St. Mary's To Suspend Nursing Home Masses, Other Services

PLAINFIELD, IL — St. Mary Immaculate Parish announced Thursday evening that in response to the COVID-19 crisis, they would be - among other preparations - suspending Mass and many other services at local nursing homes. This decision, the parish said, was made to comply with directions from the national Center for Disease Control and Prevention which discourage large gatherings of people. The elderly as a group are especially vulnerable to infection, and so are most at risk from attending large social functions like a church service.

"Per a mandate from the Centers for Disease Control, all Masses, rosaries, Communion Services and Communion to the sick have been suspended at all of the nursing homes we serve," the parish announcement read. "The well-being of the sick demands that we are careful about this. In addition, when called to anoint the sick, families will be asked if anyone at the location has a fever or a cough, or whether they have traveled internationally recently. This is so that our priests know to use protective measures to avoid spreading a possible infection."

In the same announcement, the church said it was suspending all activities not relevant to Mass service, religious education classes and parish school functions. There is currently no plan to suspend Mass services, as that decision must come from the Bishop's Office with the Diocese of Joliet.

"This entire situation is changing minute by minute," Diocese Media Relations Director Alex Rechenmacher said, "but as of right now, there's no instruction [to suspend Mass]."

Additionally, St. Mary's said its priests would continue to provide the Anointing of the Sick ceremony to those most in need, especially those near death.

"There will only be visitations in [case of] imminent death. We will still anoint the sick if they are dying," Parish Business Manager Denise Rowan said.

To read the entire announcement regarding St. Mary's coronavirus protocols, please visit the parish website.

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