Catholic Archdiocese of Kuching eases Sunday Mass duty due to haze

The Catholic Archdiocese of Kuching has issued a temporary dispensation from the obligation to attend Sunday Mass for Catholics living in areas experiencing hazardous or very hazardous air pollution. Archbishop Simon Poh announced the measure to protect vulnerable individuals, including the elderly and those with existing health conditions, from the risks posed by severe transboundary haze.

The dispensation specifically applies to regions where Air Pollutant Index (API) readings reach the “Hazardous” or “Very Hazardous” categories. To accommodate those unable to travel, the Archdiocese is offering online Masses broadcast from St Joseph’s Cathedral in Kuching in English, Mandarin, and Bahasa Malaysia.

Priests and catechists have been advised to avoid traveling to and organizing gatherings in affected rural areas unless necessary. The haze, linked to forest and peat fires in Kalimantan, has caused significant air quality issues across Sarawak, with some areas recording API readings exceeding 300 and Serian previously breaching an emergency threshold of 500.