Dear Faithful,

In these most difficult times, we are facing two great concerns: the first is the spread of a highly contagious and, for some, lethal disease; the second is the curtailment of our liberties as a free people.

After the Mass at Immaculate Conception Church last Sunday, the State of Ohio’s Department of Health issued a stay-at-home order which went into effect late Monday night for the entire state. The order requires that all “non-essential business and operations must cease.” The purpose of the order was stated in this way: ‘16. The intent of this Order is “to ensure that the maximum number of people self-isolate in their places of residence to the maximum extent feasible, while enabling essential services to continue, to slow the spread of COVID-19 to the greatest extent possible.”

The “essential services” which the order says are to continue are covered as “12. Essential Businesses and Operations” and included among the “essential services” which are protected by this order we find “e. Religious entities. Religious facilities, entities and groups and religious gatherings, including weddings and funerals.”

The Department of Health thus exempts churches from the stay-at-home order and recognizes their importance and their right to carry on their functions.

It is important to note, however, that for all the essential services listed, the order still requires the following of certain safety practices as “required measures”: Designate six-foot distances, hand sanitizer and sanitizing products, separate operating hours for vulnerable populations, online and remote access. We find also the prescriptions to wash one’s hand (for 20 seconds), to “capture” one’s cough or sneeze rather than exploding into the surrounding air, and other health practices which we all should have learned and been practicing always  and everywhere since kindergarten. The fact that not everyone practices common sense and common decency at all times makes it necessary for the Department of Health to enumerate these basic health practices.

As “essential services,” churches are still required to practice “social distancing” to the extent reasonably possible. This means that all those persons who belong to the same household and share the same residence, who are in close contact with each other by necessity, may sit and stand and kneel next to each other. But those who do not share a common residence must keep a distance of at least six feet as a buffer between them. Again, during any flu season, this would be a prudent and common sense thing to do, both to guard against catching the flu and to prevent spreading it to others.

I must rely upon you to put these practices into effect. We cannot have “vergers” patrolling the church with sticks, as we sometimes read of the old days. I must be able to count on all adults to provide this space for themselves and their children. We must accomplish this “to the extent reasonably possible” to fulfil the order.

It is also a matter of common sense that no one who is ill or at risk of illness should come to the church. Some might not even realize that they are running a fever and it is our responsibility to protect them and those around them. Some medical professionals of our church have agreed to perform this service for us – and thus help us safeguard our ability to have the Mass available to you – by using digital thermometers to gauge the temperatures of all those entering the church for Sunday Masses. (I myself first encountered this two weeks ago when I went to a VA hospital to anoint a seriously ill veteran. At first I thought it was bizarre, but then I appreciated how it was necessary to protect both the patients and the staff.) I thank them for their willingness to give of their time and expertise for the benefit and reassurance of everyone who comes to attend the Mass.

In order to help meet the “distancing” provisions, for this Sunday and next Sunday we have scheduled four Masses: 7:00 am, 9:15 am (next Sunday 9:00 Palm Sunday ceremonies), 11:30 am (primarily for senior citizens),  5:00 pm.

Of course, this plan can be effective only if the attendance at those Masses is distributed more or less evenly among them. For next Sunday’s Masses, please use the pages provided on the table in the vestibule to designate which Mass you/your family will attend and give the number of persons included (you can add your phone number if you wish to be notified of any changes that might arise).

Some people have urged me to close the doors of the church to prevent people from coming for Masses. I don’t believe I can in good conscience lock anyone out of the church who comes seeking the Mass and the sacraments. I realize there are many Catholics who are much more concerned about losing access to the Mass than they are worried about catching the virus. For our part, we do need to comply with State of Ohio Health Department orders in so far as we can, lest we provoke more restrictive orders which could prevent us from having public Masses.

So, I repeat:

(1) As the Catholic Church has always taught, there are circumstances which relieve a Catholic of the obligation of attending Sunday Mass; I believe the circumstances prevailing today – the declaring of a national emergency due to pandemic -- relieve Catholics of that obligation.

(2) The Church has always taught there are circumstances in which anyone would commit sin by coming to Mass, such as the case when he puts himself or others at risk of grave illness.

(3) I heartily recommend that the elderly and the infirm remain at home and remotely, but spiritually, unite with the Mass by live-streaming at the website www.wcbohio.com and making a devout spiritual Communion.

(4) Parents should organize their Mass attendance to allow their little children to remain at home, if at all possible.

(5) To alleviate crowding in the church, the Mass will be live-streamed to Saint Susanna Hall in the school and some later arrivals might be asked to attend there. Holy Communion will still be given them in the church proper.

(6) If you are not attending the Mass on Sundays, please be sure to provide access to the sacraments for yourselves and for your children by attending weekday Masses or contact the priests.

(7) Be patient, cooperative, humble. Everyone is under stress and feeling the trauma. Our Catholic ancestors had to sacrifice so much more for the Mass, for themselves and for us! Our Lord had to sacrifice SO MUCH MORE to give us the Mass. Let’s show Him our appreciation!

Faithfully in Christ,

Father Jenkins