Based on current guidelines from local public health departments, which recommend the cancellation of public gatherings involving 250 or more people, Cardinal Cupich mandated the suspension until further notice of all liturgical services effective Saturday evening with the regularly scheduled weekend services. In addition, he has mandated the closing of schools operated by the archdiocese, and to close the Pastoral Center and related agency offices until further notice.“This was not a decision I made lightly,” said Cardinal Cupich. “The Eucharist is the source and summit of our life as Catholics. And our schools and agencies provide essential services to many thousands across Cook and Lake Counties. But, in consultation with leaders from across the archdiocese, for the sake of the safety of our students, parishioners, and all the women and men who serve the people of the archdiocese, it is clear that we must take the better part of caution in order to slow the spread of this pandemic.”
Friday, March 13, 2020
Chicago archdiocese suspends all liturgies, closes schools
What follows is a brief excerpt from what was emailed out a little while ago today. I have a mixed reaction: my brain knows it's the right thing to do, but my heart is very sad at the moment.
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That makes me sad, too. I don't know if they will do that here. They have already cancelled fish fries. Though our parish is getting in one last one tonight because they already bought the stuff. But going to be a very somber holy week and Easter if that gets cancelled.
ReplyDeleteDid they cancel daily Masses too? Here it is usually not a problem to have lots of space between people.
You must be in the Midwest. Is there any other part of the country that dotes of Friday night fish frys? Ditto for Supper Clubs and brand old fashioneds.
ReplyDeleteJimmy Mac, It was also brandy Manhattans. Not once, not twice, but thrice in New York when I ordered a brandy Manhattan, the server's immediate response was, "You must be from Wisconsin." I got that once in Miami, too. At my favorite steak house here, the bartender starts it when we walk in.
DeleteBut I always thought supper clubs was an Eastern thing.
No fish fries in this part of the country.
ReplyDeleteSounds like Chicago made the move because DC had already done so. I imagine that this will happen all over the country now that two major dioceses have canceled school and mass. The DC Catholic archdiocese did it one day after the Episcopal dioceses of Washington DC and Virginia. All Lenten activities cancelled basically. But my sons are grieving for all the cancelled basketball!
Yeah, my husband is mourning for March Madness! Not to mention Omaha cancelled the College World Series. What will ESPN do, with nothing to broadcast? Sports reruns?
DeleteThere are infected people within the archdiocese. I haven't heard that there is a Catholic parish, school or diocesan angle to any of the infections, but the belief among our local public health officials is that we need to do whatever is necessary to contain the spread of the virus.
DeleteI have a friend who is a nurse, and she is telling everyone to stay away from all large gatherings because the health system is undersupplied (employees, test kits, hospital beds, etc.) to deal with a sharp uptick in Covid 19 cases.
Our schools were just about to start spring break anyway, plus they usually get time off for the state basketball tournaments (which also got cancelled) so they just started a little early with time off. I don't know how long the break will last. The colleges in the area are going to finish up the semester with virtual classes.
DeleteThe archdiocese hasn't cancelled Masses yet,but they did recommend that daily Masses not be held in a small chapel, but in the main church where people will be spread out.
One correction to my previous comment: I wrote, "I haven't heard that there is a Catholic parish, school or diocesan angle to any of the infections". But in fact, there was an infected student (I think it was a student) a couple of weeks ago at Loyola Academy, which is a high school in a tony suburban area, so it has been closed for a few days already. As it happens, today's edict from the archdiocese closed only the diocesan schools; schools run by religious orders (of which Loyola academy is one) are under the control of the order.
DeleteThere was also at least one Chicago Public School that had already been shut down because of an infected employee.
And now, within the last hour or two, our governor (whom I don't care for, but whom I admit has been handling the crisis the way President Trump should have been handling it at a national level) has closed down all Illinois schools.
Turns out I was wrong about the high school state basketball tournaments being cancelled. They just aren't allowing any spectators. Seems like there is still plenty of opportunities for exposure if one of the players gets sick. Seems less risky to just cancel.
