By Jessy Joseph
New Delhi, March 21, 2020: To curb the spread of pandemic COVID-19 in India, Catholic dioceses in the country have suspended public participation in Masses and other church services.
The Church has adopted different measures to support the government’s efforts to curtail the spread of COVID-19.
According to the data collected by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control as of March 21, the virus has infected more than 271,000 people and killed at least 11,000 globally. India has reported 231 positive cases and four deaths.
Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Bombay and head of the Catholic Church in India, has urged people to cooperate with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for a 14-hour people’s curfew from 7 am on March 22. The cardinal has suspended Masses and church services in his archdiocese until April 4.
In Delhi, Latin rite Archbishop Anil JT Couto suspended Sunday and weekday Masses until March 31. He has urged his faithful to spend at least an hour of prayer with family on March 22 and 29. He also wants them to set aside some time every day with the family and recite Rosary, Way of the Cross and read the Bible for at least 15 minutes.
At the same time, his Syro-Malabar counterpart in the national capital, Archbishop Kuriakose Bharanikulangara of Faridabad has exempted his people too from the Sunday obligation for March and encouraged them to avoid socialization but stay at home and pray.
Archbishop Bharanikulangara has asked his priests to celebrate Masses daily and make necessary arrangements to live stream the services through YouTube or social media.
The North East India Regional Bishops’ Council on March 18 issued guidelines on safety precautions for the public, parishes and institutions to follow in an effort to contain the spread of coronavirus.
The bishops had met for two days at the Pastoral Centre, Dibrugarh. “We advise the people to follow the guidelines and instructions of their respective states to contain the spread of the pandemic novel coronavirus,” their leader Archbishop John Moolachira of Guwahati said after the meeting.
He also said Catholics in the region are dispensed from the Sunday and other obligations until further notice. The archbishop suggested parish priests to keep the churches open for individuals to come and pray.
The guidelines advise the clergy to refrain from physical contact while praying over the sick or receiving offerings.
The bishops also decried a recent attack on two female students from northeast near Delhi University’s North Campus. Six men called them ‘coronavirus’ while abusing them.
The bishops appealed for peace and to end all racial discrimination meted out to the people from the region.
The Darjeeling diocese in West Bengal also suspended Masses, Paschal Triduum and Easter Liturgy, but priests will continue to offer Masses on behalf of the faithful.
A statement from Bishop Stephen Lepcha says, “We are saddened by that we are not able to celebrate Holy Masses and other Sacraments, especially Holy Triduum and Easter Liturgy as a community for the first time, but we know Christ will remain with us all the time.”
In Kerala, the state with largest Christian population, Cardinal Baselios Cleemis, head of the Syro-Malankara Church, issued an 18-point guidelines for his people to follow during the time of corona shut down.
“Pray to God for mercy as a solution to the coronavirus,” the cardinal said in his March 11 appeal to the people. He urged people to pray frequently the Rosary, meditate on Psalm 51 and conduct intercessory prayers.
Cardinal Cleemis also urged his people to cooperate with the state government and local administration in their efforts to contain the epidemic. “Learn about the crisis of coronavirus but avoid panic,” he added.
The Syro-Malankara cardinal told priests not to stop offering of Masses, but take logical decision on distributing Communion. “Maintain the devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and health alertness.”
He wants sick people to go to confession and Communion only after they get well.
The Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Conference (KCBC) advised priests to keep open the churches so that people can come individually and pray in front of Blessed Sacrament.
KCBC called the dioceses to observe March 27 a day of prayer and fasting.
Bishop John Nellikunnel of Idukki, Kerala, granted dispensation of the Sunday obligation and asked people to make spiritual communion with an ardent desire while attending the Holy Mass through television and social media.
In a statement issued on March 18, Bishop Nellikunnel asked his priests not to “abandon the people amid pandemic and make sure they feel the Church is always with them.”