Peoria Diocese suspends all public Masses

Posted on March 15, 2020
Bishop Daniel Jenky wrote a letter Friday confirming that all public Masses are suspended until further notice. (Facebook/Bishop Daniel Jenky)

 

By Neil Doyle

PEORIA – The Diocese of Peoria has suspended all public Masses until further notice due to the coronavirus.

Bishop Daniel Jenky issued a statement and said, “I have decided that our Local Church will act in unison with other dioceses in Illinois and elsewhere and suspend all public masses beginning Saturday, March 14.”

“These are perilous days but certainly not unprecedented in human history,” said Jenky.  “I urge you to be patient and faith filled.”

“For the present, we need to break the chain of transmission of the contagion, but I know that in the future we will much more appreciate and never again take for granted the great gift of our parish communities,” he said.

It is unclear when Mass will reopen to the public.  The Diocese covers Peoria and Bloomington-Normal.

Bishop Jenky’s letter is here.

Neil Doyle can be reached at [email protected]

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