CHARLOTTE — With the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 rising in North Carolina – including new cases in Mecklenburg, Forsyth and Cabarrus counties in the Diocese of Charlotte – parishes are canceling or postponing non-essential events and large gatherings in response to the latest guidance from state health officials.
In compliance with an executive order issued by North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper on March 14, the bishop of the Diocese of Charlotte is directing that most public Masses be immediately cancelled and that all diocesan schools suspend classes.
Cooper’s executive order bans public gatherings of more than 100 people, with no exemption for churches or faith-based groups. It also closes K-12 schools across the state for two weeks, effective March 16, in an ongoing effort to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. North Carolina currently has 23 people in 12 counties who have tested positive for COVID-19, according to a statement from governor’s office. Read more: Most public Masses cancelled; diocesan schools suspend classes
Events and activities cancelled or postponed so far:
Asheville
Basilica of St. Lawrence
• Parish office is closed
• Tours and all events are canceled.
• Confession: Times & place will be announced.
Boone
• All Knights of Columbus events and activities for March
• Faith Formation classes through March 22.
Charlotte
• 2020 Catholic Camporee for Scouts, March 20-22, cancelled
• Charlotte Catholic High School is limiting visitors to only parents and guardians starting March 13 until further notice
• Charlotte-Douglas Airport Chaplaincy: All services, including the Sunday Mass, cancelled starting March 15 until further notice
St. Gabriel Church:
• Stations of the Cross on Fridays, postponed indefinitely
• Men’s Club Fish Fry on March 13
• First Eucharist Workshop on March 14
• Lenten Parish Mission on March 16-17
• Lenten Penance Service on March 18
St. Matthew Church:
• All non-liturgical events until the first week of April, including faith formation for children and adults, prayer groups, ministries, social activities and support groups
• St. Peregrine Healing Prayer Service on March 26
Note: The only activities that will take place are scheduled Sunday and daily Masses; scheduled confessions; scheduled baptisms; scheduled weddings and scheduled funerals.
St. Patrick Cathedral:
• The Forty Hours Devotion
• Daily Adoration
• Sunday Adoration
• Regularly scheduled Confessions• St. Patrick’s Day reception and raffles on March 17
• C-PLAN kick-off for the Carolina Family Coalition
• Soup & Stations
• Faith Formation and Family Faith Alive classes
• First Communion Workshop
• RCIA classes
• Scripture Study classes
• Adult Group Study sessions
• The Integrated Catholic Woman Retreat
• Ablaze events
• Pietra Fitness
• Young Adult Ministry events
• Children's choir practices (the children's choir is temporarily on break until April 20th)
• Boy Scout and Cub Scout meetings
• Carolina Family Coalition reception on March 19.
Confessions can still be scheduled on an appointment basis by contacting the Parish Office.
The Cathedral will remain open during this time. We are asking everyone to please respect the limitation of ten people in the Cathedral at any one time. If you stop by to pray and see that ten people are already inside, please wait until it's safe to enter, or return at a later time.
Some of the classes listed above may be conducted online. Please check with your Faith Formation or ministry leader.
St. Peter Church
• All children’s faith formation programming including CGS, First Communion Retreat, and 3rd/4th grade classes.
• The Prayer of the Examen - All in-person meetings of the Sunday, Monday and Wednesday groups and going forward will not be held at St. Peter. Participants will be notified by the Ignatian Spirituality Team about an online option to continue the program.
• Other Parish Events & Meetings are canceled.
Note: Weekday 12:10 Masses will continue
Gastonia
St. Michael Church:
• Fish Taco Fridays suspended indefinitely
• Ecumenical Lenten Lunch on March 18
• All Knights of Columbus social events and meetings are suspended
Huntersville
St. Mark Church
• Knights of Columbus fish and shrimp dinners scheduled for all of Lent
• Ancient Order of Hibernians St. Patrick’s Dinner and show on March 21
• Room in the Inn has been canceled for March 17, March 24, and March 31.
• All parish activities until March 29
• Preschool will be closed until March 26.
Mount Holly
Old St. Joseph Church:
• Ancient Order of Hiberians (AOH) St. Patrick’s Day Mass on March 17
• Feast of St. Joseph Mass on March 19
Kernersville
Holy Cross Church
• Rite of Election on March 14
Salisbury
• Sacred Heart Church:
• Knights of Columbus Council 8680 Fish Fry on March 20 and 27
• Faith Formation suspended until further notice
• Confirmation retreat
• Lenten breakfast for the rest of Lent
• All non-essential events and meetings have been cancelled in order to keep the school building clean and sanitary.
• Small groups may come and use the Holy Family Room (in the church) to meet or groups may meet outside on our property.
• The school building may not be used unless prior approval from the Church Office is given.
Stations of the Cross
• All scheduled Lenten Stations of the Cross have been cancelled.
• Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament will be held daily from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., beginning Wednesday, March 18.
You may sign up for Adoration online by following this link:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0d4eaba7283-adoration.
Winston-Salem
• Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte’s Partners in Hope fundraiser on March 12 was canceled. Please consider donating online at www.ccdoc.org/donate or mail your donation to: Partners in Hope; Catholic Charities, P.O. Box 20185, Winston-Salem, N.C. 27120.
— Catholic News Herald
Related:
Bishop Jugis: ‘May the gift of the Holy Spirit be with us’ through these difficult times
Sunday Mass obligation waived for Catholics of the diocese
Most public Masses cancelled; diocesan schools suspend classes
St. Patrick Cathedral to host 40 Hours Devotion March 17-19 in response to coronavirus outbreak