Local Catholic churches prepare for reopening

Local Catholic churches prepare for reopening

Entrance.

This past friday, the archdiocese of indianapolis released guidance for reopening its catholic parishes.

It's a three phase plan.

Phase one involves opening the church for private prayer and confessions starting this wednesday.

Phase two allows public weekday masses to resume on may 19th.

In-person sunday mass is part of phase three and can resume as early as may 23rd.

News 10's tilly marlatt shares what this means for local catholic churches.

Indiana catholic churches may reopen for private prayer and confessions as early as wednesday.

But, not all parishes will be reopening on that date.

News 10 talked to father martin day at st.

Benedict church in terre haute.

He's looking at beginning phase one of the reopening plan next week.

He wants to ensure his church has the necessary safety measures in place.

"the instructions from the archdiocese is, you may begin on this date, but there's no obligation to begin.

So really the freedom for us is to work through all of the issues we need to, so we can work through the cdc guidelines and let that be the determining factor, so we really shouldn't be doing something we're not ready to."

Don't expect to sit your same pew when the church reopens.

The church was roping off every third pew during news 10's visit on monday.

Communion will also be different.

Father day says he's been in conversation with local catholic church leaders about different strategies to implement as they work towards reopening.

"we're pretty much in sync with one another although there will probably be some variation when churches start their sunday eucharist schedule."

The archdiocese of indianapolis says in-person sunday mass can resume the weekend of may 23 and 24.

Local churches can decide when is right for them.

"probably the first weekend we may not be able to have a full complement of masses just because of the time it takes to sanitize the church.

We haven't got that all worked out yet.

It may just be 2 masses instead of three."

Father day is encouraging folks to consider attending a weekday mass or watch the sunday mass livestream.

"i hope that whoever is firm in their intention to come to sunday mass is also firm in their intention to wear a mask while they're here."

The exemption from the obligation to participate in sunday mass has been extended until aug.

15 in indiana.

Reporting in terre haute, tilly marlatt, news 10.