A Pastoral Letter from Bishop Wayne Kirkpatrick
June 15, 2021
My Dear People,
In providing a COVID -19 update today, Premier Iain Rankin and Dr. Robert Strang, Chief Medical Officer of Health announced that the province will enter Phase Two, effective June 16. We will need to continue wearing masks and maintain physical distancing.
Phase Two allows for in-person faith gatherings in the province for 25% capacity up to 50 people. As Bishop, I support this directive and I instruct that our churches now be reopened. Once again, our parish offices, like our diocesan offices, may be reopened to the public.
https://novascotia.ca/reopening-plan/phase-two/
We are cautious about the Delta variant of this pandemic but with the vaccination rate up and many more eligible for a second dose of vaccine we are on the right path to a much better summer. We all agree that our faith is essential to us. Please continue to pray for those who are sick and for those who care for them. We hope that as we celebrate Canada Day, we will be able to enter Phase Three which will enable greater numbers of people for indoors faith gatherings.
In keeping with the celebration of the Year of Saint Joseph, the CCCB National Liturgy Office has composed a Novena and an Act of Entrustment to Saint Joseph. The Novena begins on June 22 and ends on June 30, and is followed by the Act of Entrustment on Thursday, 1 July 2021 Canada Day. I have attached the links to these documents.
We pray that St. Joseph, patron saint and protector of the universal Church and the principal patron saint of Canada will guide us in the path of life. Stay safe and keep well.
Fraternally,
+ Wayne Kirkpatrick
(Most Rev.) Wayne Kirkpatrick
