By CISA
JOHANNESBURG, JULY 30, 2021 (CISA) – Rt. Rev. Peter Holiday, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Kroonstad has issued new guidelines for resumption of public worship after President Cyril Ramaphosa lifted restrictions put in place to curb the spread of COVID-19.
“We welcome President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement to move South Africa to Adjusted Level 3. This is good news for us as a Catholic/Christian Community so that we can gather in our Churches to praise God. As we open our Parish churches, we have to keep the numbers to 50 inside the church,” Bishop Holiday said on July 27.
“I ask the Priests and Parish Pastoral Councils to manage the Parish Community as to how people will be able to come to Sunday Mass as you did before. Let us, as a Diocese, be patient in working with the Priests and Parish Pastoral Councils as we move forward slowly with the hope that soon life in society will return to some form of normality,” he said asking the faithful to continue praying for God’s healing in the world and country.
On July 25, in a televised address President Cyril Ramaphosa announced South Africa will move from Level 4 Covid-19 restrictions to Level 3. He said the overall decline in new Covid-19 infections meant that it was possible to gradually ease some of the restrictions on gatherings and movement.