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To: Priests, deacons, brothers, sisters, principals, parish communicators, Catholic Charities and chancery staff
From: The Most Reverend Gregory J. Hartmayer, OFM Conv.
Peace and all good to you!
As many of you have already seen, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated the guidelines concerning fully-vaccinated people. The update allows those who are fully vaccinated to stop wearing masks and social distancing, even indoors.
In light of this update, the Archdiocese of Atlanta will continue to recommend masks at Masses, but will give pastors discretion to allow vaccinated people to remove them. Those who are not vaccinated should still wear a mask. We will have to rely on peoples’ honesty, as we cannot ask for their personal health information.
We will continue to monitor the CDC as well as local health agencies guidelines and will go back to masks and distancing should the situation changes in any of our communities.
Let us give thanks to the Lord for each bit of good news as we see the easing of the pandemic’s grip on our world.