PWC Churches Open, Masses Cancelled - Update Two

 
As you may have heard in the news, Cardinal Seán O’Malley, has decided that all public Masses and religious services should be cancelled throughout the Archdiocese of Boston until further notice. He made this difficult decision in response to growing public concern and following Governor Baker’s Emergency Order prohibiting most gatherings of 250 or more people. In announcing this decision, the Cardinal has also issued a dispensation from the obligation to attend Mass during this time to the Catholics of the Archdiocese of Boston.
 
Baptisms, Confirmations, First Communions, weddings and funerals may proceed, but attendance should be limited to only immediate family. The parishes will contact these families with updated details in the coming days.
 
In the Plainville-Wrentham Catholic Collaborative Parishes, our churches of St. Martha and St. Mary will be OPEN for anyone wishing to come to church for private prayer during the following hours this weekend:

• St. Mary, Wrentham: Saturday 3 - 4:30pm, Sunday 9:30am - 12 noon
• St. Martha, Plainville: Saturday 5 - 6pm, Sunday 9 - 10am
• St. Mary will also be open most weekdays until 3pm, and Tuesday’s until 8pm

The Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) will still be offered during the following times: Saturdays 3-4pm at St. Mary, Sunday’s 9-10am at St. Martha, Plainville, and Tuesday evenings 6:30-8pm at St. Mary.
 
This information will be updated when appropriate based on the latest information from public health officials and the directives of the Archdiocese of Boston. Visit www.pwc.church for the latest updates from our parishes.
 
As was previously announced, Faith Formation classes and other church gatherings and ministries are also cancelled for now. Regular Communion visits to homes and long-term care facilities have also been suspended. However, if anyone is in a serious health crisis, please call as soon as possible for a priest to visit and bring the Sacraments of the Church. The fastest way to reach a priest in such a situation is to call 508-384-3373 and press “2” for Sacramental emergency. Our priests will get your message and respond as soon as possible.
 
Cardinal Seán encourages Catholics to participate in the daily and Sunday Masses broadcast from the CatholicTV chapel.

• Daily Mass airs live at 9:30am and is rebroadcast at 7pm and 11:30pm.
• Sunday Masses air throughout the day at 10am, 4pm, 7pm, and 11:30pm.

Viewers can watch these Masses on demand at any time at www.WatchtheMass.com. For more information about CatholicTV and where you can watch it, visit http://www.catholictv.org/.
 
When issuing the directive to cancel Masses, Cardinal Seán said “We live in times when many people are confused, hurt, and fearful, for many different reasons. In the midst of these challenges Jesus seeks to meet us in the same way He met the disciples on the road to Emmaus, accompanying us on the journey, calming our fears and anxieties and assuring us that He will be with us always in the gift of the Eucharist. This decision to temporarily suspend the daily and Sunday Mass is motivated by an abundance of caution and concern for those most vulnerable and the need to do our part to help limit and mitigate the spread of the illness