Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - As concerns about Coronavirus continue to sweep society in the form of cancellations and warnings, Bishop Edward Scharfenberger announces that there will be no regularly scheduled public Masses in the Diocese of Buffalo until further notice due to an abundance of caution.
Western New York's Episcopal Diocese is also canceling in-person worship for at least the next three weeks.
Catholic Churches may remain open, as locally feasible, and the faithful are encouraged to continue to visit and pray while maintaining a prudent distance from one another. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Sunday updated its guidelines with the instruction to cancel or postpone in-person events that consist of 50 people or more for the next 8 weeks.
In a letter to the Episcopal community, Bishop Sean Rowe said he cannot in good conscience permit gatherings that could easily hasten the spread of the disease and contribute to the collapse of our health care system.
"Doing our part to slow the spread of COVID-19 will require willingness to make sacrifices and to adapt quickly to changing circumstances. Yesterday, I urged our congregations to explore online worship through the helpful guidelines on the partnership website," said Bishop Rowe.
On Friday, Bishop Scharfenberger announced that all Catholic faithful are dispensed from the obligation to attend Sunday Mass and Holy Days of Obligations. A full list of parishes that offer live-streamed Masses can be found here.
In addition, all other parish events and large gatherings are to be postponed, including Confirmations. Funerals will continue to be conducted, though with only immediate family present until further notice. All Catholic schools will remain closed until April 20, 2020. Additional information about schools and home study instruction will be made available here.
“As the faith community of Western New York, we have an important part to play in protecting those most vulnerable and those with underlying medical issues during this period of extreme concern over the spread of the coronavirus,” said Bishop Scharfenberger. “I realize how deeply disappointing it is during our season of Lent to refrain from gathering at public Masses and participating together in our liturgical life, but we must avoid the risk of wider infection. I encourage the faithful to pray fervently during this time when we must be apart and to continue their Lenten journey within families and in the quiet of their own prayerful reflection, knowing that Christ abides with us always and in every place.”