Pittsburgh, Greensburg dioceses plan for reopening
The Catholic Dioceses of Pittsburgh and Greensburg on Friday announced plans for a “gradual reopening” after locking down facilities amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The two dioceses, which serve much of southwestern Pennsylvania’s Catholic community, will allow churches to reopen May 15 for private prayer, reconciliation, small weddings and funeral Masses.
“Our strategic reopening plan will be done in phases based on comprehensive recommendations from a diocesan COVID-19 task force team in coordination and consultation with state and regional health care leaders,” Bishop David Zubik wrote in a statement.
This period of reopening coincides with the Pittsburgh region entering the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s “yellow phase,” which lifts the stay-at-home order put in place April 1 to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
Under the Pittsburgh diocese’s new directives, funeral Masses and weddings will continue in a limited capacity, though permitted attendance has increased to 25 people, per the state’s guidelines.
Churches will be allowed to open for private prayer, but seating will be allowed only in designated areas. Masks and social distancing guidelines are still required.
Confessions will be heard, but because the standard practice of the sacrament does not follow
safety requirements, confessions will happen at specific times and “in a manner that preserves the sanctity of the sacrament,” the Pittsburgh diocese said.
The diocese will continue to livestream Masses and prayer services.
“Last year, on an average weekend, 78 parishes in the Diocese of Greensburg welcomed 34,000 parishioners,” Bishop Edward C. Malesic wrote. “In just one week during the stay-at-home order, more than 100,000 people tuned in to watch virtual Masses across the Diocese of Greensburg.”
The Greensburg diocese, which serves Armstrong, Fayette, Indiana and Westmoreland counties, had similar requirements on masking and social distancing, and it said confessions may be held in social halls or outdoors because confessionals do not meet social distancing requirements.
Church officials continue to develop new ways to eventually hold Mass while following social distancing and other safety guidelines. In Greensburg, officials envision there will be less contact during Mass, parishioners may bow to each other instead of shaking hands during the sign of peace and Communion would not feature sacramental wine.
Both dioceses noted public Masses would not occur until the next phase of diocesan reopening. Bishop Malesic said all people will remain dispensed from the obligation to attend Mass on Sundays for the foreseeable future.
“Although we are all so eager to get back to some sense of normal, we recognize that these sacrifices have been essential to keeping each other safe during this deadly pandemic,” Bishop Zubik wrote. “I am greatly appreciative of all in our faith community who have shown a great amount of patience during this unprecedented time.”
Several counties in the diocese move into the yellow phase next week, but the stay-at-home order remains in place in Beaver County, where a COVID-19 outbreak at Brighton Rehabilitation and Wellness Center has led to at least 71 deaths.