To help curb the spread of the coronavirus, the Archdiocese of Hartford has canceled all weekday and weekend Masses and is suspending funeral masses.
Effective Tuesday, all churches of the archdiocese, which covers New Haven, Litchfield and Hartford counties, are directed to cancel weekend and weekday Masses through April 3. This is in an effort to comply with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines that recommend any gatherings of more than 50 people be canceled.
Priests may still offer a daily Mass at the altar of a closed church, and are welcome to provide a livestream to their parishioners. Televised Masses will also be available.
Church buildings may still be open to the public, though pastors are advised to use their judgment about when and how this can be done at their individual churches.
The archdiocese is also suspending funeral Masses, expect those that are already scheduled and planned. Wakes at funeral homes are also discouraged. Priests may still offer graveside rites.
To see more details on the changes being made, click here.
The Bridgeport Diocese has also opted to suspend all its weekday and Sunday public Masses until April 3.
Local
So far, 68 people in Connecticut have tested positive for COVID-19.
