Summary of Input from 
Bishop Joe Vásquez
on Executive Order GA-29 
Issued by Governor Greg Abbott
 
 
Executive Order GA-29 was issued by Governor Abbott on Thursday, July 2, and went into effect Friday, July 3 at 12:00 noon.  This order mandates a state-wide face-covering requirement with few exceptions.  Under the order, every person in Texas is required to wear a face-covering over the nose and mouth when inside a commercial entity or other building or space open to the public, or when in an outdoor public space, wherever it is not feasible to maintain six feet of social distancing from another person not in the same household.
 
It is our obligation, as citizens and as faith-based Christian people, to follow our civil leaders’ rules and we want to help protect the common good of all citizens.  This is part of our living out the Gospel of Life.  Therefore, Bishop Vásquez strongly encourages the faithful to wear facemasks while on parish campuses and at mass.  While the governor’s order does not definitively require the use of facemasks for people in churches, our Bishop highly encourages us to wear them for the common good of our communities.  We have free masks available at all entrances to the Church.
 
The Governor’s requirement does not apply to individuals who are under age 10 and/or have a medical condition or disability that prevents wearing a face covering.  You can read the full Executive Order online and this summary of the letter from our Bishop on the Governor’s order is on our church website. 
  
Remember that we are still exempt in our obligation to attend mass on Sundays but it is our Bishop’s hope that fear will not overtake us and that we will be compassionate and loving to our fellow parishioners in making our decisions about attending mass.

Governor Abbott statement on  Face Covering Requirement and Proclamation To Limit Gatherings.