Public liturgies in the church might resume in two weeks if the Bay Area continues to successfully manage the coronavirus pandemic, Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone said.
In a May 12 letter to the archdiocese Archbishop Cordileone wrote, “The next two weeks will be the critical test: San Francisco has ‘flattened the curve,’ and if this trend continues, it will be safer to loosen some of the current restrictions on day-to-day activities.”
The archbishop said California’s bishops have held weekly meetings to discuss how to reopen in line with public health protocols. A committee of priests and laity has been established to draw up safety requirements for when public Mass resumes….
During a Zoom webinar hosted by the Benedict XVI Institute on May 13 on church and state issues in light of the pandemic response, Archbishop Cordileone offered further considerations about reopening….
Guidelines for reopening churches published by a task force at the Thomistic Institute in Washington, D.C., have been a touchstone for the California bishops conference, he said. The archbishop called them “detailed and thorough,” and the bishops conference had sent a copy of the document to Gov. Gavin Newsom as an example of how churches can reopen while keeping congregants safe.
The archbishop said government leaders do not understand the steps churches can take to protect congregants. “When they think of a worship service they think of something like a megachurch, 1,000-2,000 people jammed in a crowded area,” he said. “They don’t think that we can have distance in our churches, or that we can have outdoor services.”
Across the country, dioceses have been targeting the last two weeks of May as the time to resume public Masses and issuing guidelines on how they will do so safely. In Oklahoma, public Masses resumed May 18 with churches limited to a third of their normal capacity. The weekend of May 24 will see the first public Sunday Masses in two months.
Among the guidelines for reopening drawn up by the state’s bishops are roping off pews to maintain physical distance, encouraging mask wearing, removing missals or worship aids, omitting the sign of peace and having hand sanitizer distributed throughout the church.
“Patience and a spirit of charity toward ourselves and our neighbors, particularly the vulnerable, will greatly assist in a well-ordered transition back to public Mass,” Oklahoma’s two dioceses said in an announcement.
The Archdioceses of Baltimore, Louisville and St. Louis and the Diocese of Richmond will also return to celebrating Mass publicly the last two weeks of May. Other dioceses, including Portland, Ore., Denver, St. Petersburg and Austin reopened their churches’ doors to Massgoers at the beginning of May….
The above comes from a May 18 story in Catholic San Francisco.
I wonder if by using zoom the Benedict the 16th group realises they are supporting abortion as zoom is a abortion supporter
Your concern is understandable. I’m sure they’d be happy to consider another alternative. You can reach them at https://www.benedictinstitute.org/ and please share with them and us a prolife alternative. I participated in the video conference and I know several parishes that have been using Zoom for meetings, Bible studies, etc. A prolife alternative would be greatly welcomed and deeply appreciated. Thank you.
Some people virtue signal by making everything about abortion.
During the middle ages, popes and bishops fought tooth and nail for the Church to become independent of the tyranny of the State. Now the successors of the Apostles have thrown away their authority and degraded themselves to obsequious slaves of Caesar.
successors of the Apostles
run their plan past apostate catholic political hack –
a successor of Judas Iscariot & Pharisees
to get the official okey dokey so the church
of Jesus Christ, Lord of the Universe can proceed.
do I have that right ???
All Christians should be ashamed of themselves. Catholics especially. I am very Disappointed with the Catholic hierarchy in the United States of America specifically the Archbishop of Los Angeles, president of the USCCB, His Excellency, Jose H. Gomez. The United States of America was founded by Christians, albeit heretical ones, fleeing persecution. In short this nation was a Theocracy for it’s first colonists. History would prove otherwise, nevertheless, the core values of the USA are Judeo-Christian . Thus, this suspension of religious Worship is beyond outrageous and against everything that is essential in America. That is THE fundamental Right in the USA. Bishops should be ashamed of themselves. Nevertheless, maybe this will create more reverence in the church, less atrocious music and Liturgical ceremonies and truly return to a Sacred liturgy with all the “smells and bells” ie Traditional Catholic Elements that remind the people whom they are Worshipping.
During the worldwide Spanish Influenza Pandemic of 1918, one of my relatives died quickly, at a young age. Many communities decided prematurely, that the pandemic was over, and it was safe to re-open. However, a second wave of the pandemic hit, much deadlier than the first– killing many! The Bishops have a big responsibility for the lives of their Catholic worshipers! Best to go slowly, be patient, and follow strict guidelines. We all must obey these strict guidelines, and be sure to protect all our neighbors from all possible harm!
It is a great act of Christian charity, to be patient, responsible, unselfish, and mature– and make sure all our loved ones and neighbors, are completely healthy and safe from all possible harm, during this deadly pandemic. No one should be concerned for babyish concepts of so-called personal “rights” and “freedoms”– instead, everything in life, including “rights” and “freedoms”– is always a big responsibility.
Anon “No one should be concerned for babyish concepts of so-called personal “rights” and “freedoms”– instead, everything in life, including “rights” and “freedoms”– is always a big responsibility.” What are examples of these babyish concepts of rights and freedoms ?
Anon , during the Spanish Influenza there was a higher mortality rate and the economy was not shut down , there was no mass quarantine like there is now. It was called the Spanish Influenza , because the Spanish press was covering it honestly and accurately , unlike the USA , who is issuing the strict guidelines ? based on what criteria ?. Look at New Jersey, Michigan , New York and others that have mismanaged this . Being safe and considerate does not eliminate risk there is no safety in life we cannot eliminate all possible harm , when this is all over look to see how many died of the disease and how many died or suffered because of these strict guidelines issued by petty despots and hypocrites such as deblasio and garcetti.
“We all must obey these strict guidelines, and be sure to protect all our neighbors from all possible harm!”
Delusions of grandeur !!
I do NOT and CANNOT have ANY duty to
protect ALL my neighbors from ALL POSSIBLE harm
sorry
We all have a big responsibility to act mature and responsibly, and do our best to protect others from harm, that we may come into contact with.
It is our Christian duty, as well as our duty as American citizens, to act charitably, maturely, and morally responsibly, making sure we do not pass on a deadly disease to anyone whom we may cone into contact with. Anyone who actually deliberately, criminally, seeks to infect others (such as a sociopath — they are usually few!)
— needs to be sent to jail, and prosecuted. A good, mature, unselfish Moral Conscience, seeking the well-being of others–
is a necessary requirement, for a good and decent society.
it would also help if citizen/comrades
had a functioning brain
Wearing a face mask, washing your hands frequently, and practicing social distancing, help protect us from COVID-19– but also, as medical experts say– wearing face masks especially, greatly protects others, and reduces the spread of disease to others. Medical experts have tried to teach people — and “train their brains”– about these responsibilities. We must all pick up our crosses, in selfless charity!
And fear ye not them that kill the body, and are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him that can destroy both soul and body
in hell.
Mat. 10:28
To avoid Hell– practice Charity and self-sacrifice.
C’mon folks. Stop listening to this government.
Back in Feb, Fauci told everyone that masks didnt make any difference and should only be worn by medicals. Then he said, everyone should.
The CDC back in Feb said that the wuflu could live on surfaces for weeks and now they say they dont.
Now let’s move on to now. Are mail and delivery drivers getting sick? Are the Amazon fulfillment centers full of wuflu? Why arent Lowes and Home Depot closing down because of infections?
But, you and the Cali bishops are cowards and refuse to see that the wuflu does not justify these shutdowns. Just look at Georgia and Texas now open! Ask yourself WHY Cali gov and bishops wont open up?
If you are scared. Stay home. But the rest of us want to live and want to live a sacramental life.
Fake “sacramental” life
Very selfish, ignorant!!
Many vulnerable, health- compromised, and elderly Catholics attend Mass at all our churches. They should be among the first to be welcomed back to Mass, not told to stay home. Hopefully, they will receive respect, and protection from all possible deadly harm, by the Coronavirus, from charitable, thoughtful, and caring parishioners.
Pope Francis, Pope Benedict (emeritus), and many of our prelates, priests and nuns, are elderly, health-compromised, and vulnerable. Hopefully, they will all stay safe, as our churches re-open, following careful, protective guidelines.
the authorities would never lie to us
would they ??
Healthcare is very important–