TORONTO – Catholic churches in Toronto are shutting their doors on the eve of Holy Week after the Ontario government deemed all places of worship non-essential during the COVID-19 pandemic and ordered them closed.
The Archdiocese of Toronto cancelled all public masses last week, but kept its doors open for parishioners to drop in and pray.
It also continued its numerous outreach services, including offering food to the homeless and underprivileged. That will change at 11:59 p.m.
on Tuesday. Cardinal Thomas Collins said he understands the “very scrupulous health reasons” to close down. “I never thought in my whole life I’d see the day where I’d say we can’t have the public celebration of the Eucharist for a time,” Collins told The Canadian