Prince Albert churches prepare for ‘very quiet’ Christmas
Christians across the world are adapting their Christmas celebrations this year and Prince Albert churches are no different. Roman Catholic churches in the city will hold in-person celebrations with limited attendance. Meanwhile Anglican churches across the province have suspended all public worship and gathering until Jan. 15.
Bishop Michael Hawkins of the Diocese of Saskatchewan (the Anglican church in Prince Albert and the North) told paNOW his diocese and others in the province made the difficult decision to suspend gatherings out of a fear of increasing transmission. The provincial government’s move to prohibit private gatherings outside of immediate households was another impetus.
“When the province decided that people couldn’t visit their families at all over Christmas… it seemed if it was that risky we needed to close over this period,” he explained.
The concern is particularly acute in areas like P.A., where Hawkins feels high transmission rates have gone underreported by the media and unquestioned by the government.