Archdiocese of Miami suspends Catholic Masses

Archbishop encourages use of livestreams ‘to continue to remain close to the Lord’

Come Catholic churches in Miami are taking measures to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. (Google Streetview)

MIAMI – Archdiocese of Miami suspended public Catholic Masses and liturgical events on Wednesday in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Archbishop Thomas Wenski is encouraging parishes to increase the implementation of regular livestreams and to use social media more often.

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“These efforts will enable the faithful to continue to remain close to the Lord and the Church in this challenging time, while protecting one another and the community against COVID-19,” Wenski said in a statement.

The suspension applies to all regularly scheduled celebrations of Masses or other liturgical events in parish churches and other public sanctuaries. It also applies to prayer groups and Bible studies.

Priests will respond to calls from a hospital or other health facility and will cooperate with that hospital or facility by following proper protocols as required such as wearing of masks, gloves and protective clothing.

The churches will allow funerals and baptisms and weddings that cannot be postponed. According to the archdiocese’s announcement, immediate family members “who are not sick and are not advised by their doctors to self-isolate” will be allowed since “appropriate social distancing should be observed.”

“While there will be priests who need to self-isolate because of age, underlying physical condition, or illness, parishioners should be able to communicate with a priest, deacon or available staff by phone or by email,” the announcement said.

Relevant Radio, available at 880 AM and 1080 AM, provides Catholic programming.

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