A sign outside St. Joseph of Calasanctius Church in North Battleford on May 25. Many places of worship are considering their future plans for phase three of the province's Re-Open Saskatchewan Plan. (file photo/battlefordsNOW Staff) 

By Angela Brown

COVID-19 planning

Religious groups deliberate on ability to reopen

May 27, 2020 | 1:10 PM

The third phase of the province’s Re-Open Saskatchewan Plan is scheduled for June 8, but organizers for many religious groups are still determining whether they can open doors amidst the COVID-19 restrictions.

Parametres for the third phase will allow 15 people to gather indoors with up to 30 people outdoors while still maintaining two-metre social-distancing safety protocols. Since March 26, the gathering limits laid out by the provincial public health order were set at 10 people total. Many religious facilities temporarily closed for worship services to comply with the restrictions.

Imam Mansoor Azeem of Baitul Amaan Mosque in Lloydminster said his community is not gathering and plans are in the works to prepare for phase three.

While the gathering limits will expand, he said it will remain difficult for his congregation to assemble.

“Islamic prayer is different because you have to stand shoulder-to- shoulder and side-by-side,” he said. “It is not appropriate to do it during these times because it might spread the virus.”

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Azeem said families celebrated the Eid al-Fitr religious holiday for Muslims at their separate residences on May 24. Members were encouraged to offer prayer at home. They also joined an online session and took part in some virtual games to celebrate, since they could not gather or visit one another in person.

“It was very untraditional,” he said.

Azeem said the mosque representatives plan to meet with the mayor of Lloydminster as they have done in the past before making any future decisions about reopening.

“If the city thinks it is safe enough to open the mosque for 15 people next June, then and only then we will move forward. Otherwise we will not,” he said.

Rev. Trevor Malyon, pastor of St. Paul’s Anglican Church in North Battleford and St. George’s Anglican Church in Battleford, said even with the increase, it would still be difficult to reopen.

“I would feel a little bit uncomfortable with it,” he said.

Malyon is concerned after reading about more people contracting the virus in Ontario after restrictions were loosened.

“My thoughts are it’s too soon,” he said.

Third Avenue United Church’s Rev. Dexter Warren van Dyke said his worship committee and board still need to consider whether or not to reopen for the June date.

He said the denomination is cautioning the church about reopening as a number of members may be more vulnerable to the virus, given their age and the fact that many have underlying health concerns.

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angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW