Below is a selected listing of the Bishop's Directives concerning the Coronavirus Pandemic, with brief excerpts quoted. Please be sure to follow the below links to read the full text of the cited directives.
Also, to find more of the Bishop's Directives, please click here.
June 8, 2020 - "As previously announced, beginning June 14, 2020, the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi Sunday), pastors and administrators are authorized to begin public celebration of Mass while continuing the Distribution of Holy Communion at the conclusion of Mass.
The number of persons permitted to attend Mass in a church or other approved indoor location is not determined by a set number recommended by public health personnel. It is determined by the number of persons who can be accommodated within that space according to the plan for safe physical distances in each church. We are using the standard of 6 feet between those not from the same household....
Pastors and administrators are authorized to celebrate the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, First Holy Communion) according to the following directives: ...
Additional Directives Concerning The Place for Celebration of Mass..."
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June 6, 2020 - "At the present time and until further notice, there is no presentation of the gifts during any Mass. This means that there is no Offertory Procession when the gifts of bread and wine are presented following the offertory collection...
Parishioners are urged to make contributions by using electronic payment...
Another method is to send to the parish by a check, which can be sent by mail or dropped at the parish office.
When people wish to make their contribution while in church, the usual method of 'passing the basket' is not permitted. In-church collections will be taken as follows:
· Ushers will be available at all doors of the church before and at the end of Mass.
· The ushers will be holding a container and each parishioner can simply drop their contribution into the container as they enter or exit the church.
· In place of the usual collection “basket,” plastic containers should be used for this purpose. They are to be wiped/sanitized inside and outside after each use.
· The contributions made in the baskets before Mass will be emptied into a bag or heavy duty envelope that will be immediately sealed with tape. This method will prevent the ushers from touching anything directly...
As a safeguard for the ushers and those who tabulate the collection and handle the money in preparing the deposit, each parish should provide for disposable gloves..."
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June 6, 2020 - "The safe distancing between persons at 6 feet apart and wearing face masks is in keeping with scientific research that while speaking in a normal fashion, the aerosol emitted from the mouth can travel 6 feet. While singing, the aerosol emitted from the mouth can travel more than 20 feet while singing (March 26, 2020, Journal of the American Medical Association).
This means that safe distancing for church choirs imposes a more serious risk, especially given the common arrangement of choirs in multiple rows. A soloist, song-leader, cantor, or psalmist poses a similar risk for others whenever the voice is projected toward people who may be within that range of 20 plus feet.
With that in mind, pastors and parish administrators are to establish a safety plan regarding placement of musicians, vocalists, and choir members inside of the parish worship space.
Members of the choir, musicians, and others involved in parish music minister should be advised of these concerns and assist in finding an appropriate response, which involves especially the following points:..."
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May 30, 2020 - "...According to the Bishop’s directive, 'the number of persons permitted to attend Mass in a church or other approved indoor location is not determined by a set number recommended by public health personnel. It is determined by the number of persons who can be accommodated within that space according to the plan for safe physical distances in each church. We are using the standard of six feet between those not from the same household. Therefore, the calculation of this number of persons will take into account couples or families who reside together in the same dwelling and may sit together...''”
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May 29, 2020 - "The following are directives from Bishop Mark regarding the distribution of Holy Communion in the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown. Per the Bishop’s directives, Communion may be distributed outside of Mass beginning on June 1, 2020.
Those who approach Holy Communion should be properly reverent and disposed, keeping in mind that celebration of the Sacrament of Penance/Reconciliation has been restored in the diocese.
Those who come to receive Holy Communion are encouraged to have participated in a broadcast, streamed, or recorded Mass insofar as possible. Otherwise, they are encouraged to read the Scripture readings for the Mass of the day before receiving the sacrament. They should privately pray the Our Father just prior to receiving Holy Communion.
Holy Communion should be distributed during published periods of time to accommodate communicants. This schedule should include times in the morning, afternoon, and evening.
Holy Communion is to be distributed at the church doors or other locations outside of the church. This is to avoid having more than 25 persons gathered inside a church at the same time.
While waiting to receive Holy Communion, everyone must observe physical distancing and use a face covering...
Arrangements should be made to have sufficient ushers/ministers of hospitality to direct people to the Communion stations...
Communicants should sanitize their hands before receiving Holy Communion. The parish should make provision for this near each Communion station.
Communicants should receive Holy Communion in the hand if possible.
If Holy Communion is received on the tongue or on the hand and inadvertent contact with a person’s face, tongue or hand occurs, the minister must immediately stop and properly disinfect his/her hands before continuing.
All Ministers of Holy Communion should wear masks or face shields.
Ministers of Holy Communion should be spaced so that physical distancing is observed in any location where distribution takes place..."
May 22, 2020 - "Beginning Saturday, May 23, 2020, pastors and administrators may resume the regular public celebration of the Sacrament of Penance/Reconciliation with these requirements:
May 20, 2020 - "... According to the Bishop’s directives, issued on May 20, 2020, priests may resume the public celebration of Reconciliation beginning on May 23, 2020.
The Distribution of Holy Communion to the faithful may begin on June 1, 2020, while continuing the celebration of private Masses.
The celebration of public Masses may resume on the weekend of June 13-14, 2020.
All clergy have received the directives below from Bishop Mark, parishioners will receive further updates from their parish.
Bishop Mark asks the faithful to continue being patient as the sacraments are made available, and he assures parishioners that the appropriate training measures and safety precautions will occur..."
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