Circular Letter No. 09 Series 2021 – DALO BALEN

GUIDELINES DURING THE VISIT OF THE VIRGEN DE LOS REMEDIOS
AND THE STO. CRISTO DEL PERDON Y CARIDAD (DALO BALEN)

The following guidelines are issued for the Dalo Balen from 15 February 2021 to 13 August 2021. They are derived from the Archdiocese’s Circular Letter No. 04 Series 2021. These are mandatory but may be revised and adjusted based on the directives of the government’s Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF).

All concerned parishes shall create a local committee to coordinate with the Cruzada Permanent Committee, seek a permit from its Local Government, as well as to ensure that these guidelines are followed. The names and contact numbers of the local committee shall be submitted to the LGU for proper ground communication.

• GENERAL PREVENTIVE MEASURES 
  

1. Only those who belong to the age bracket of 15 to 65 years old should be allowed to attend religious activities in churches and/or allowed to visit the sacred images.
   
   Any person below 15 years old; any person 65 years old above; any person with immunodeficiency, comorbidities, or other risks; and pregnant women are to follow strict home quarantine.
   
   
2. The body temperature of all people entering our churches should be checked using body thermal scanners. Churchgoers with a temperature of 37.5 or higher will not be allowed to enter.
   
   
3. All must observe physical distancing, i.e. 1 or 1.5 meters from one another at all times.
   
   
4. Wearing of face mask is strictly mandated for all whenever outside the home. Thus, face masks and face shields should be worn by all the Mass servers — altar servers, lay communion ministers, sacristans, church greeters and collectors, social communication ministers and lectors (when not reading) — and all churchgoers.
   
   
5. Logbook for churchgoers which includes Date of Visit, Name, Exact Address, Contact Details, and Seating Arrangements for contact tracing purposes – a consolidated contact tracing file shall be submitted at the end of each day.
   
   
6. Regular disinfection of premises and surfaces every hour or as the need arises. The disinfectant solution must meet the standard set by the Department of Health.
   
   
7. Local processions and/or motorcades of the sacred images during the one-week stay of the sacred images at any municipality/city are NOT

• CHURCH BUILDINGS AND EQUIPMENT

11. All parishes must follow the maximum seating capacity issued by the IATF. (50% for MGCQ classification)
    
    
12. Entrance and exit ways should be properly marked and designated. Each parish is to coordinate and collaborate with the LGU, PNP, DOH, and/or Local IATF to assist in the entry and exit of people.
    
    
13. Alcohol dispensers and foot baths should be provided at the entrances and other accessible locations of the church building.
    
    
14. Church pews should be marked accordingly for physical distancing. Should designated areas outside the church be used (e.g. stairs, lofts, and porches), these places should be marked as well. Methods should vary in light of the capacity of the church building.
    
    
15. The sound system should be clear to the people outside the church so they too can participate in the liturgical activities.
    
    
16. Church doors must be propped open to lessen contact.
    
    
17. Holy water fonts should remain empty.
    
    
18. Microphones should have coverings. These are to be changed regularly or every after single use.
    
    
19. Touching, kissing, and/or rubbing of towels to sacred images are still prohibited. There should be notices in front of these images, informing the people not to touch or wipe them as well as indoor markers to restrict laying a hand on the sacred images and/or picking of flowers at their andas (carriage).
    
    
20. Short prayers can be posted in front of the sacred images to help people pray instead.
    
    
21. For air-conditioned churches (must be clarified and coordinated with the local IATF for each concerned church), it would be better if the air-conditioning units are not used during this time.
    
    
22. Restroom facilities should be sanitized at least every hour or as the need arises. These are to be properly maintained. Soap and alcohol/sanitizers should be available for proper handwashing.
    
    
23. A well-kept area for lamak offerings shall be designated by each parish involved in the Dalo Balen.

• UPON THE ARRIVAL OF THE IMAGES

1. The motorcade shall only be comprised of the Permanent Committee and the local PNP unit.
   
   
2. The faithful are discouraged to gather outside their homes to watch the motorcade.
   
   
3. The faithful/devotees are not allowed to carry the sacred images. PNP personnel shall only be the authorized persons to carry the images to and from the altar and to and from the service vehicles.
   
   
4. For the town-to-town transfer of the sacred images, the accredited PNP personnel of the next visiting town are the only ones allowed to carry and ferry the images.
   
