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April 30, 2020To the Catholic Faithful of the Diocese of Bismarck,
As we have been living under the restrictions to daily life due to the COVID-19 pandemic and especially the restrictions on our Catholic liturgical and sacramental life, it is my fervent prayer and hope that our appreciation and longing for the Most Holy Eucharist have been deepened and strengthened.
In recent days our Governor has decided to modify some of the restrictions placed upon us and listening carefully to him and in consultation with Bishop Folda, I have decided to modify some of the directives I issued for the Diocese of Bismarck on March 19, 2020 (see below). I am not lifting all restrictions, but I am modifying some for the present. What I ask is your continued patience and cooperation for your own welfare and that of others.
To this end and first, the dispensation from the obligation to attend and participate at Mass on Sundays and Holy Days remains in effect until further notice for all who may be hesitant or afraid at this time to be in larger gatherings. Parishes will continue to provide the opportunity to view Mass online.
If you or anyone in your household is sick in any way or is in one of the more vulnerable groups of persons at a higher risk of contracting the COVID-19, please stay at home until such time as you or that person is able to return to Church for Mass.
However, I must emphasize this: what we have come to understand as “social distancing” must be strictly kept by all priests, deacons and lay faithful at all times in all liturgical and sacramental settings. Therefore, I make the following modifications to some of the directives of March 19, 2020.- Daily Mass may resume according to the schedule determined by the Pastor as of Wednesday, May 6, 2020. Sunday Mass may resume according to the schedule determined by the Pastor as of: 4:00 P.M. Saturday, May 9, 2020 under the following conditions:
- Family households may sit together in one pew and all other persons must maintain social distancing in Church; from front to back, in every Church every other pew is to be left empty.
- Holy Communion will continue to be distributed under the sacred species of the Consecrated Host only, and Holy Communion is to be received in the hand only.
- Only ordained clergy (priests and deacons) and canonically instituted Acolytes are to distribute Holy Communion, no Extra-ordinary ministers are to distribute until further notice. Social distancing is to be maintained by the faithful as they receive Holy Communion.
- The exchange of the Sign of Peace remains suspended.
- There is to be no Offertory procession to present the gifts for Mass until further notice.
- If the Pastor has accompaniment for Mass, only a cantor and a musician are to be present and there is to be no Choir.
- The directives for weddings and funerals are modified as follows:
- For weddings all immediate and extended family members of the Bride and Groom may be present but are to maintain social distancing. The restrictions on the wedding party itself and the priest/deacon remain unchanged.
- For funerals, all immediate and extended family members may attend but are to maintain social distancing. The directives for the Wake and Vigil Service and luncheon after the funeral at the Church remain unchanged.
- The directives for the Sacrament of Baptism are modified as follows:
- For Baptisms, all immediate and extended family members may be present but are to maintain social distancing. No more than one person may be baptized in any given ceremony until further notice.
Know that I pray daily for all of you and asking your kind prayers for our priests and deacons, may we increase in virtue and holiness of life for the greater honor and glory of God!
The Most Reverend David D. Kagan
Bishop of Bismarck
Mr. Dale Eberle
Chancellor
MESSAGE REGARDING MARCH 19 RESTRICTIONS:
To the Catholic Faithful of the Diocese of Bismarck,
The most serious health crisis we are now experiencing, the COVID-19 virus has required unprecedented measures be taken by our national, state and local governments and, as devout Catholics and responsible citizens, we all have a share in this responsibility not to spread this virus, but to do all we can reasonably do to stop its spread and to pray and work for its end. As Catholics this is our moral responsibility in justice and in charity.
Thus, after long hours of prayer and consultation, I must make the hard decision to cancel all public celebrations of the Mass, the sacraments and devotions until further notice that it is safe for us to gather again for public worship. This is a great sorrow for me as your Bishop but, in justice and charity to you and to all in our diocese, I make this decision.
Thus, the following directives are to be observed in the Diocese of Bismarck and may not be changed or modified by anyone but the Diocesan Bishop:
Effective Thursday, March 19, 2020 at 3:00 p.m. and until further notice, all daily and Sunday Masses are cancelled in the Diocese of Bismarck. This applies to all parishes, oratories, and chapels used for public worship. The Catholic faithful within the territory of the Diocese of Bismarck are dispensed from the obligation to attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days.
Confirmation - As a result, all of the scheduled celebrations of the sacrament of confirmation between Sunday, March 22, 2020 through Sunday, May 17, 2020, are cancelled and will be rescheduled for the fall between September and December 2020.
Communal Penance Services - All Communal Penance Services are cancelled. All parish priests are to keep the regular schedule of confessions in their parishes but both priest and penitent are to use a screen for the celebration of the sacrament until further notice.
Weddings - All weddings already scheduled may take place but are to be limited to the bride and groom, the two witnesses, the parents of the bride and groom and the priest or deacon who is to witness the marriage. The Church’s Rite of Matrimony Within or Outside of Mass may be used.
Funerals - All funerals are to be private not public, that is to say, for the immediate family only and for the priest or deacon who is the celebrant. The Rite of Christian Funerals Within or Outside of Mass may be used. There is to be no wake and/or vigil observed the day before or day of the funeral. No luncheon or dinner is permitted in the church hall after the funeral.
Baptism - Infant baptism may be administered but may have only 10 persons including the priest or deacon present. All RCIA classes are cancelled. The sacramental initiation of adults by a Profession of Faith or by baptism may take place at the discretion of the priest but must be done individually and with no more than 10 persons present.
Religious Education - All parish religious education classes are cancelled until further notice. Our Catholics schools are following the directives of the State and will remain closed until such time as it is deemed safe to reopen. Parents are asked to follow the directions given by their local Catholic schools.
Televised/Livestream Mass - All pastors of parishes with the capability to livestream are to offer one daily and one Sunday Mass without a congregation or other ministers present and have that available for their parishioners on the parish website. If any parish does not have this capability, the parishioners may go to the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit website and view daily and Sunday Mass from there (as available). As always, the televised Mass is available on the FOX TV affiliate in your viewing area on Sundays at 10 a.m. and 11:30 p.m. Please check the diocesan website and social media for updates and more details about livestream Masses.
Chrism Mass - The Mass of Chrism will be celebrated without a congregation present on Monday, April 6, 2020, at 11:00 a.m. CDT from the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit and this will be able to be viewed on the diocesan website. In order to protect our priests, there will be no general concelebration of this Mass, but our priests are asked to participate in the Renewal of their Ordination Promises via live stream.
Priests will be expected to offer Holy Mass privately every day if possible and to be available to provide the anointing of the sick and viaticum to all the Catholic faithful. Please call your parish office with any special sacramental and spiritual need. Each Parish is to keep its Church open during the day for the benefit of those who wish to pray in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament.
What all of us must do in these days is not lose hope in the merciful goodness of Almighty God. Even though we will not be physically close to one another at this time, by our fervent and humble prayer for each other and all who are ill and affected, we remain united in the powerful Communion of Saints. Let us continue to beg Our Mother of Perpetual Help and Saint Joseph, Guardian of the Holy Family and Patron of the Universal Church, to assist us in our time of need by their powerful intercession.
I offer to all of you my daily prayers and my blessing. Let us accompany one another and everyone on this holy journey of healing and purification.
The Most Reverend David D. Kagan
Bishop of Bismarck
Mr. Dale Eberle
Chancellor
Additional information to read from Bishop Kagan:
THE CARE OF SOULS AND THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS DURING THIS PANDEMIC