As of last week, Rev. John Charles Wester,  Archbishop of Santa Fe, has reinstated the Sunday obligation of all Catholics in the Diocese to attend Sunday Mass. In a letter dated Aug. 22, Wester pointed out that the obligation of Mass attendance was temporarily put on hold at the outbreak of COVID-19.

“For some time now, the obligation of the faithful to assist at Sunday Mass has been temporarily abrogated due to the coronavirus pandemic,” the letter stated. “Given the current situation of the virus, its less severe symptoms, the availability of vaccines, and the advice of the medical establishment, I now reinstate the obligation of the faithful to assist at Sunday Mass and all other Holy Days of Obligation.”

At the same time, Wester noted that a serious reason in itself could excuse one from the Sunday obligation.

“The Catechism mentions illness or the care of an infant as two examples of a serious reason,” he said. “Pastors are also able to excuse a parishioner from this obligation.”

The Archdiocese of Santa Fe comprises 19 of the 33 counties in New Mexico: Socorro, Valencia, Torrance, Bernalillo, Santa Fe, Taos, Los Alamos, Sandoval, Rio Arriba, Colfax, Union, Mora, Harding, San Miguel, Quay, Guadalupe, De Baca, Roosevelt and Curry.

John Larson, El Defensor Chieftain