Coronavirus: Ohio Catholics don’t have to go to Sunday Mass for next 3 weeks

The Catholic Church is telling its members in Ohio to reconsider going to Mass for the next three weeks.

This comes after Ohio Gov. DeWine banned all gatherings of 100 people or more on Thursday afternoon.

The Catholic Conference of Ohio, the official representative of the Catholic Church in public matters affecting the Church and general welfare of the citizens of Ohio, released a statement Thursday evening stating that even though religious gatherings are excluded from the order, this decision was made for the “common good and the physical as well as spiritual well-being of all the people of Ohio.”

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The statement said all Catholics in Ohio are dispensed of their obligation to attend Sunday Mass for the weekends of March 14 and 15, March 21 and 22 and March 28 and 29.

“Out of charity and concern for our brothers and sisters in Christ, we encourage all the faithful, in particular those who are sick, experiencing symptoms of illness, or are at risk of illness seriously to consider refraining from Mass attendance,” the statement said.

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