On a first come basis

Churches have chosen different means of adhering to gathering restrictions of the reopening that started Saturday. With a new maximum capacity of 120 in the sanctuary, Sts. Rose and Clement Church is keeping strict count of those arriving for Mass and once that threshold is reached, parishioners can view the service from the church hall. Masses are also live streamed. Sixty attended the first reopening Mass on Saturday and Sunday saw a steady stream of parishioners who, if they didn’t bring their own hand sanitizer, held out their hands to be sprayed. They were also given prayer books to keep. Donations of $5 were welcome. Parishioners are advised to wear facemasks that they told to keep on during Holy Communion until they say Amen. Daily Mass is at 8 a.m. Monday through Friday and confessions on Saturday from 4 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday Mass is at 5 p.m. and Sunday at 10:30 a.m. Other churches have chosen to take appointments for Mass and stopping reservations once they reach capacity. As the church hall has a capacity for an additional 71 parishioners, the decision was to go with a system of first come, first served. (Warwick Beacon photos)