Father Ray Gramata shared a message with the Bradford Catholic community regarding when Masses will resume in the Bradford area.
“Catholic Masses will resume on the weekend of June 13-14 at Saint Bernard, Saint Francis, and Our Mother of Perpetual Help,” Gramata said. “They will follow the regular schedule of 5:15 p.m. Saturday at Saint Bernard; 8 a.m. Sunday at Saint Francis, 10 a.m. at Saint Bernard, and 11:30 a.m. at Our Mother of Perpetual Help. Weekday Masses will follow the normal schedule. Confession will be celebrated on Saturday after the 9 a.m. Mass at Saint Francis and from 4:30 p.m. until 5 p.m. before the Saturday 5:15 Mass at Saint Bernard.”
Gramata said that, while Bishop Lawrence T. Persico has lifted the obligation of attending Mass on Sundays and Holy Days, he has given churches permission to open for Mass after June 1.
“We felt it appropriate to wait until the county had been ‘in the green’ for two weeks before ‘going live,’” Gramata said. “If you are elderly, sick or feel uncomfortable about attending Mass, the Bishop urges you to stay home and watch it live-streamed or on TV. He also provided Diocesan, CDC and PA Department of Health guidelines which we are taking this time to review and implement.”
Gramata also explained that social distancing will be achieved by allowing seating in every third pew and maintaining six feet between people while approaching for Holy Communion. He noted the bishop strongly recommends reception of Holy Communion in the hand, at this time, for the individual’s safety and that of the priest. And, of course, the wearing of masks is required during Mass except for receiving communion.
