It won’t be a normal Sunday by any stretch of the imagination, but for priests across Ontario over the weekend of June 20-21 there will be a beautiful sight in front of them: a live congregation.

Despite the go-ahead to begin celebrating Mass on June 12, Ontario dioceses continue to take a cautious approach to re-opening churches.

Ontario churches can resume celebrating public Masses after the provincial government lifted the blanket ban on services.

Is the closure of churches and the suspension of the public celebration of Holy Mass a religious liberty issue?

On May 14, Ontario Premier Doug Ford unveiled the first phase of the province’s cautious re-opening strategy. Approved businesses received the green light to resume operations if in compliance with the safety protocols advised by public health. 

It could be a year or longer before churches in Canada can begin welcoming large numbers of worshippers, said a member of the country’s Special Advisory Committee on COVID-19.

As the world begins to stir from its pandemic hibernation, governments face the important question of how to accommodate houses of worship. At least, we hope they realize the question is important.

WASHINGTON -- Saying America needs “more prayer, not less,” President Donald Trump has declared houses of worship “essential” and directed the country’s governors “to do the right thing and allow these very important essential places of faith to open right now, this weekend.”

It was like a new beginning for Fr. Geoffrey Young and clergy in the Diocese of Saskatoon.

As Ontario and other provinces slowly begin to re-open a society that’s been in lockdown for more than two months, Church officials are well on their way in preparing for the lifting, or modifying, of the ban on large-scale gatherings like Mass celebrations.

The doors may be locked at St. Mary Immaculate Church in Elora, Ont., but Christ is still open and welcoming parishioners.

MANCHESTER, England -- Churches in England and Wales must wait until July before they may reopen, under a coronavirus recovery strategy published by the government.

ROME -- With a number of countries in Europe slowly easing restrictions as part of a long-term strategy for containing the spread of the coronavirus, churches, too, are seeing changes in what is or will be allowed.

While restrictions are expected to remain in place for the immediate future, preparations are under way for a time when churches will re-open, Cardinal Thomas Collins wrote in a pastoral letter.

With Saskatchewan starting to relax COVID-19 restrictions by allowing some gatherings of up to 10 people, the resumption of weekday Mass is a theoretical possibility that Regina’s archbishop has no plans to rush into.