Church - 118 Church St.
Parish office - 285 W. Water St.
Chillicothe, OH 45601
Parish office - 285 W. Water St.
Chillicothe, OH 45601
Search
-
August 26, 2020NOTES FROM THE DIOCESE OF COLUMBUS CONCERNING COVID 19 PROTOCOLS
We should be in the mindset that the first phase of the return is now over, and we are prudently moving toward normalcy while maintaining precautions for the health of those in church or any gathering of people based on the best healthcare knowledge available.
MASKS: Face coverings should be worn inside churches and in other parish facilities. This is in keeping with the best knowledge available for the slowing down of the spread of the virus, and with the executive order of the governor. Personal safety by keeping a safe social distance is still the best approach to reducing the spread.
DISPENSATION: The dispensation from the Sunday Mass obligation has been extended indefinitely. This is in keeping with the rest of the Ohio Catholic Conference of Catholic Bishops. Those who are feeling well and who are not in the high-risk categories should be encouraged to come to Mass. Those who are in the high-risk categories, or who are not feeling well are encouraged to remain home.
This encouragement is meant to help people who are unsure or uncertain about coming to Mass during this time. While we encourage parishioners to come to Mass during the time of dispensation, we should continue to implement the normal healthcare guidelines such as maintaining social distancing by marking off pews, wearing facemasks, sanitizing pews, and making hand sanitizer available. During this dispensation, parishioners may choose to assist at a Mass during the week, if they are able. Doing so would free up space in church on the weekend for those who desire to come to Mass but are unable to during the week. Additionally, assisting at a weekend Mass could simply be occasional by the healthy individual during the dispensation.
See Bishop Brennan’s message on the Diocesan website at: https://columbuscatholic.org/local-news-urgent-2.