Dec 18: Chancery Notice Extracts

This is an extract from the Chancery Notice on 28th December 2021 - Updates on Archdiocesan Public Health Protocols

• In view of the upcoming Christmas and New Year celebrations, His Grace Archbishop Julian Leow, upon the recommendation of the members of the Archdiocesan Crisis Task Force, has decreed that the following protocols be adopted in all parishes, churches, chapels and Mass Centres for the safety of all parishioners.
  
  
• Confessions
  • Confessions before Masses and by appointment may continue but parishes are to adhere strictly to the guidelines set out in Appendix D of the Archdiocesan Guidelines for Celebrating Sacraments under the National Recovery Plan. https://covid19.ArchKL.org 
    
    
• Testings
  • We have been reminded by health authorities that we will have to adapt to living alongside COVID-19 by making some deliberate choices about how to coexist.
  • One of the crucial steps which we must adopt in order to live with this virus is regular testing. With the advent of relatively affordable and accurate self-test kits, we are able to resume some level of face-to-face human interaction whilst ensuring that we and our loved ones are able to do so in relative safety. 
  • An Archdiocesan Testing Policy will take effect from the 24/12/2021 to protect the most vulnerable and those under high risks categories. This is taking the cue from the National COVID-19 Testing Strategy.
    
    
  • For children below the age of 12 who are not eligible for vaccination (except in the case of infants), it should be a rule to have the child take an approved antigen self-test before coming for any public gathering - first confessions, first holy communion, public Masses. Valid for a duration of not more than 24 hours.
  • Both priests and extraordinary ministers of holy communion (EMOHC) may visit several of the home bound on a single day provided:
    • The priest or the EMOHC takes a self-test in the morning or the evening before the day of the visit.
    • The homebound person and his/her caretaker take a self-test in the morning or the evening before the day of the visit.
  • Home visits - if priests are visiting homes and families, they should also adopt the same protocol as above.
    
    
  • In accordance with the National COVID-19 Testing Strategy, those who are exempted from vaccination due to medical grounds will need to perform a RTK-Ag selftest supervised by a member of the PRT or trained personnel prior to attending any gatherings in church.
    
    
• Carolling
  • According to the latest SOP on the celebration of Christmas dated 17th December 2021 (Christmas SOP) house-to-house carolling is prohibited.
    
    
• TRIIS and Contact Tracing
  
  • In case of a parishioner who had attended Mass or some other public function in the parish having been tested positive, kindly inform the Archbishop and the Chancery as soon as possible.

Rev Fr Michael Chua
Chancellor
Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur

Note:

• Download Chancery Notice  for complete details. 
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