andrew the Apostle, has Masses in Spanish, English and Swahili, said the pastor Msgr. Francis J. Scollen. But the three children’s pageants in those languages have been eliminated.  

Also eliminated is the 10 p.m. Mass at St. Peter’s, which brings the number of Christmas Eve Masses down to four, said Msgr. Scollen, who has help from other priests. The 10 p.m. African Mass is being held earlier on Christmas Eve. 

Reservations are not needed, as the churches are big enough, he said. 

Planning to attend Christmas Eve or Christmas Day Mass?
“Prepare the way of the Lord” like this: 

Call the church you want to attend, or check its website or Facebook page, to find out this year’s Mass times (some have changed), what language the Mass is in and whether pre-registration is required. 

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Follow the parish’s instructions for registering the number of people in your party for the Mass you want to attend. If tickets are required, take them with you to Mass. 

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If attending a Mass outdoors or in your vehicle, bundle up, and bring chairs if needed. If the Mass is broadcast via radio, get the station. Find out whether, and how, you can receive Communion at this type of Mass.

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If watching/listening to Mass at home, find out how and when you can access the Mass and make sure you can do so with your technology.

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Participate with joy in the celebration of Jesus’ birth.