Over 40 parishes under Manila archdiocese closed due to COVID-19 threat

Over 40 parishes under the Archdiocese of Manila were temporarily closed due to rising COVID-19 infections in the country, the archdiocese’s ministry on health care announced on Tuesday.

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila (RCAM) Ministry on Health Care said at least 41 parishes were closed after some of the parishes' priests and church personnel tested positive for the viral disease.

Meanwhile, other parishes closed as a preventive measure against Omicron variant, several personnel and staff received their booster shots, routine RT-PCR tests, and general disinfection and sanitation of the church premises.

The RCAM said the following parishes temporarily closed were:

1. Saint Vincent De Paul Parish
2. Nuestra Senora De La Soledad Parish - Binondo
3. Saint John Bosco Parish – Makati
4. Parokya ng Ina ng Laging Saklolo – Punta
5. San Jose de Trozo Parish
6. Santa Clara de Montefalco Parish
7. Our Lady of the Assumption Parish
8. Saint Peter the Apostle Parish
9. Saint Alphonsus Mary de Liguori Parish
10. Our Lady of Fatima Parish – Pasay
11. Saint Andrew the Apostle Parish
12. National Shrine of the Sacred Heart
13. Santa Teresita Parish – Makati
14. San Roque de Sampaloc Parish
15. Saint John of the Cross Parish – Makati
16. Our Lady of Penafrancia Parish
17. Mater Dolorosa Parish
18. Saint Anthony of Padua Parish – Singalong
19. San Juan Nepomuceno Parish – Pasay
20. Santuario de San Antonio Parish – Makati
21. Santuario del Santo Cristo
22. San Isidro Labrador Parish – Pasay
23. Mary, Mirror of Justice Parish – Makati
24. Santisimo Rosario Parish – UST
25. St. Francis of Assisi Parish – Mandaluyong
26. Saint John Mary Vianney Parish – Makati
27. National Shrine of Our Lady of Abandoned
28. Minor Basilica and National Shrine of San Lorenzo Ruiz
29. Our Lady of Abandoned Parish – Mandaluyong
30. Our Lady of La Paz Parish – Makati
31. Archdiocesan Shrine of Santo Nino de Tondo
32. National Shrine of Saint Jude Thaddeus
33. Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Chinese Parish
34. Santa Maria Goretti Parish
35. Our Lady of Remedies Parish – Malate
36. National Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe
37. Saint Joseph Parish – Gagalangin
38. Saint Joseph the Baptist Parish
39. Santissima Trinidad Parish – Malate
40. Mary the Queen Parish – San Juan
41. San Roque Parish - Pasay

The archdiocese earlier issued guidelines on implementing church lockdowns amid the spike in COVID-19 cases.

Under Circular No. 2022-03, the RCAM stated, a church lockdown will be at the discretion of the parish priest in consultation with the parish pastoral council, local government units, health authorities, and other concerned government agencies.

The archdiocese noted that the lockdown of parish offices can be prevented if minimum health protocols are maintained. — Richa Noriega/BM, GMA News