I live in an entirely different country and they enacted a mask-mandate for churches in December. Not all parishioners complied but quickly everybody complied, even those I thought would not. I was shocked how weak and eager they were to compromise. Additionally, only the choir is allowed to sing and nobody else. When they are willing to compromise already, God knows on what else they will compromize.
How did your meeting with the priest go?
Yes I had a similar experience with the SSPX I am going to. The Church is relatively new to me, as I've been in a new area since March 2020 and there have been on and off closures / restrictions since then.
- Initially the Church had 0 masks. Even after the mask mandate.
- After the mask mandate things did pick up.
- Some emails went out about wearing a mask
- I saw my first Priest in a mass, praying in the Church, not during liturgy
- I still went in last sunday without a mask hassle free , but recently they are sending out emails saying they think inspectors are coming and we should put our masks on just in case.
At the end of the day it numbs my mind just to type all of this in. Many of us on here are younger guys, single guys, so we are able to take risks or stands. On the other side of things, you've got families and older people who want their sacraments and are willing to put the mask on to continue with their lives.
If your faith is strong it isn't a sin by definition, although I feel a certain shame when I am pressured into putting it on and I do.