New curfew implemented in El Paso

Step- On Christmas Eve a new curfew came into effect on Wednesday night, while Catholic churches confirmed their opening as of Thursday, December 24, it was reported.

The curfew will be implemented from December 23 to 26, and from December 30 to January 4, 2021, from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. the next day, in order to inhibit contagion of COVID-19 in the region.

Ricardo Samaniego, an El Paso County judge, held that the new phases of the curfew are focused on “bad actors”, referring to those people who have circumvented the curfews that have been implemented to date.

“Some members of the community and companies have created a problem for all of us, and we can no longer afford that,” said Samaniego about people who organize and allow meetings of more than 10 people, even with people who do not belong to the same family unit. .

In such a way, the curfews that will be in force days before and after Christmas and New Year, seek to avoid meetings that could become a source of contagion both in nightclubs and in private events.

Meanwhile, the Catholic Diocese of El Paso announced that due to a decrease in the number of Covid-19 cases, and the decrease in the number of hospitalizations, Catholic churches will be able to open their doors just in time for the celebration of Christmas.

As of December 24, 2020, churches will be able to celebrate Masses, but only with 25 percent of their occupancy capacity.

Meanwhile, the times of the traditional masses at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, officiated by Bishop Mark Seitz with the following times, were announced:

-Children’s Mass at 5:00 pm

-Christmas Eve Mass in Spanish at 7:00 pm

-Christmas Eve Mass in English at 9:00 pm

Regarding the celebration of the Gallo Mass, scheduled from 10:00 pm to 12:00 pm, the Diocese of El Paso consulted with the Office of the County Judge and it was said that guarantees were received that attendance at Mass will not be prohibited by curfew.

However, the live webcast will be available to those who prefer not to attend the temples.

“All Catholics in the Diocese of El Paso are exempt from the obligation to attend Mass on Sundays and other holy days of obligation,” Bishop Seitz said.

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