Update: Churches across Sydney close due to Covid

All public masses in greater Sydney will cease at 6pm on 26 June for two weeks.

The announcement comes after churches in the Local Government areas of Sydney, Randwick, Woollahra and Waverley closed at midnight 25 June, initially until 2 July.

Following restrictions announced by NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian as Covid infections in Sydney continued to increase, all churches in the metropolitan will now remain closed until midnight on 9 July.

Masses which were due to be celebrated at 5pm or 5.30pm on 26 June were still able to go ahead but would become the final masses until a reassessment of closures in line with state government health orders.

Greater Sydney covers the entire metropolitan area as well as the Blue Mountains, the Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour.

Under the widened measures people within those areas must stay at home unless they have an essential reason to leave.

While churches are closed as part of the effort to contain Covid, livestreaming of masses can occur and you can find more information on Livestreamed Masses on the Archdiocese of Sydney website here.

Essential reasons for leaving home include:

• Shopping for food or other essential goods and services;

• Medical care or compassionate needs;

• Exercise outdoors in groups of 10 or fewer;

• Essential work, or education, where a person cannot work or study from home.

The government has advised all those living in the affected areas to limit unnecessary activity and avoid large gatherings in throughout the period.

(This article is taken from Catholic Weekly, June 25 2021)