Just received this email from IHM Chapel:
“In accordance with the Executive Order 20-81 proclamation by Governor Tim Walz, face coverings are required when inside of the chapel. Please don a face covering upon arrival, remove it to receive Holy Communion, and then don it until exiting the chapel.
Exceptions to this requirement are:
- Father (speaker exemption)
- Altar servers (speaker exemption)
- Choir (singing exemption)
- Those under 5 years of age
- Those physically unable to wear a face covering”
Note that this last exemption is inaccurate. The actual Executive Order does not limit exemptions to those who are "
PHYSICALLY UNABLE to wear a mask," but rather:
"8. Exempt individuals. The following individuals are exempt from face covering requirements of this Executive Order: a. Individuals with a medical condition,
mental health condition, or disability that makes it unreasonable for the individual to maintain a face covering. This includes, but is not limited to, individuals who have a medical condition that compromises their ability to breathe, and individuals who are unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove a face covering without assistance. These individuals should consider using alternatives to face coverings, including clear face shields, and staying at home as much as possible."
https://www.leg.state.mn.us/archive/execorders/20-81.pdf (See bottom of p.4)
So, for example:
1) My mother, who recently had a lung resection (i.e., portion of lung removed) for cancer. No mask.
2) My autistic son, who will not tolerate anything touching his face (i.e., mental disability). No mask.
3) More exemptions mentioned in the Order: "10(h). While communicating with an individual who is deaf or hard of hearing
or has a disability, medical condition,
or mental health condition that makes communication with that individual while wearing a face covering difficult, provided that social distancing is maintained to the extent possible between persons who are not members of the same household. (See bottom of p.6).
This would include my autistic son, and since we all need to be able to communicate with him to keep him calm during Mass, my whole family is exempt.
4) "10(c). When testifying, speaking, or performing in an indoor business or public indoor space, in situations or settings such as theaters, news conferences, legal proceedings, governmental meetings subject to the Open Meeting Law (Minnesota Statutes 2019, Chapter 13D), presentations, or lectures, provided that social distancing is always maintained.
Now, ironically, since the SSPX has been promoting congregational singing and dialogue Masses, it would seem that, the whole congregation being a choir, the whole congregation is logically exempted from the mask requirement.
Moreover:
"15(c).
Businesses may not require customers to provide proof of a medical condition mental health condition, or disability, or require customers to explain the nature of their conditions or disability." (See p.12)
Finally:
"15(e). Nothing in this Executive Order requires businesses or their workers to enforce this requirement when it is unsafe to do so, or authorizes them to restrain, assault or physically remove workers or customers who refuse to comply with this Executive Order." (See p.12)PS: Since hypoxia and carbon dioxide toxicity in masked persons (at 5x the safe level!) occurs 100% of the time in standard cloth masks within 10 breaths, effectively, the entire state is medically exempted (according to the language of 10(h) above) from this mandate.
Topic: SSPX Facemask Order in Minnesota (Read 3505 times)