Masks remain, but the Knights of Columbus are back to regular seating at the Mass for Respect for All Human Life Jan. 12 at the Co-Cathedral of St. Theresa in Honolulu. (Photo courtesy of Dann Ebina)
Others are leaving it up to worshippers to space themselves
By Anna Weaver
Hawaii Catholic Herald
The highly contagious Omicron variant of COVID-19 hit the Hawaiian islands right around the time that the Diocese of Honolulu lifted requirements for social distancing in Catholic churches throughout most of the state. The latter decision had been made before the variants’ rapid entrance into Hawaii.
After receiving feedback at a Jan. 13 presbyteral council meeting and a Jan. 12 vicariate meeting, Office of Worship director Father Alfred Omar Guerrero reported that parishes have seen a slight decrease in Mass attendance since the variant’s arrival.
“Some pastors have chosen to continue with limited capacity and socially distanced seating even though social distancing is no longer required (on Kauai, Oahu, and Maui Counties),” Father Guerrero said. “There has not been a big push for going back on restrictions.”
All the same, some parishes are returning to social distancing in the pews just a short time after restrictions were lifted by the diocese.
St. Elizabeth Parish in Aiea went back to social distancing at Mass starting the weekend of Jan. 8-9. Seating capacity was once again limited to 50%. The parish is again requiring tickets for Mass attendees starting Jan. 15-16.
“We want to keep all our parishioners safe as we deal with the omicron virus,” wrote Father Arnold Ortiz, St. Elizabeth’s pastor.
Ropes back up
La Salette Father Rizal Acosta, pastor of St. Raphael Church in Koloa on Kauai, said that parishioners expressed wanting to go back to social distancing. So ropes have gone back up in between the church’s pews to allow for more spacing.
Other parishes have kept certain sections of the church or outside areas designated as social distancing spots.
While the emergency planning team at Sts. Peter and Paul Church in the Ala Moana area of Honolulu recommended slowly increasing church capacity, it is keeping the courtyard and outside tent with video audio seating area that it has had since the start of the pandemic in place for those that are more comfortable there. Church volunteers also take the temperatures of Mass attendees before they go inside.
“We are vigilant as the variant continues to impact us,” said Sts. Peter and Paul’s pastor, Father Khanh Pham-Nguyen. “At the same time, we make accommodation for those who may feel vulnerable.
“Some parishioners expressed their appreciation for the way we are making the environment safe for those who come to worship,” he said.
In Nanakuli, Oahu, at St. Rita Parish, five sections inside the church are still reserved for those who want to social distance, according to its pastor, Father Alapaki Kim. The church asks that Mass attendees wash their hands before going into church, and the pews are sanitized after Mass.
Father Anthony Rapozo, pastor of St. John Apostle and Evangelist Parish in Mililani, said that his parish has not returned to social distancing and has not received any complaints so far. The church does still have a section inside and outside for attendees that want to social distance.
“We have a courtyard that connects to the church and people are welcome to sit outside in chairs if they feel that they do not want to be in the pews in the church,” Father Rapozo said.
Barriers are gone
“We have not gone back to social distancing and have removed all the barriers that were in the church,” reported Msgr. Terrence Watanabe, pastor of St. Anthony Parish in Wailuku, Maui.
St. Anthony has a courtyard outside the church where those who want to social distance can sit. Msgr. Watanabe added that there are still some parishioners who are not comfortable coming back to church because of COVID-19 and the Omicron variant.
At Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Ewa Beach, Oahu, Father Ed Barut said parishioners have not gone back to social distancing. But there are two sections in the church for kupuna and others who want to space themselves. There are also has two large tents on the side and front of the church for overflow seating and those who prefer to sit outside. Sliding doors on the church are opened so those outside can hear and see better.
Sacred Hearts Father Rich McNally at St. Ann Parish in Kaneohe on Oahu said that since the church is large, it is still easy for Mass attendees to be comfortably apart. There are also individual chairs around the perimeter of the church sanctuary.
Father McNally added that the parish had planned to return to its pre-COVID Mass schedule in the day chapel but that has been put on hold since Omicron’s increase in case numbers. In-person meetings are also staying mostly online for the time being.
Over on topside Molokai, Sacred Hearts Father Brian Guerrini of St. Damien of Molokai Parish said he believes that “if people feel like social distancing, they’ll do it.”
While social distancing is no longer required by the diocese on most islands, masks are still mandated and churches continue to sanitize seating.
“I have seen an increase in reports of positive cases in parishioners, employees and some students over the holidays, however, none transmitted from church or school activities,” said Dara Perreira, the Diocese of Honolulu’s human resources director and a member of the diocese’s COVID-19 task force. “I do not track each one of them so that is anecdotal information. But it feels like when the Delta variant was at its peak [here].”
According to Hawaii Department of Health data, close to 50,000 COVID-19 cases were recorded in the state from the beginning to the middle of January. The surge, largely attributed to Omicron, began in early December. The first case was identified on Dec. 2 by the Hawaii Department of Health State Laboratories Division. Health department data showed a small drop in cases as of mid-January.
