The Diocesan Digest
Weekly Administration E-Mail Communications for Pastors and Associate Pastors
April 16, 2021
Welcome to the Diocesan Digest!
If you have any questions or suggestions about this communication, please contact Bevin Kennedy (bkennedy@rcbm.org, 603-663-0136).
Topics in this Digest
1. State Mask Mandate
You may have seen that the Governor announced the repeal of the State mask mandate. This is causing confusion because it does not repeal what is in place for guidance for Houses of Worship in New Hampshire which incorporated the CDC’s best practices including the continued recommended wearing of masks. From the first days of this pandemic impacting our State, the Diocese has been, and will continue to be, informed by federal and state public health experts and our own local, Catholic health resources.
What the Governor is allowing to expire is separate from the broader and still prudent precautionary measures which remain in place: washing and sanitizing of hands, maintaining a distance of six feet, or twenty for choirs, and other measures the Diocese has had in place since last May. Masks when in close confines, such as when we are at Mass, are still strongly encouraged to be worn by those who are able, according to the guidance we have asked all to follow.
While vaccines are now widely available, they should not give the false sense that no other precautions are necessary or helpful. We ask you, therefore, to continue to follow the guidance of best practices for the Celebration of Mass and other aspects of Parish life which are found on our website by clicking here and watching the Diocesan Digest for further updates.
Please also be aware that municipal regulations may address the wearing of masks in your community.
For questions, please contact Fr. Jason Jalbert (663-0132 or jjalbert@rcbm.org); Meredith Cook (663-0148 or mcook@rcbm.org); or Dennis Honan (663-0112 or dhonan@rcbm.org)….