Updated: 5:51 PM PST December 27, 2020
PORTLAND, Oregon It s the Sunday after Christmas. At Christ the King Parish in Milwaukie, a larger crowd of Catholics is now allowed inside.
“We were very happy with that gift that came before Christmas because it meant we could open up our parishes to a larger extent to people this Christmas, said Monsignor Gerard O’Connor. O’Connor is Director of Divine Worship with the Archdiocese of Portland.
The gift Msgr. O’Connor is referring to is Oregon Governor Kate Brown s clarification that limits at places of worship were recommendations and not legal requirements.
“People need to practice their faith, especially in times of trouble, and this pandemic has been awful… People have missed their churches, missed coming together as a community, praying and receiving the sacraments and that’s very important for us Catholics, O’Connor said.