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In light of an increasing number of people diagnosed with the coronavirus in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, Archbishop Bernard Hebda March 12 suspended the obligation to attend Sunday Mass. 

Public Masses will continue to be celebrated in the archdiocese’s parishes, but until further notice, “if the faithful decide that congregating for Sunday Mass would constitute a risk to themselves or others, they have the freedom not to attend,” the archbishop said.

“The Mass allows us to encounter Jesus in the Eucharist and strengthens community, so this is not a decision I take lightly,” Archbishop Hebda said in a letter addressed to the faithful of the archdiocese, posted on the archdiocese’s website archspm.org/covid19 and shared with clergy, parish administrators and Catholic school leadership.

Five presumptive cases in Minnesota of the illness caused by the coronavirus, COVID-19, have been reported six counties: three in Ramsey and one each in Anoka, Carver, Hennepin, Dakota, Olmsted and Stearns. All but Olmsted and Stearns counties are in the archdiocese. 

The archbishop also asked that people join him in a “special day of fasting, abstinence and prayer invoking God’s help in these challenging days for our archdiocese, our country and the world.”

That day will be March 18, between the feast of St. Patrick March 17 and the Solemnity of St. Joseph March 19, he said.

 “On that day, I invite Catholics who are ordinarily bound to observe fast and abstinence on Ash Wednesday to prayerfully make this same sacrifice next Wednesday,” Archbishop Hebda said.

Regarding Sunday Mass, even for those who stay home, Sunday remains a holy day, the archbishop said. Catholics should still observe the Lord’s Day by making a spiritual communion while watching Mass online, on TV, or radio, the archbishop said. 

“You can pray the Liturgy of the Hours, the rosary and other devotions,” he said. “You may also attend Mass on a weekday when assemblies are smaller. Those attending Mass any time should continue to minimize the risk of contracting or spreading infection, he said. In addition to the letter, the archdiocesan website for the coronavirus includes precautions already being undertaken by parishes in the archdiocese, health resources and resources for parishes and Catholic schools.

In addition to the special day of abstinence and fasting March 18, the archbishop encouraged people to engage in other forms of prayer, such as a daily rosary as an individual or with family, he said.

 “From biblical times until the present day, history confirms that when the faithful unite in prayer and fasting, powerful things happen,” he said.

The archbishop also asked for prayers for the sick and dying, for those caring for them, including priests and deacons, and for those working to minimize the risk of COVID-19.

“Let us also remain calm and look out for all our brothers and sisters in need: those in our families, in our neighborhoods, and around the world,” the archbishop said. “When we unite for the common good, we can overcome fear and courageously face the challenges in the days ahead.”