Guidelines for Attending Mass

The State of California will remove the capacity limits for all business and masking requirements for fully vaccinated people in many settings, effective June 15, 2021. The Diocese of San José is issuing the following modifications to our current COVID safety protocols effective June 18, 2021.

• Registration is no longer required for Mass

• The social distance between households during worship and non-worship gatherings will be reduced from 6 feet to 3 feet

• Non-vaccinated assembly members are asked to continue to wear masks at indoor worship and gatherings per CDC and state protocols

• Fully vaccinated assembly members are encouraged but not required to wear masks at indoor worship and gatherings as long as social distancing between households is maintained

• Proof of vaccination will not be required for attendance at our parish liturgies or gatherings

• For outdoor worship and non-worship gatherings, the assembly is no longer required to wear masks as long as social distancing between households is maintained

• Liturgical ministers, including clergy, are required to wear masks while carrying out their ministry less than 6 ft from others (i.e., communion ministers and clergy distributing the Eucharist, ushers greeting people and taking the collection, altar servers, etc.)

• Music ministers do not need to wear masks while singing if 6 feet from others

• Assembly may sing with or without masks while maintaining social distance

• Meetings, events, and receptions at parishes will resume, following masking, social distancing, and cleaning protocols

Exception for Children & Youth Activities School and parish youth events are still subject to the specific public health guidelines for youth activities, including stable cohorts and masking of ALL individuals indoors.

The Diocese will continue to evaluate our protocols during the summer and is hopeful that we will further loosen restrictions in August.

The following restrictions at St. Lawrence are still in place at this time:

• No Holy Water available in fonts

• ​​​​​​​No Communion Ministers

• ​​​​​​​No Altar Servers

• No Presentation of the Gifts during Mass