Diocese Of Austin Changes Church Protocol Due To Coronavirus

AUSTIN, TX — The Diocese of Austin — comprising more than 120 Catholic churches throughout Central Texas — has implemented changes to mass service in response to the threat of new coronavirus, officials said.

On the diocese website, Bishop of Austin Joe Vásquez outlined several changes made in abundance of caution that have been in practice since Feb. 27. The changes come amid the growing threat of the respiratory illness health officials now are calling COVID-19 that is caused by a member of the coronavirus family —a close cousin to the SARS and MERS viruses that have sparked outbreaks in the past.

In response to the outbreak, Central Texas parishes are being urged to temporarily distribute the holy communion by hand rather than placing the wafers on parishioners' tongues. Despite the measure, Vásquez noted, clergy members were assured eucharist ministers would not deny anyone communion over the measure.

Vásquez also suspended the use of sacramental wine — the "blood of Christ" in the Catholic tradition — during mass. Additionally, standing basins of holy water — such as stoups at church doors — are to be removed in accordance to the bishop's request. Holy water fonts that circulate and filter water can remain operable, the bishop added.

The behavior of the faithful also will be altered as a result of the precautions being taken, according to the missive. Parishioners could be asked to forgo holding hands during the Lord's Prayer as is customary, and will be asked to offer the "sign of peace" without shaking hands as traditionally done.

Pastors were asked to implement these changes as soon as reasonably possible and announce the changes at all masses the weekend of Feb. 29-March 1, the bishop said: “These temporary changes were made in consultation with clergy and public health officials to safeguard our parishes from the spread of illness and to protect the health of the whole community,” Vásquez said.

While temporary measures such as those outlined in the wake of the new coronavirus outbreak have always been made available, during outbreaks of MRSA and the swine flu pastors were given the option of implementing similar changes to help stop the spread of viruses and communicable diseases, according to the bishop's message to parishioners.

Citing the example of Pope Francis, Bishop Vásquez also asked those who have taken ill to not attend Mass or Sunday school. Pope Francis currently has a cold, and has said he would not attend an annual Lenten retreat as a result. While Catholics are obligated to attend Sunday Mass, the bishop assured parishioners that missing mass while sick is permitted.

Parishes will be notified when the temporary measures are lifted, according to the bishop. The Diocese of Austin is composed of more than 120 churches in 25 central Texas counties, with more than 625,000 Catholics among them.

The safeguards aren't unique to the Diocese of Austin amid the new coronavirus threat. The Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston has implemented similar changes as outlined on its website. The same set of precautions are being practiced at other Texas dioceses and across the U.S., including those in Memphis; Pittsburgh; Paterson, New Jersey; and Joliet, Illinois.