After eight years, Assumption Church holds its first Easter Sunday Mass at full capacity

For the first time in eight years, Assumption Church is holding its first Easter Sunday Mass — at full capacity.

When the church closed its doors back in 2014, parishioners never could have imagined the day when they could return to the same building to commemorate the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.

At the time, the church shuttered following two restoration and fundraising campaigns that both failed.

But on Sunday, their prayers were answered. Assumption Church was able to welcome any and all parishioners who wanted to experience Easter Mass inside the church's walls.

Back in Sept. 2019, the church reopened following the completion of some restoration work.

But plans for upcoming Easter prayers were completely torn apart when the COVID-19 pandemic took over in March 2020. Parishioners were forced to watch the prayer service over live stream that year.

In 2021, restrictions on indoor gathering limits made a full-capacity Easter Mass impossible.

"I think people are just very grateful to be back," said Bernie Levasseur, Assumption Parish member for more than 30 years. "This is home for a lot of people — and it's home for a lot of new people, too. So I just think it's wonderful."  

Levasseur is one of more than 1,000 parishioners who are estimated to have attended the church's three Easter Mass services on Sunday.

Despite masking requirements being lifted by the Ontario government last month, Levasseur said he preferred to keep his mask on while around other parishioners.

"Because I'm older," he said. "But I respect everyone else's right to choose.

For the clergy at Assumption Church, they say parishioners are recommended — but not required — to keep their mask on while inside the church.

Assumption Church priest Steven Huber says many parishioners are still choosing to wear their masks during Mass in Windsor, Ont. on Sunday, April 17, 2022. (Sanjay Maru/CTV Windsor)

"Certainly, a lot of people still are wearing masks and a lot of people are choosing to follow the precautions," said Fr. Steven Huber.

But other than the presence of masks, Easter weekend services look almost identical to how they looked pre-pandemic. For example, Saturday night saw the traditional Easter vigil take place outside the church.

"There was a lot of energy because these were things we hadn't been able to do for the past couple of years that we were finally able to do again," said Huber.

"We were able to have the Easter fire outside. We were able to have the people processing with lighted candles, all the singing, all of the other parts of the celebration. It just gave such a richness and such a beauty to our celebrations."

Levasseur said he wasn't able to attend Saturday's vigil. But when speaking to CTV News on Sunday morning, he said his biggest takeaways from seeing photos of the vigil was the "number of young people" who were in attendance.

"I remarked to my wife when we were watching it. I said, 'Look at all the young people that are here.' I think that's a revival of the church," said Levasseur. "Because us old people are not going to be around, at least in this form, forever."

"I think the important thing is that people are here, mask or no mask. If they come to church, that's what's important."