AIRDRIE, Scotland (LifeSiteNews) — Bishops in Scotland are restoring the Sunday obligation to attend Mass, beginning on March 6, the first Sunday in Lent.
“Given the easing of restrictions in every other walk of life, the Church looks forward to welcoming Catholics back to Holy Mass,” said Bishop Hugh Gilbert, the president of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland, in a pastoral letter.
“May the continuing recovery of our country bring new hope to us all especially those who are ill, those who mourn loved ones, those who are apprehensive and those who have sustained us in so many ways throughout the Pandemic.”
“We, the Bishops of Scotland, take this opportunity to thank our clergy and our parish volunteers for all their efforts,” the bishop continued.
“May our Lenten journey this year lead us to a renewed appreciation of our Catholic faith, of the celebration of the Eucharist and of the presence of the Risen Christ who is always at our side.”
The bishops originally wanted to restore the obligation on January 2, 2022, the first Sunday of the calendar year. They also encouraged Catholics to attend Mass on Christmas or the Feast of the Holy Family, the day after. However, they postponed the restoration because they believed there had been a “serious worsening” of the COVID emergency in Scotland, thanks to the spread of the Omicron variant of the virus.
It is now understood that the Omicron variant is not a serious danger to life.
There are an estimated 700,000 Catholics in Scotland. However, even before the COVID lockdowns, fewer than 20 percent attended Mass weekly.