Houses Of Worship Offer Options For Parishioners To Attend Christmas Services Amid COVID Surge
MADISON, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Many churches are still holding Christmas Eve services despite the rapid rise in COVID cases.
Some houses of worship are offering options, CBS2's Meg Baker reported Thursday.
In an effort to get parishioners to the Christmas celebration, St. Vincent's Martyr Catholic Church in Madison, New Jersey is offering socially distanced, masked masses and open-seating, mask-optional services.
"What we wanted to do is, to create an experience for everyone who wanted to come to worship to come," said Father George Hundt.
"Our parish really strives in making sure we minister to the least among us, and we have quite a few parishioners who still have concerns over COVID," said Valerie Friedman.
Sixteen different masses will be offered over two days in the church and in the school gym next door.
"We believe that celebrating feast of Christmas is very, very important and receiving Eucharist even more so. So we are grateful that we are able to offer all of these different masses," said Friedman.
In Short Hills, St. Rose of Lima is asking people to sign up ahead of time for limited-seating services.
"Given what we're hearing about the rise in COVID cases and the reaction of people to the concerns about the pandemic," said Rev. Robert Harahan, who's asking anyone with symptoms or who doesn't feel well to stay home.
The church will be disinfected between masses.
"We do this in the hope that more people will attend, people will be able to spread out and not be so crowded and more people will be comfortable coming to mass," Harahan said.
Baker spoke with churches of different denominations. Most said they will continue with regularly scheduled masses, but will require masks.
Many offer live streams so anyone can watch from home.
CBS2's Meg Baker contributed to this report.
