Archbishop announces end of dispensation December 8, invites Catholics back to Mass

SEATTLE – The obligation for Catholics in the Archdiocese of Seattle to attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation will be reinstated on December 8, the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, Archbishop Paul D. Etienne announced November 10. 

“Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have celebrated tens of thousands of Masses with only a handful of cases of coronavirus spread,” the archbishop said in a letter to the people of the archdiocese. It’s an indication that the archdiocese’s COVID-19 protocols are “effectively protecting people and providing a safe environment for worship,” he said. 

It has been 20 months since the archbishop granted Catholics a dispensation from attending Mass because of the pandemic. Although public Masses resumed in late May of 2020, and Catholics began returning to the pews, the dispensation remained in place. 

Now, Archbishop Etienne is extending an invitation for all Catholics to come back to church.

“It is time to renew our faith through personal reception of the sacraments and rebuild the relationships and community life of our parishes,” he said. “Be a part of our family of faith. Make the Lord’s Day a true celebration of the Resurrection, and a great celebration of being renewed in his life, mercy and love.” As has always been the case, those with a serious reason are excused from attending Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation, the archbishop said, citing the Catechism of the Catholic Church. 

“This includes those who are ill, have significant health risk factors or care for someone who is ill or immunocompromised, as well as those who have significant fear or anxiety about contracting COVID in a large group,” he said. 

In his column for the upcoming December/January issue of Northwest Catholic, Archbishop Etienne noted some people may not be ready to attend Mass with a large number of people, suggesting they start with a weekday Mass attended by fewer people, where it’s easier to distance. 

“While attending Mass by livestream has been a blessing,” the archbishop said, “it can never take the place of in-person worship, and especially of receiving the precious body and blood of the Lord.” 

“It is important to recall the irreplaceable role of the Eucharist in the life of the Church,” he added. 

Read Archbishop Etienne’s letter in English and Spanish.

Visit the Welcome Back to Mass page.