BOSTON — While pretty much the entire SouthCoast is mourning the fact that this weekend was supposed to be the Feast of the Blessed Sacrament in New Bedford before COVID-19 forced it to be canceled, one of the Feast’s biggest fans outside of the area is also upset about it, too.

During his daily COVID briefing, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker name-dropped the Feast, expressing remorse that it was canceled while calling it one of an “all-time favorite” event.

The mention came during his comments about how hard the healthcare community has worked through the pandemic, and how they deserve a reprieve from all that they’ve had to deal with since early March – a reprieve which he says can only be possible if people stay vigilant about avoiding the spread of the coronavirus.

“For those people, this whole question about how much we collectively are willing to do to keep ourselves and our neighbors and our friends healthy is a big benchmark,” the governor said. “Because if this whole thing goes south, it’s going to land on them, and they’re the ones who just finished helping us dig out under really trying circumstances.”

Baker lamented not being able to see his father, and that he hasn’t sat down for a meal with him in five months, but that these difficulties have to be endured to defeat the virus.

“There are rules here, and a lot of them are a pain in the neck,” he said. “I just saw the folks in New Bedford canceled the Blessed Feast of the Sacrament, which is one of our favorite events.”

Although he may have juxtaposed the name a bit, Baker has taken part in the Feast of the Blessed Sacrament annually and from all accounts truly enjoys the event. But he also wanted to utilize it as an example of the sacrifices he says need to be made during the pandemic.

“Respect the virus, and don’t do the large gathering, close contact things that create super spreaders and clusters,” he said.

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