HOUSTON — In wake of the coronavirus, Cardinal Daniel DiNardo has asked Catholic churches to suspend drinking from the Chalice during all Masses until further notice.
The Chalice is a large cup used in most Catholic churches for drinking wine during communion.
The Diocese said it's a way to ease anxiety. Catholics will no longer drink from the Chalice, and should only accept the host by hand. The Archbishop of Galveston-Houston said this should help minimize any risk for members.
In addition, Cardinal DiNardo is asking ministers of Holy Communion to wash their hands before Mass begins and then use sanitizer prior to the start of communion.
“Though I am not demanding it, it may be helpful, for the time being, for person to receive Holy Communion in the hand,” Cardinal DiNardo wrote in a letter to priest.
This plan will remain in force until the “recent emergency subsides.”
Clergy are asked to stay home if they are ill and be mindful that some may be uncomfortable with physical contact during Mass in wake of the coronavirus.
Some Catholics who attended Saturday Mass at Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Downtown said this isn’t surprising.
“I think it’s a necessary precaution," Rose Adams said. “I think it’s happened before, like when different things come out.”
On top of that, the Church is telling parishioners to respect those who refrain from shaking hands. And if you’re sick, it’s okay to stay home.
“I think it’s probably better safe than sorry," Amy Parigi said. "If you don’t want to do the Sign of Peace, because you’re afraid to pass germs, that’s OK.”
With concerns of coronavirus only escalating, the Catholic Church is one of the first in Houston to proclaim new precautions.
These Catholics said they appreciate what the church is trying to do.
“Just calming people down, putting fears at rest, and just making sure that everybody feels safe," Parigi said.
Health officials confirmed Saturday one person has died from the 2019 novel coronavirus, otherwise known as COVID-19, in Washington state.
This is the first known death of COVID-19 in the United States.
President Donald Trump addressed coronavirus concerns in a news conference Saturday morning and spoke about the person who died.
"A wonderful woman, a medically high-risk patient in her 50s," said President Trump.
There are currently 15 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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