ALLOUEZ, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Catholics in Northeast Wisconsin will not be able to attend Masses during the rest of Lent because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Bishop David Ricken of the Catholic Diocese of Green Bay announced Tuesday that public attendance at Masses is suspended indefinitely.
“I have been working closely with the bishops of the state of Wisconsin and diocesan staff, as well as professionals from Catholic health care over the last week,” Ricken said in a news release. “(A)fter much prayer and discernment, I made the difficult decision to suspend public attendance at all Masses indefinitely to be reviewed mid-April.”
Gov. Tony Evers on Tuesday banned public gatherings of 10 or more people in order to slow the spread of the virus.
Ricken plans to celebrate a 30-minute Mass on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. It will be broadcast on WFRV-TV. Broadcasts of local Sunday Mass are also available at 5:30 a.m. on WBAY-TV, at 8 a.m. on CW 14 and at 9 a.m. on Relevant Radio, AM 1050.
Some local parishes may also live stream Masses, and daily Mass will be live streamed on Relevant Radio’s website.
The diocese is offering a webpage with the latest information on the coronavirus pandemic.
