In response to growing public health concerns about the spread of the coronavirus, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles has announced the suspension of public Masses, at least until March 29.
“I deeply regret that we are forced to temporarily suspend public celebration of the Mass in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles,” Archbishop José Gomez said in a statement released March 16.
“What we do in the Church, we do out of love for God and love for our brothers and sisters. We are taking this extraordinary step today out of love and concern for those in our families and communities who are most vulnerable to this deadly coronavirus,” he added.
Over the weekend, both California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced strict new measures aimed at containing the virus’s spread.
Last week, the archdiocese closed Catholic schools for the remainder of the month and Archbishop Gomez granted a dispensation to all Catholics in the archdiocese, releasing them from their obligation to attend Sunday Mass.
Archbishop Gomez stressed that the decision to suspend Masses was “not made lightly,” and that it was made after “much prayer and reflection” and in consultation with the Archdiocese’s auxiliary bishops, Council of Priests, lay advisors, and government and public health officials.
Although Masses have now been suspended, the archdiocese said that churches will be open for private prayer, Eucharistic adoration, and for priests to hear confessions. In addition, the Archdiocese will be making daily and Sunday Masses available via livestream on its Facebook Page (facebook.com/lacatholics/) and is making arrangements to have the daily Mass televised. A full listing on options is available at lacatholics.org/emergency/.
The archdiocese has also announced “liturgical accommodations” that will be in force during the period when Masses are suspended. These include restrictions on public celebrations of funeral Masses, baptisms, and the limiting of weddings to parties of 10 people or less. Confirmations are also postponed at least until Easter.
The above comes from a March 16 story in Angelus News.
I’m not sure about So Cal, but some Bay Area bishops (San Jose, Oakland and San Francisco) have no choice (unless they believe civil disobedience is called for). This is from yesterday’s news:
“Officials in six San Francisco Bay Area counties issued a sweeping shelter-in-place mandate Monday affecting nearly 7 million people, ordering residents to stay at home and go outside only for food, medicine and outings that are absolutely essential. The order says residents must stay inside and venture out only for necessities for three weeks starting Tuesday. … It affects the counties of San Francisco, Marin, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Contra Costa and Alameda, which includes the cities of Berkeley and Oakland.”
Too bad this didn’t happen in time to close the LA Religious Education Congress
THis is the first time in the history of the Church Mass has been suspended. Even during the Black Plague, that killed on third of the population of Europe, the sacraments were available. The Pope lead an Eucharistic procession to plead for an end to the plague. Too bad the Pope, Cardinals, and Bishops are not following that example. God Bless Bishop Strickland and the parish priest at St, Augustine in St. Paul who have done so.
This is outrageous! When this thing finally lifts, many will be asking legitimate questions of why the people were abandoned. Hired hands leave, consecrated ones should not. Very bad.