Archdiocese to continue requiring masks at Masses and Catholic schools

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Texas may be ending the statewide mask mandate, but one place you'll still have to wear one is inside Houston-area Catholic churches.

The Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston has decided to keep the mask mandate in place for all Masses and other liturgical celebrations.

SEE ALSO: UIL opts to follow TEA guidelines for student athletics, leaving decisions up to individual districts

Masks will be required at Catholic schools through the end of the school year, according to church leaders. Archdiocese officials said the decision was made with input from clergy and doctors.

The Archdiocese covers 8,880 square miles and 146 parishes. About 1.7 million Catholics live in the Galveston-Houston region.

You can read more on the mask protocols here.

RELATED: Several Texas college campuses to keep mask mandates after governor's order

Abbott's order relaxing rules stirs fear of another COVID-19 spike