Pittsburgh Diocese cancels all Masses to help slow spread of coronavirus
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The Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh has canceled all weekday and Sunday Masses starting Monday to prevent the spread of covid-19.
“Although in many ways it saddens me to make this decision, given the best advice from health experts on federal, state and local levels, I feel it is a necessary one at this time,” said Bishop David Zubik in a statement. “I’m relying on the understanding and cooperation of all in the Diocese of Pittsburgh as we pray for each other at this difficult time.”
Masses will be suspended until further notice, according to a diocesan release.
Directions about other parish gatherings — including baptism, penance, confirmation, weddings and funerals — will be forthcoming Monday, the diocese said.
The Rev. Liddy Barlow, executive minister of the Christian Associates of Southwest Pennsylvania, said canceling worship is certainly a drastic move, and it will be difficult for clergy, lay people and even those who don’t attend church.
“But for this particularly strange and challenging period, it seems like what we’re going to have to do,” Barlow said.
Barlow said she’s noticed manychurches offering worship via livestream to prevent the coronavirus. On Sunday morning, she said she dropped into 29 streams from 14 different Christian denominations. It was encouraging, she said, to see clergy working hard to reach their congregations in any way they could.
“I hope that our Roman Catholic brothers and sisters will be able to have some of these same experiences,” she said.
The Pittsburgh Diocese suspended communion wine two weeks ago as a precautionary measure.
At Sacred Heart Parish in Shadyside on Sunday, attendance was about one-third of an ordinary Sunday. “We woke up and we wanted to go,” said Mary Rose Stuhldreher of Pittsburgh’s Friendship neighborhood. “It’s our reassurance of faith. It is normalcy at a time when things are not very normal.”
Zubik is calling for a special day of prayer in the diocese on March 25.