Fresno-area funerals should be postponed amid coronavirus outbreak, Diocese says
The Diocese of Fresno late on Wednesday said funeral vigil and mass services should be immediately postponed to help slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.
“A graveside service with the option of a Memorial Mass at a later date is strongly recommended and attended only by the immediate family,” church officials said in a statement. “If a Funeral Vigil and Mass does take place, the same restriction regarding attendees applies. Immediate family includes spouse, parents, grandparents, and siblings of the deceased only.
The Diocese of Fresno covers eight counties in the central San Joaquin Valley and serves an estimated 1.2 million Catholics.
“This week has been challenging for us all, to say the least. The situation with the COVID-19 virus seems to literally change on an hourly basis. It has been hard to keep up with and we do not know how long it will last,” Bishop Joseph V. Brennan said in a statement. “As this situation continues to change and challenge us, we will also continue to give updated guidelines and instructions.”
Counties or cemetery districts within the Diocese of Fresno “may implement restrictions that will require parishes to adhere to even more restrictive guidelines/orders,” according to the measures.
“Clergy will need to be as pastorally present as possible to the grieving families so that they do not feel abandoned by their Church,” the measures read.
In a new release, the diocese included a list of updated protective measures it has taken, which included suspending all Catholic schools and preschools for an “indeterminate amount of time.” Regarding school closures, distance learning will continue 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.
All Catholic school-related fundraisers have been halted until further notice.
The closure of all churches has also been extended to an indeterminate amount of time.
“The Diocese of Fresno intends to notify the faithful and general public at least 7 - 10 days in advance of the date selected for the celebration of the Mass to be restored, along with other parish activities,” according to the measures.
The television station run by the diocese, KNXT, will continue to air at least through May.
Extraordinary Ministers, who pay visits to the sick, must take caution if they choose to provide a prayer for a sick parishioner, the measures say. But if the ministers belong in one of the high-risk populations, they should not visit sick parishioners.
“Priests should consider only visiting sick parishioners who are in dire need, that is, those who are seriously ill or in danger of death who have requested the Anointing of the Sick and perhaps in need of Viaticum,” according to the measures. “Again, as in all cases, every precaution should be taken by the priest in such circumstances.
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