Masses at Cathedral now 30 minutes long amid COVID scare

Lesser churchgoers are seen at the St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Tagbilaran City on Sunday after the Bishop Abet Uy decided to add more masses throughout the day and cut down the celebration to 30 minutes to avoid congestion amid calls from the government and health experts to observe social distancing.

NOTE: This story was first published in The Bohol Chronicle’s Sunday print edition.

Starting today, Holy Masses at the St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Tagbilaran will be added in a bid to decongest the church which is always filled with church goers in all 13 masses starting at 4:30 in the morning up to 8 in the evening.

Aside from having additional masses, Fr. Algeriio Pana said the 15 Holy Masses starting today will be shortened to 30 minutes in a mass called as “misa rezada” or mass recited.

The 15 Masses are strategically crafted so as to avoid overcrowding or limit lengthy exposure with the crowd.

The cathedral can accommodate 1,500 church goers.

There will be no choir singing and Psalms are read.

This will be done due to the current threats related to the spread of Coronavirus (COvid-19).

Every churchgoer ought to be each other’s keeper at this time by taking all the necessary precautions, Fr Pana said.

Sunday Masses: 4:30AM, 5:30AM, 6:30AM, 7:30AM (English), 8:30AM, 9:30AM, 10:30AM; 12NN (English), 2:00PM, 3:00PM, 4:00PM, 5:00PM, 6:00PM (English), 7:00PM, &; 8:00PM.

Likewise, during Weekday Masses: 5:15AM, 6:15AM, 7:15AM (English), 12NN, 5:15PM.

Masses are retained during Wednesdays at 6:15PM (English); during Fridays at 3:00PM; during Saturdays
(anticipated) at 5:30PM & 6:45PM (English).