Cardinal Oswald Gracias, the Archbishop of the Bombay Diocese of the Roman Catholic Church, informed the Bombay High Court on Friday that its churches in Mumbai will not conduct Sunday Mass till April 4 as a precautionary measure against the novel coronavirus outbreak.
Senior advocate Joaquim Reis, who is representing Cardinal Gracias, conveyed the message to the court in response to a notice issued by the Bench of Chief Justice B.P. Dharmadhikari and Justice N.R. Borkar.
The Bench had issued the notice after it received a letter from advocate Savina Crasto pointing out that Sunday Mass was being held in churches across the city despite the government issuing guidelines to avoid events with large gatherings.
Ms. Crasto letter said the Eucharist is celebrated in Catholic churches and the ceremony witnesses large gatherings. Holy Communion is given during the ceremony, where bread and wine is offered to the faithful. She said though it pains her to seek the cancellation of Sunday Mass, it is necessary as it poses a risk to the general public.
Mr. Ries also submitted an affidavit filed by the archbishop clarifying that the diocese is fully conscious of the grave crisis facing the State and has already taken several proactive steps to prevent large gatherings and social contact.
The archbishop had issued a circular on March 17 instructing all churches within its the jurisdiction of the Bombay Diocese to avoid large gatherings and stop Novena services, observing the stations of the Cross, the Passo service, the meetings of associations at St. Michael’s Church in Mahim.
Responding to the letter, government pleader Priyabhushan Kakade on Friday informed the Bench that the church authorities had issued a circular on Thursday evening ordering the suspension of all Masses in churches till March 31.
The matter will now be heard of April 7.
