New Mexico churches reopening at 25% for services

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico -- As New Mexico begins to reopen, almost all churches can now operate at 25 percent capacity.

That means parishes can resume offering daily Mass, but the Catholic Diocese of Las Cruces is requiring parishioners to wear masks and advising churches to prioritize social distancing by blocking off pews.

A spokesman for the Diocese also announced that baptisms, weddings, and funerals can now be celebrated in the church building.

"Indoor Mass times should be spaced out enough to allow for the church pews and frequented areas to be sanitized," the spokesman said.

Catholics are still excused from Sunday Mass, according to the Diocese of Las Cruces.

Churches in Cibola, McKinley and San Juan counties in northwestern New Meixco cannot reopen just yet because case counts are still too high in that region, according to the governor.