COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Catholic Bishops of Ohio have extended the temporary suspension of public masses and liturgies until May 29, following Gov. Mike DeWine’s announcement on Monday that the Stay at Home Order will remain in effect while the state starts its gradual reopening come May 1.
The bishops said DeWine’s order to stay at home has “significantly curbed the spread of the virus. We thank you for and admire the patience, cooperation and understanding you have already shown during this COVID-19 pandemic.”
The bishops said they hope to be able to celebrate the Solemnity of Pentecost the weekend of May 30.
“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, and to support and abide by the multi-phased approach to returning to work and eventual public gathering in large groups,” the bishops said in a news release.
The bishops said they will work with pastoral teams across the state to “consider reasonable, gradual and responsible initiatives for welcoming back the faithful in time to Sunday Mass, initiatives which will renew our love for the Holy Eucharist and the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and which will help us to restore Catholic life and invite others to share that life after the pandemic. We encourage individual dioceses and their respective pastors and parishioners to begin to work to establish plans which respect social distancing and other requirements for the safety of our people.”
The decision to extend the temporary suspension wasn’t taken “lightly,” according to the bishops.
“We remain grateful for your understanding and prayerful support. As your bishops we continue to encourage you to keep holy the Lord’s Day by participating in Sunday Mass by way of radio broadcast or televised or livestreamed options and making a spiritual communion,” the bishops said.
You can read more about Ohio’s May 1 reopening, here.
Additional Coronavirus information and resources:
Read our daily Coronavirus Live Blog for the latest updates and news on coronavirus.
We're Open! Northeast Ohio is place created by News 5 to open us up to new ways of thinking, new ways of gathering and new ways of supporting each other.
Click here for a page with resources including a COVID-19 overview from the CDC, details on cases in Ohio, a timeline of Governor Mike DeWine's orders since the outbreak, coronavirus' impact on Northeast Ohio, and link to more information from the Ohio Department of Health, the Cuyahoga County Board of Health, the CDC and the WHO.
See data visualizations showing the impact of coronavirus in Ohio, including county-by-county maps, charts showing the spread of the disease, and more.
The federal government has begun distributing $1,200 Economic Impact Payments to millions of Americans to help relieve the economic burden caused by coronavirus. Click here for everything you need to know about checking the status and receiving these payments.
The CDC and the Ohio Department of Health are now recommending the use of cloth face coverings in public to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Read more about the CDC's recommendation here. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to make a face mask from common household materials, without having to know how to sew.
View a global coronavirus tracker with data from Johns Hopkins University.
Here is everything you need to know about testing for coronavirus in Ohio.
Here's a list of things in Northeast Ohio closed due to coronavirus concerns
See complete coverage on our Coronavirus Continuing Coverage page.
