No Gorditas For You - EP Diocese Says No Kermeses This Season

As the City and County of El Paso continues to respond and deal with the coronavirus outbreak, many events and services are still not open to the public. There was some good news out of the City this weekend. They are going to reopen some splash parks and parks around town. You can click here for a full list and schedule of those reopenings.

The El Paso Catholic Diocese is still not reopening churches for Sunday Masses. Late last week the Diocese announced that there will not be a kermes season in El Paso this year. Because of the current ban on gatherings no larger than 10 people, there is no way to hold a kermes or bazaar because of the hundreds of people who turn out for them. There is also no way to social distance at a kermes or bazaar so that poses another problem with having them.

Unfortunately, that also means no amazing kermes gorditas, no loteria, no wandering around in a huge crowd on a hot El Paso afternoon just hanging out and checking out all the stuff being offered for sale and all the people who turned out to have some fun.

The other problem with postponing kermes season is the financial toll it will take on the Diocese of El Paso. They have bills to pay just like the rest of us and kermeses help do that. They are fundraisers to pay the electric bills of parishes, pay insurance on the buildings, and pay staff who help out parishioners. If you normally gave to the Diocese at Mass, you can log onto their website and donate online. It would really help out the Diocese.

Hopefully things will calm down soon enough to be able to have a kermes season later in the summer, but if not, we can all look forward to the amazing gorditas and fun at the kermeses next year.