Archdiocese of New York cancels Masses amid coronavirus concerns

The Archdiocese of New York announced Saturday that it will cancel all Masses this weekend amid continuing concern surrounding the coronavirus.

The move came after the decision by Dutchess County — whose churches are part of the New York archdiocese — to ban gatherings of more than 20 people.

“It is also intended to provide clarity and consistency throughout the 10 counties that comprise the Archdiocese of New York,” the archdiocese said in a statement.

“Churches will, however, remain open for private prayer,” the statement said.

The archdiocese is composed of Manhattan, the Bronx and Staten Island in New York City, along with the counties of Westchester, Putnam, Orange, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster and Dutchess.

A private Mass in St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Manhattan will be livestreamed on the websites of St. Patrick’s website and the Catholic Faith Network, and broadcast on radio via The Catholic Channel of Sirius XM, the statement said.

In the Diocese of Rockville Centre, which covers Nassau and Suffolk counties, Roman Catholics do not have to attend Mass for the next three weekends, that diocese said Friday.

Churches will remain open with Mass schedules generally unchanged, but the obligation to attend Mass has been temporarily lifted, diocesan spokesman Sean Dolan said.

Catholics who decide to attend Mass are under no obligation to receive Holy Communion in the next few weeks, Dolan said. Catholics are only required to receive Holy Communion once a year, he said.

Dolan said the diocese expects a light turnout this weekend and does not believe churches would run afoul of the state’s prohibition on gatherings of 500 or more people.

The Episcopal Diocese of Long Island announced Friday that services in its parishes — which are in Nassau and Suffolk counties, and Brooklyn and Queens — will be suspended for two weeks. Churches will be open for private prayer.

Some United Methodist and Lutheran churches are also closing for the weekend.

The BAPS Hindu temple in Melville, the largest Hindu temple on Long Island, is also shutting down all operations, said Girish Patel, local leader of BAPS temple.

Several mosques canceled Friday afternoon prayers, one of the most important religious services for Muslims, and some synagogues canceled Friday night and Saturday Shabbat services.

With Bart Jones

By David Olson

david.olson@newsday.com@DavidOlson11

David Olson covers health care. He has worked at Newsday since 2015 and previously covered immigration, multicultural issues and religion at The Press-Enterprise in Southern California.