Centre County Catholic churches directed to close in the wake of Pa. stay-at-home order
Public masses have been suspended at Catholic churches across Centre County since March 17, but Wednesday’s statewide stay-at-home order and concerns about COVID-19 has led to the closure of all church buildings.
Bishop Mark L. Bartchak, of the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown, issued the new directives on Wednesday, which include prohibiting outdoor activities on parish properties until further notice. Bartchak instructed parishes that all church doors should be locked effective immediately.
“Bishop Bartchak considers the latest directives necessary and appropriate to minimize social interaction and to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus,” diocese spokesman Tony DeGol wrote in a release. “The directives come on a day when Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf issued a statewide stay at home order, which means residents should stay at home and not go out unless it is necessary.”
All churches will remain closed until further notice, according to the directive. All pastoral activities outdoors on parish property or in other locations are also not permitted until further notice.
With Palm Sunday just days away, parishes were directed to not to have any celebration, blessing or distribution of palms, and are not to have any other blessings traditionally celebrated in anticipation of Easter.
Funeral services can still be held, but with limits on attendance and after consultation with the funeral director, according to the directive. Clergy should contact people with weddings scheduled in the coming months and encourage them to celebrate with a small group or to reschedule.
On its website, Our Lady of Victory Church in State College outlined various cancellations caused by the directive, including weekly confessions and Stations of the Cross.
The Rev. George Jackopac of St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church in Bellefonte posted about the closures on the church’s website.
“It just makes me very sad to have to close everything down, and I still have not come to terms with the fact that we can’t have Easter Triduum Services,” he wrote. “However, this is our ‘cross’ and we must believe God is teaching us something.”
There are various options to still view Sunday Mass, including the televised Mass with Bishop Bartchak every Sunday at 11 a.m. on WATM ABC 23 and every Sunday at 9 p.m. on Atlantic Broadband channel 9.