By Mia Occhino ’23
It has been nearly nine months since the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic forced
a worldwide shutdown, and Beverly businesses, schools, and any other places of human
contact were forced to put things on pause. As restrictions have been loosened and we have been forced to adapt our daily routines while continuing to follow safety protocols, Beverly’s places of worship have had to make changes to their services. After a spike in cases after the Thanksgiving weekend due to travel and gatherings, the risk for a greater number of cases will likely increase during this month’s holidays. The preparation of religious services for the holidays are being done with caution by many places of worship in town, including Beverly’s three Catholic churches: St. Mary’s Star of the Sea, St. John the Evangelist, and St. Margaret’s.
At the start of the pandemic, when Governor Charlie Baker began to shut things
down in Massachusetts, the Catholic Church was in the middle of the Lenten season. For
Catholics, Lent is a time of reflection when they prepare for Easter. “I remember that it
was very difficult for parishioners not to commemorate Holy Week in church, and then
not to be able to celebrate the joy of Easter Sunday in church with our families and our
friends,” says Ellen Hutchinson, who is coordinating the church’s safe return to in-person services.
Massachusetts churches were allowed to reopen toward the end of May, following all
protocols to prevent the spread of the virus. “People were overjoyed to be able to attend
Mass in person and were very understanding of the strict procedures put into place to help keep everyone safe. Those protocols continue to be followed today and people continue to be very understanding and accepting of them,” Ellen says. For now, the restrictions placed on in-person Mass services are quite rigorous, especially with regard to the rise in cases during the last few months. They include:
• Required masks for all
• Doors used specifically for entrance, and others specifically to exit the church
• Limited, socially distanced and designated seating for Mass attendees, with reservations to attend Mass made in advance by calling the Beverly Catholic Collaborative offices
• Windows and doors opened for airflow
• No singing
• Hand sanitizer stations throughout the church, as well as 6-foot markers in aisles
• Contact tracing
• Thorough disinfecting by a team of volunteers after each Mass service
As of now, Mass services are running smoothly. “We are thrilled to be open and to be
able to have people attend Mass in person. Our priests, staff, and volunteers are vigilant
about making sure that the safety protocols are being followed,” says Ellen. Religious
education programs are continuing through virtual sessions over Zoom, and other
important services such as weddings, baptisms, funerals, and confession are being offered as well.
The Christmas season is also an important time for Catholics, especially Advent. Advent
is the four weeks leading up to Christmas, and marks the start of the new liturgical year,
and began on Sunday, Nov. 29th 2020. Along with Easter, Christmas is usually the most
crowded day of the year for churches, so it is necessary for the staff of the Beverly churches to make sure that all protocols are being followed while allowing parishioners to safely celebrate this important holiday.
The schedule for Christmas is not set, but Christmas Eve masses are likely to be spread
out through the three churches with approximate 3:00 P.M., 5:00 P.M., and 7:00 P.M times, and the services on Christmas day will likely be similar to the current Sunday schedule, which can be found at the end of this article. According to Ellen, the final schedule should be posted in about a week on the Beverly Catholic Collaborative Facebook page, and reservations need to be made for the Christmas services as well as all normal weekend Masses. “We know this Christmas will be different from all others; but we also know that the great joy of celebrating the Lord’s birth at Mass, with family and friends, will be unchanged!” she says.
The current weekend schedule for Mass is 4:00 P.M. on Saturday at St. John’s; 8:00
A.M. and noon on Sunday at St. John’s; 9:30 A.M. on Sunday at St. Margaret’s and 10:00
A.M. on Sunday at St. Mary’s.
Photo property of https://www.beverlycatholic.com.
