Clergy covid-19 case suspends in-person Masses at 8 East Pittsburgh churches
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The Diocese of Pittsburgh has suspended in-person Masses at eight churches in East Pittsburgh neighborhoods after a member of the parish clergy team tested positive for a covid-19 infection.
The suspension, which extends through Dec. 4, affects churches in the newly formed St. Joseph the Worker Parish — including St. Maurice in Forest Hills, Good Shepherd in Braddock, Sacred Heart in Braddock Hills, St. Colman in Turtle Creek, St. John Fisher in Churchill, St. Jude the Apostle in Wilmerding and Madonna Del Castello and Word of God in Swissvale.
In-person Masses at the churches are expected to resume on Dec. 5. Until then, live-streamed Masses from Word of God will be available.
Details can be found on the parish website, at sjwpitt.org.
Diocesan officials didn’t identify the ill clergy member but noted he last participated in Mass on Nov. 19.
“His symptoms are mild, but I ask our parishioners to pray for him, his full recovery and all who are afflicted during this pandemic,” Father Frank Almade, the pastor, said in a news release. “Since our clergy team was together for prayer with him, we are placing ourselves in quarantine out of an abundance of caution.
“Statistics are impersonal — until someone you know becomes one.”
Almade noted that worshipers who prefer attending Mass in person may do so at a neighboring parish.