The Archdiocese of Baltimore started Phase I of its reopening plan May 15, allowing churches to be open for private prayer and adoration. Parishes may offer the sacraments of reconciliation and baptism, and funeral and wedding Masses may be held with a limit of 10 attendees.
Phase II is scheduled to start the weekend for the feast of Pentecost May 30-31, when public Masses can begin at one-third capacity – at the pastor’s discretion and where it is permissible to do so based on conditions in the local jurisdiction.
Some areas of the state are ready to move forward with plans to reopen, while Baltimore City and some counties have extended restrictions due to a continued high number of COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations.
Gov. Larry Hogan announced May 13 loosening of restrictions related to the coronavirus pandemic in Maryland, but still emphasized Marylanders are “Safer at home.”
Some parishes opened for prayer the weekend of May 16-17, limiting the number of people in church. Some also offered the sacrament of reconciliation either indoors or outside, allowing proper social distancing and respecting penitents’ privacy.
At. St. Ann in Hagerstown, Monsignor J. Bruce Jarboe set up inside the lobby of the church. Parishioners pulled up to the curb near the door. As one penitent was inside, a second car could park alongside that, and a volunteer directed the occupant to a waiting area a distance from the lobby doors. As each penitent finished and pulled away, another car pulled into that spot and the process was repeated.
“It went very smoothly,” the pastor said. “People were grateful for the opportunity to celebrate the sacrament again.”
The parish plans to open for liturgies for Pentecost but is still finalizing the schedule and other details. Some pews have already been blocked off to provide the appropriate social distancing.
Across town at St. Mary’s in Hagerstown, Father Ernest Cibelli, pastor, said the parish set up confessions in the parish center and resumed its regular reconciliation schedule. The church was open for private prayer.
“We felt comfortable for people to come to church to pray before the Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle,” he said. “We didn’t keep a strict count, but we had people coming and going.”
Since the parish is still calculating its one-third capacity and how to organize that, for now it is limiting prayer to 10 people at a time.
At Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Ellicott City, pastor Father Michael Triplett said the parish planned to open May 20 for outdoor confessions on Wednesdays and Fridays for six hours each day. The church will open for prayer Wednesdays through Fridays for three hours each day.
The parish used to have adoration 24 hours a day from Wednesday through Saturday, and the goal is to get back to that. For now, adoration is livestreamed with a limit of 10 people in the church.
“We’ve asked parishioners to stay no longer than 30 minutes and only come one of the days so other people have an opportunity,” Father Triplett said.
The parish pulled out all the pew cushions and is removing hymnals and other paper materials. Floor decals to help ensure the 6-foot distance are en route.
Over the weekend at St. Louis in Clarksville, parishioners of St. Louis and St. Francis of Assisi, Fulton honored Monsignor Joseph Luca, their pastor, with a “socially distant parade” celebrating his 50 years in the priesthood. A more traditional celebration was not possible because of the pandemic.
Archbishop William Lori visited Oriole Park at Camden Yards May 16 to bless the work of the World Central Kitchen, which is providing meals to families in need during the coronavirus pandemic. Founded by celebrity chef José Andrés, the World Central Kitchen is also providing meals during the week to city schoolchildren.
Also over the weekend, Archbishop William E. Lori visited both Mercy Ridge Retirement Community in Timonium and St. Martin’s Home for the Aged in Catonsville to offer his blessings to those at-risk communities. Seniors at Mercy Ridge waved from their balconies as the archbishop greeted them with the help of a bullhorn. In Catonsville, the Little Sisters of the Poor joined the archbishop as he blessed the homes of low-income seniors.
On May 18, the archbishop offered a special blessing for firefighters, police officers and other emergency service providers during a ceremony attended by Baltimore Mayor Bernard “Jack” Young at police headquarters.
The archdiocese is working with myParish App, which is provided to all the parishes by the Catholic Review, to develop ways for churches to offer hymnal-free Masses so the faithful can follow along with prayers and readings, all in the smartphone app.
Father Andrew Aaron, pastor of Holy Family Parish, Davidsonville, said the parish plans to offer drive-through confessions Wednesdays and Saturdays beginning May 23 and open the church for a few hours each day May 26.
Compared to a lot of things in human history, these accommodations are not a lot to ask, he said. “Think if this had happened 30 years ago when we wouldn’t have had the tools we have now.”
Tim Swift and George Matysek Jr. contributed to this story.
Email Christopher Gunty at editor@catholicreview.org
