Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Effective immediately, and until further notice, I have suspended the celebration of
Masses open to the public and all public gatherings in all diocesan parishes, worship
sites, college campuses, chapels and health care facilities in the eleven counties of the
Diocese of Scranton.
Churches of the Diocese will remain open daily for individual private prayer. The
timeframe for each parish is to be determined by its pastor or parish life coordinator.
The dispensation from the obligation to attend Mass during this time remains in effect.
Scheduled sacramental celebrations such as weddings, baptisms or funerals will be
permitted, but attendance will be limited to immediate family members and follow any
guidelines established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The
sacraments of the Anointing of the Sick and Reconciliation will be available, when
requested individually, by the faithful in cases of serious need.
It deeply saddens me to take this temporary action, knowing the depth of your faith and
your desire to celebrate the Holy Eucharist on a regular basis. In light of continued
concerns surrounding COVID-19, and upon the advice of medical experts, it is clear that
we, as a faith community, must do our part in order to help slow the spread of this virus.
The number of faithful souls who filled our churches this past weekend, even with the
dispensation from the obligation to attend Mass, was deeply consoling to me. As you
always have, so many of you are turning to your faith as the surest place where we will
find God’s peace, consolation and hope.
Unfortunately, the presence of such great numbers of worshippers in our churches is
not serving our efforts to help mitigate the spread of the Coronavirus. In an effort to
prevent overwhelming our hospitals and health care facilities, national, state and local
leaders have urged people to avoid large gatherings of people and keep appropriate
social distancing from one another.
As your bishop, in addition to the care of souls, the safety and health of all of our faithful
parishioners, friends and those we welcome through our outreach and service, is of
utmost importance to me. As such, the decision that I have announced, while difficult, is
the best way for us to work together to serve the common good of all, both in our
parishes and in our communities.
During these challenging times, it is also crucial that we not forget who we are as
Christians. May we continue to offer, in whatever way we can, care and concern for
those who are most vulnerable, including the poor, our senior citizens and those who
are ill. I also urge those who can do so to maintain support for your parishes during these difficult days in order to sustain the ministries and outreach services for
parishioners and those most in need.
Despite the suspension of public Masses, a private Mass will be celebrated daily in the
Cathedral of Saint Peter in Scranton, and made available on CTV: Catholic Television of
the Diocese of Scranton. On weekdays, the Mass will be broadcast at 12:10 p.m., 3:30
p.m. and 7:00 p.m. On weekends, the Saturday Vigil Mass will be broadcast at 4:00
p.m. and rebroadcast on Sunday morning at 10:00 a.m. The Masses will also be
streamed on the Diocese of Scranton’s website (www.dioceseofscranton.org), made
available on the Diocese of Scranton’s social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter and
Instagram) and will be accessible on the Diocese of Scranton’s YouTube channel.
Additional resources for individual parishioners to deepen their faith during Lent are also
available on the Diocese of Scranton’s website.
During this sacred season of Lent, we are being asked to sacrifice more than ever
before – particularly with the loss of cherished religious practices, most especially the
celebration of the Holy Eucharist. May we do so mindful of the selfless sacrifice of Jesus
and for the sake of our brothers and sisters who are most vulnerable and in need of our
help.
The Diocese of Scranton continues to monitor the rapidly evolving health situation
regarding the coronavirus. We are constantly monitoring directives from national, state
and local officials. This policy will be reassessed on a regular basis, in addition to the
plans for Holy Week and Easter.
God bless you and keep each of you in His care. Let us continue to pray for one
another.
Faithfully yours in Christ,
†Joseph C. Bambera
Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, D.D., J.C.L.
Bishop of Scranton
NOTE: All parish contrabutions can be mailed in or dropped in the mail slot of the front door of our rectory. St. Aloysius Rectory: 143 West Division Street, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18706
