Diocese of Phoenix Changes Practices Amid Coronavirus Fears

PHOENIX, AZ — The Diocese of Phoenix last week announced it is changing the way it does a few things to prevent the spread of illness — at least until the spread of the new coronavirus and this year's flu season blows over.

In a March 6 statement, the diocese said its primary goal is to promote health and safety while alleviating undue anxiety among parishioners.

The diocese is currently at a Level I status, meaning its guidelines are intended to heighten awareness and its instructions are optional for individual parishes.

Recommendations are as follows:

• Encourage sick parishioners to stay home: "Though it is true that it is a grave matter to miss mass on Sundays and holy days, this never applies to those who are ill, especially those who are contagious or display flu-like symptoms."
• Distribute Holy Communion under the species of bread alone
• Communicants may receive on the hand
• Eliminate physical contact during the exchange of peace
• Require Ordinary and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion to sanitize hands before and after distribution

• Omit hand-holding during the Our Father
• Do not hold Eucharistic and other liturgies in a daily mass chapel if a larger church is available at the parish

• Refrain from using Holy Water fonts

Similar precautions are being implemented in dioceses across the U.S., including in Austin, Texas; Memphis; Pittsburgh; Paterson, New Jersey; and Joliet, Illinois.