Earlier this week, in time for Easter Weekend celebrations, The Archdiocese of San Antonio announced some easing of restrictions as COVID-19 numbers continue to roll back consistently in the city. This means that churches around town will see an increase in physical attendance since the beginning of the pandemic in March of 2020.

According to a report from Candice Avila-Garcia of MySA.com/ The Express News, it was announced that on March 31, parishes could have started distancing from 6 to 3 feet. Masks, of course, will still be required and sanitizing as well. These announcements were all via a Facebook post from the Archdiocese.

For Central Catholic, it’s important to emphasize the all-school mass celebrations as a part of this. On March 19, Central Catholic gathered in the Kahlig-Cowie Convocation Center for an all-school celebration of the Feast of St. Joseph. All of the school was gathered, along with faculty and staff. Chairs were spread out 3 feet apart from each other, and Communion was still distributed safely.

Fr. Sean Downing, Chaplain at Central says, “April 26, Archbishop Gustavo is coming.” He then explains how the mass venue will be set up by saying, “Masks will be on, we’ll be separated by at least three feet, maybe more, and I think we’ll be able to have an all-school mass.”

“We’ll still have to be careful,” he says. Although, his level of confidence of one day returning to an even bigger capacity in both parishes and at all-school masses, is extremely positive. He says, “With the vaccinations beginning to become more efficient and getting in the arms, I am hoping by next fall, and by next winter, that we have some kind of back to a ‘so-called’ normalcy.” He continues, “Normal shouldn’t mean what it was before the pandemic, I hope we come out of this a better society, centered in the Love of Christ.”

The San Antonio-area daily COVID-19 cases have not been on a rampage when it comes to high numbers. In fact, a new report came out this week suggesting that 500,000 residents have both doses of a vaccine in their arm. All current conditions may be affected if case begin to rise again.