Communion Revised for Virus Safety in Chicago Catholic Churches

(Bloomberg) -- Masses in heavily Catholic Chicago are being made safer in the name of public health.

The city's archdiocese is telling parishioners and church officials to refrain from physical contact during Masses and liturgies, including the Sign of Peace, during which congregants shake hands or embrace, according to a statement. The guidelines also suggest refraining from distribution of communion via the chalice and handholding during prayer.

All priests, deacons, altar servers and extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion also are directed to wash hands before Mass begins and use an alcohol based anti-bacterial solution before and after distributing Holy Communion.

“Given the frequency of direct contact with saliva in the distribution of Holy Communion on the tongue, every consideration should be given by each individual to receive Holy Communion reverently in open hands for the time being,” according to the statement. “Assure the faithful that if they are sick or are experiencing symptoms of sickness, they are not obliged to attend Mass, and even that out of charity they ought not to attend.”

There are more than 2 million Catholics in Chicago, about 37% of the population, according to the archdiocese.

To contact the reporter on this story: Shruti Date Singh in Chicago at ssingh28@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Stephen Merelman at smerelman@bloomberg.net, Flynn McRoberts

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