Steubenville diocese to resume daily Mass on May 18

Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston targets May 23-24 to reopen

STEUBENVILLE -- The Diocese of Steubenville reports it will celebrate daily public Masses again beginning May 18, with plans to resume public Sunday liturgies on Pentecost weekend, May 30-31.

The diocese suspended public Masses on March 16 in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Across the river, meanwhile, the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston issued guidelines for parishes to resume public Mass and targeted the weekend of May 23-24 to begin welcoming worshipers.

The Catholic Conference of Ohio granted its member dioceses permission to do a "soft opening" over the next two weeks "where it can be achieved safely and where pastorally possible, with less than 50 percent occupancy of the Church building, respecting social distancing." Parishioners whose age or health conditions put them at risk of contracting the virus are not expected to attend, CCO said.

"As your bishops, we continue to be cautious and concerned for those who are most at risk, the elderly and those with serious health issues," the bishops wrote in a letter to parishioners. "We also remain deeply concerned for our priests, many of whom we find in this category. We strongly urge those who are most vulnerable and their caregivers to stay at home, and we implore those who are not feeling well, or who fear that their own health or that of their family may be compromised, to refrain from coming to church at this time."

Diocese of Steubenville Bishop Jeffrey Monforton said he was "grateful for the coordination of the Catholic Conference of Ohio, during these challenging times, for the return of daily public Masses."

In West Virginia, the directives were developed by a committee of clergy and lay leaders headed by Monsignor Eugene Ostrowski, the diocesan vicar general, with input from pastors from around the state. They include guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization and recommendations from Gov. Jim Justice's administration.

Among the directives:

¯ Public Sunday Masses are scheduled to begin May 23-24, upon approval of a plan to be submitted by each parish.

¯ The dispensation from the obligation to attend Mass remains in effect until further notice. Sick individuals, and those more susceptible to infection, are urged to remain at home and participate in televised or online Masses. Anyone who fears being infected by attending Mass should stay home.

¯ Social distancing will be required at Mass. Those living in the same household may sit together. Otherwise there must be six feet of separation between people. Once the seating capacity of a church is reached, no one may enter the church. Some parishes will be able to arrange for audio/visual participation from a hall or gymnasium.

¯ Masks are to be worn during Mass, except while receiving Holy Communion. Parishioners are encouraged to bring their own masks.

¯ Some practices of a Catholic Mass will be omitted, including the use of hymnals, holding hands at the Our Father, the Sign of Peace and the offering of communion wine.

¯ In churches with multiple Masses, the church, hall or gym, will have to be sanitized between Masses, as well as before the first Mass and after the last.