Sta. Maria Goretti parish in Manila closed due to COVID-19

The Sta. Maria Goretti parish church located along United Nations Avenue in Paco, Manila is temporarily closed after two staff members test positive for COVID-19.

Fr. Dave Concepcion, the parish priest, made the announcement in the social media account of the parish.

The church and office will be closed to the public from Jan. 3 up to Jan. 15 to give way to disinfection activities.

"For the duration of the closure, thorough disinfection and intense sanitation will be undertaken," Concepcion said.

"Online masses will continue to be streamed live at 7 a.m. from Monday to Saturday and at 9 a.m. on Sunday. There will be no communion outside the mass," he added.

Earlier, according to a post on the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) website, the National Shrine of St. Jude Thaddeus announced temporary closure after a priest and three of its staff members  contracted COVID-19.

The shrine will be closed to the public until Jan. 14. -- BAP, GMA News