DeleteEspecially for Jim P
ReplyDeletehttps://www.ncronline.org/news/opinion/coronavirus-social-distancing-and-company-faith
Anne, thanks.
DeleteI guess it's worth noting that the federal or state government hasn't forced the archdiocese to do this. It's choosing to do it. (Or at least the cardinal is choosing it on everyone's behalf. There may be 'rogue priests' here and there who keep their churches open. Ours won't.)
In America a scientist urges that all masses and gatherings in the US be cancelled.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.ncronline.org/news/opinion/coronavirus-social-distancing-and-company-faith
The Mormons have cancelled everything worldwide.
It seems that, so far anyway, masses in neighboring dioceses will happen as planned. I'm not going to go. If my people are forced to fast, I'm going to stand with them.
ReplyDeleteHere's the Arch of NY (an excerpt):
ReplyDelete"At this time, while Mass will continue to be offered publicly in most cases, contingent on emergency restrictions regarding large gatherings. Those who do attend Mass are reminded that they should follow the guidelines in place, such as receiving Holy Communion reverently in the hand, not receiving the Precious Blood, being sure to wash hands/use sanitizer before and after Mass, and avoiding physical contact with or close proximity to other persons.
"Those who are unable to attend Mass can follow the Mass on radio, television, or online where possible. Mass from Saint Patrick’s Cathedral will be broadcast and available on many cable systems via the Catholic Faith Network and its website, livestreamed on the Saint Patrick’s Cathedral website, and broadcast on radio on The Catholic Channel of Sirius XM (Channel 129)."
Rocco Palmo's twitter feed is regularly posting the dioceses as they either dispense people from the obligation or suspend the celebration of Mass.
ReplyDeleteDallas, San Jose, San Diego, San Antonio, Wheeling-Charleston, Boston, Toronto, all of Quebec, and all of Colorado, Detroit, and Newark have joined Chicago, Washington and, of course, Seattle.
While dispensing people from the obligation is helpful, as one bishop commented, too often it just puts people, especially the elderly, in a difficult situation where they may still come.
Rocco comments on his blog
In general, while dispensations from Sunday Mass attendance are quickly becoming the national norm, even where these are not explicitly given, one's own judgment on risks to health and/or safety are sufficient to lift the obligation, with the common good – in this case, the health of all – always and everywhere being paramount. In other words, as chanceries have never been famous for their common sense, that's no excuse to refrain from using yours.
We got the word this evening that the Omaha archdiocese was dispensing people from the obligation to attend Mass. There are several televised Masses if anyone wants to do that.
ReplyDeleteHere is a little video of an act of Spiritual Communion if one doesn't have access to Mass or it isn't prudent to attend.
ReplyDeleteIn Versailles Sunday Mass is cancelled starting now, but daily Mass remains.
ReplyDeleteThe bishop recommends that priests keep churches open and that on Sunday they make themselves available , staying in or around the church for talking to people one-on-one, providing Reconciliation and Eucharistic adoration, etc. At the Cathedral, daily Mass will move from the chapel to the main church so that people can be more spread apart in the pews, and on Sunday there will be Eucharistic adoration from 9am to 7pm.
Claire, that sounds like a good way to handle spiritual needs while still avoiding large assemblies. Does your are have many virus cases yet?
DeleteSorry, typo. "are" should be "area".
DeleteNumber of cases in my area: in Paris, a couple of colleagues I know directly from work (but have not seen in months); in Versailles, I have heard of a number of cases, friends of people that I know a little bit, but no one I know except for some priests that I know vaguely; I am told that about 15% of the priests are sick, but I do not know if that is true. If so, then the toll on the local Catholic population will be huge: we Catholics are naturally gregarious and many will have received communion from those priests before their symptoms appeared.
ReplyDeleteI plan to go to weekday Mass while it still takes place, keeping my distance, but am considering refraining from receiving communion from now on. Priests are too exposed.
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