Churches may reopen for private prayer on Friday, May 1st
April27,2020
by Fr. Ryan Ford
On Monday, April 27th, Bishop John Doerfler wrote a letter to all the Catholic faithful of the Diocese of Marquette, in which he outlined provisions for Phase One of re-opening the Churches. These provisions go into effective Friday, May 1st, the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker.
In the letter, Bishop John thanked everyone for their patience and cooperation during the past month, and acknowledged the many sacrifices everyone has made to safeguard the dignity of human lives that are at risk. He writes, "Let us offer the pain we have experienced from the loss of the public celebration of Mass to the Lord for the salvation of those who have abandoned their faith. May this be the time that they return to the Lord!"
Bishop John wants everyone to know that reopening the Churches will be a gradual process. "Though we are not quite at the point where we will be celebrating public Masses, we are taking steps in that direction," he writes.
For Phase One, Churches may choose to reopen their doors for private prayer and Eucharistic adoration at specified times, at the discretion of the pastor. Pastors will have to ensure the Church is sanitized each day before opening. "Not all Churches may have in place what is needed for their regular cleaning and sanitizing by May 1. Confirm with your parish when the Church will be open, and what hours it will be open," writes Bishop John.
The provisions for visiting Churches for prayer are as follows:
It is required to wear a face mask inside the Church.
To reduce risk and the need for cleaning, it is recommended that you use the restroom at your home and not at the church, though the restrooms at the church will be open.
Practice good hygiene. If possible, bring hand sanitizer with you and your own cleansing wipes to wipe down the area where you sit before and after your time of prayer. If you do not have hand sanitizer, wash your hands before you come to the church and after you leave. Avoid touching your face until you have washed your hands.
Keep a distance of at least 6 feet from other people and observe the directions for number of persons that can be present inside the church that is set by the Parish. The maximum number that can be present praying in the church is one person at each end of a pew, skipping every other pew.
Stay home if you are experiencing symptoms such as a fever, cough, shortness of breath, or difficulty breathing, chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, new loss of taste or smell, or any other symptoms of illness that could be transmitted or could compromise your health.
Stay at home if you have been exposed to a case of COVID-19 or traveled to an area that requires a quarantine when you return until you have completed your 14-day quarantine. If you have had positive testing, stay at home until cleared by your doctor and test negative.
Persons age 65 and older and those at risk due to other health conditions should stay at home. If possible, parishes may set aside certain times in which only people who are at greater risk and who do not have symptoms may come to pray in the Church or for confessions. Check with your parish to see if such times are available.
It is recommended that children under age 7 remain at home.
The Sacrament of Penance may be celebrated by establishing an outdoor station for confessions with a screen, provided that safe distances of 6 feet are maintained.
The Sacrament of Penance may also be celebrated inside Churches at confession stations with a screen set up in the Church.
First Communions, Confirmations, Funerals, Baptisms, and the Sacrament of Matrimony may be celebrated privately with just immediate family members and sponsors or witnesses, provided that no more than 10 persons are present, including the celebrant. The celebration of these same sacraments may also be postponed until the public celebration of Mass is possible.
Priests may celebrate the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick on an individual basis, according to the directives of the respective health care institutions. Outside of health care institutions, the priests are to follow the instructions that have been given to them to limit the spread of disease.
Outdoor prayer on church grounds is encouraged, such as adoration, benediction, rosary, May crowning, etc., provided that the people gathered for prayer remain in their cars, or that they keep a safe distance of at least 6 feet.
If a priest is at greater risk due to age or underlying health conditions, it is advised that he refer the celebration of the above sacraments to another priest.
Bishop John recommends everyone ask the guidance and protection of St. Joseph: "May he guide and protect us as he guided and protected the Holy Family. And as we open the doors of our churches, let us remember most of all to open the doors of our hearts to the Lord."
To read the full text of Bishop John's letter, click here.