St. John the Evangelist 

Catholic Church

Lifting the General Dispensation from the Obligation to Attend Mass We, the Catholic Bishops of the Province of Baltimore and the Archdiocese of Washington, give thanks to Almighty God for the progress our country has made in curbing the coronavirus pandemic.The average number of new cases of COVID-I9 continues to decline due to the observance of safety protocols and the increase of the availability of the vaccine. At this time, many places in our region are enjoying a return to some sense of normalcy. Therefore, we are lifting the dispensation of the Sunday and Holy Days Mass obligation in the Archdiocese of Baltimore, the Archdiocese of Washington, and the Dioceses of Arlington, Richmond, Wheeling-Charleston, and Wilmington and reinstating that obligation beginning on Saturday, June 26, 2021 and Sunday, June 27, 2021.

Dear Friends, I hope this note finds you in good health and at peace! As a direct result of the improvement in the rates of infections, hospitalizations, mortalities resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic; and the vast increase in the number of vaccinations in the US, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. Council of Bishops, the State of Maryland, and Montgomery County have all issued relaxed rules for Mass attendance.  Based on Montgomery County regulations these relaxed regulations will be effective as of 6:00 AM Friday, 28 May 2021.