Jennifer Schack
Director of Media Relations
Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Office | 513.263.6618
Cell | 859.512.5626
[email protected]
Release Date: April 2, 2020
Ohio Bishops Extend Suspension of All Publicly Celebrated Masses/Liturgies
The Catholic Conference of Ohio, chaired by Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, has released a statement extending the temporary suspension of all publicly celebrated Masses and liturgies through and including Sunday, May 3.
The archdiocesan website, www.catholiccincinnati.org, is live-streaming daily and weekend Masses from the Cathedral of St. Peter in Chains in Cincinnati. Daily Mass is available on-line at 8 a.m. Monday through Saturday and Sunday Mass is live-streamed at 9:30 a.m. in Spanish and 11 a.m. in English. All livestreaming Masses are also available on the Archdiocese of Cincinnati Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/CatholicCincinnati/ and YouTube page, https://www.youtube.com/user/cincyArchdiocese.
The full release from the Catholic Conference of Ohio:
“Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Today (April 2, 2020) Governor Mike DeWine extended the executive “Stay at Home Order” to continue to curb the spread of the Coronavirus in the State of Ohio. Out of deep concern for the common good, as well as the physical and spiritual well-being of all the people of Ohio, the Catholic Bishops of Ohio have agreed once again to cooperate with the governor’s direction.
To that end, the Catholic Bishops of Ohio extend the temporary suspension of all publicly celebrated Masses/liturgies at least through and including Sunday May 3rd. The Bishops of Ohio dispense the Catholic faithful who reside in their respective dioceses and all other Catholics currently in Ohio from the obligation of attending Sunday Mass during this time period.
This decision has not been taken lightly and, as your bishops, together with you, we recognize the sacrifice we are called to make by being physically distanced from the Holy Eucharist and from one another.
Trusting in the graces flowing from the celebration of the passion, death and resurrection of Our Lord, we remain mindful of the hope that does not disappoint. As your bishops, we continue to encourage you to keep holy the Lord’s Day by participating in Sunday Mass by way of televised, live-streamed, or radio broadcast options and making a spiritual communion. Keeping in mind the gift of plenary indulgences offered to us by the Church, we encourage all the faithful to turn to the Church’s treasury of prayer, praying as a family or individually the rosary, divine mercy chaplet, the Liturgy of the Hours and Stations of the Cross, etc.
Please join us in praying for all who are suffering from the Coronavirus, for all health care workers and first responders, and for an easing of the anxiety and tension caused by this pandemic. Relying on the Motherly care of Our Lady, Health.”
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati is the 44th largest Catholic diocese in the country, with more than 450,000 Catholics, and has the fifth largest Catholic school system in terms of enrollment with more than 40,000 students. The 19-county territory includes 211 parishes and 111 Catholic primary and secondary schools.
