New order: Mourners permitted to gather in churches

A new public health order has allowed mourners to come inside houses of worships for funeral services. But social distancing is still imperative.

Churches in general are mandated to go no higher than 25 percent capacity.

“Funerals are pretty much the same thing,” said Bill Vallie, senior funeral director for Legacy Funeral Group, to which Clovis’ Steed-Todd Funeral Home belongs.

Prior to the new order, mourners were limited to a maximum five to a funeral home room, and had to be appropriately distanced. People were not allowed to gather in churches for any services, all per Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s initial stay-at-home order issued March 23.

Steed-Todd is now functioning with church services at 25 percent capacity and every other pew blocked off. And in the pews not blocked off, mourners are still expected to be six feet apart, according to Vallie. “Unless you’re in the same household,” he said. “So theoretically, if you’re in the same household or multiple families are living in the same household, that group can be together without violation.”

For Portales’ Wheeler Mortuary, services haven’t changed all that much since the new order.

“We’ve only had one service inside since that (initial restriction) was lifted to 25 percent,” said Scott Reeves, Wheeler Mortuary’s funeral director. “But I livestream all of my services, whether they’re at the graveside or the church.”

That one church service Wheeler Mortuary had recently was held at St. Helen’s Catholic Church in Portales.

“I’ll have another one at the Catholic Church this coming Monday,” Reeves said, “and again we’ll be limited to 25 percent. But anyone who’s not allowed inside can watch the livestream. Other than that, things have been reasonably normal. We’ve limited the number of people at a time that can be in the (funeral) building for viewings.”

“We’re trying to limit only 10 people coming in, but we’re allowing rotation,” Vallie said. “I know some funeral homes that have no restrictions; they have elected to open up their facilities. They allow unlimited numbers in; that’s their choice.”

Vallie says that singing at funeral services can be an issue.

“When you start singing,” he said, “you’re projecting more out of your voice. Liquid particles come out of your voice when you’re singing. … We’re not the enforcers; that’s for the authorities. I see very little of the enforcement of the guidelines in any of our states.”

Aside from New Mexico, Legacy has funeral homes in Alabama, Florida, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, Oklahoma and Texas. Vallie, who is based in Odessa, Texas, says that Legacy’s Las Vegas, Nevada, home has sadly been way too busy, handling more than 100 deaths resulting from COVID-19.

That is why social distancing remains important.

“I wish everybody would realize there’s still a virus,” Vallie said. “Everybody’s probably giving your (New Mexico) governor a lot of flack about the restrictions. But your numbers are low nationwide. … So she’s keeping everybody safe, I’ve got to give her that.”