Archbishop Blair Extends Dispensation Until Ash Wednesday

On March 13, 2020, every Catholic in the Archdiocese of Hartford was dispensed from the obligation of attending Sunday Mass by Archbishop Leonard P. Blair due to the potential danger of the coronavirus pandemic. In May, the dispensation was extended through Labor Day and then in August, the dispensation was again extended through the end of the church's liturgical year (November 28). In light of the recent increase in coronavirus cases within the state of Connecticut and continued uncertainty regarding the extent and duration of the coronavirus in the state and throughout the Archdiocese of Hartford, Archbishop Blair has now extended the dispensation from the obligation to attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation for all the Faithful of the Archdiocese of Hartford through Tuesday, February 16, 2021, which is the eve of Ash Wednesday. The Archdiocese continues to monitor the severity of the situation surrounding the pandemic and will provide updates regarding decisions reached for the archdiocese as they are made.