   
5. The images go directly into the parish church without any rite or ceremony. There will be no gathering of people on the church patio. The church bells may be pealed instead.
   
   
6. Inside the church, the faithful, following the 50% seating capacity limit and the 1-meter social distancing await the images.
   
   
7. Upon arrival, the short rite of reception is done.
   
   
8. The reception may be preceded by a Holy Mass or a Rosary.

• LITURGY / HOLY MASS

1. The seating arrangement in the sanctuary must follow strict physical distancing, i.e. location of the Presider’s Chair and other seats.
   
   
2. There will be no offertory Holy Mass collections during the offertory should be done using bags with poles and not bags/boxes that are passed around. Likewise, a love-offering box, duly secured, may also be placed at the entrance and exit ways and/or other designated places of the church building.
   
   
3. A cantor and an instrumentalist should lead the people to sing within the turn-over rites, liturgical activities, and/or Holy Mass. Large choir groups are prohibited.
   
   
4. The holding of hands during the “Our Father” (Ibpa Mi) is still prohibited.
   
   
5. The shaking of hands and/or kissing during the sharing of peace is still not allowed. A simple head bow with a smiling face can already be a good sign of peace.
   
   
6. Before Holy Communion, the priest shows the Sacred Host to the people
   and says: “The Body of Christ” and the people answer “Amen”.
   
   

The reception of Holy Communion by the hand is to be maintained. The priest and lay ministers should wear face masks and face shields during the giving of Holy Communion.

When the communion is given to the hands of each communicant, there should no longer be any conversation between them. Moreover, the priest and lay ministers should be careful not to touch the palm of the communicant when communion is given.

7. The location of stations for the distribution of Holy Communion must be duly considered, strictly following physical distancing. Thus, the appropriate spacing between individuals in the communion line must be prepared, utilizing flooring guides/markers.
   
   
8. The flow of the communicants should be so directed by the church greeters and collectors that there will be no meeting of people.
   
   
9. The priest and lay communion ministers must sanitize their hands with alcohol/sanitizers before and after they give communion. It is good that this measure is done visible to the people to give them assurance of the proper hygienic practice.
   
   
10. In order to follow physical distancing protocols, parish priests are to consider how to safely disperse the assembly in small numbers (e.g. row by row exit).
    
    
11. Parishes should discourage any large gatherings of people before and after every activity. 

12. The traditional 24-hour praying of the rosary is not allowed due to the pandemic and existing curfews.

• PROPOSED SCHEDULE

Note:

1. For Sunday, the Parish may add masses for the faithful. Live-streamed Masses may also be added. The Modules may be repeated for greater reach.

2. Schedule will change for parishes with a three-day schedule.

• OTHER FORMS OF DEVOTIONS AND POPULAR PIETY

1. In some places, there exists a devotion involving dancing and singing in front of the images. While we respect these expressions of faith, it is in the best interest of all that these are suspended during this time of pandemic.
   
   
2. Any form of procession and motorcade is not allowed. Live-streaming of the liturgy and devotions are encouraged for the homebound.

• MEDIA
  

1. Throughout the transfer of the images from one municipality to another, only the accredited people by the Archdiocesan Commission on Social Communication shall do the official media coverage. (Archdiocesan Media, 91.9 Bright FM, Cruzada de
   Penitencia y Caridad and other accredited members of the media who shall seek approval).
   
   
2. The parish social communications ministry shall document all the activities of the parish from the arrival of the images to their departure. Photographs of the daily activities must be submitted to the parish secretary by the end of each day as a report must be submitted to the LGU.
   
   
3. Photographs must include: daily documentation of the church disinfection, registration for contact tracing, the faithful following protocols i.e. face masks, face shields, as well as the liturgical activities are done throughout the day.
   
   
4. Live-streaming of all the liturgical activities is highly recommended to accommodate the faithful who cannot physically join the activities.
   
   
5. There are five (5) videos that should be played inside the church and on broadcast before the mass of the day (they should not be played in any part of the mass.) These videos contain topics about Mary, catechesis, and other important announcements.
   
   
6. The use of a face mask, face shield, together with proper social distancing shall be imposed if the parish wishes to take photos in front of the images.

• ON DEPARTURE

1. Before the departure, the short rite of farewell may be done.
   
   
2. The faithful are discouraged to gather outside their homes to watch the motorcade.
   
   
3. The images are carried directly from the church to the vehicles without any other rite or ceremony. The church bells may be pealed instead.