Archdiocese of Ottawa cancels Masses until April 5 due to COVID-19

OTTAWA -- Masses at all Catholic Churches in Ottawa and Alexandria-Cornwall have been cancelled until April 5.

The Archdiocese of Ottawa announced the suspension of Masses amid the current health threat due to the novel coronavirus.

All Lord’s Day Masses were cancelled the weekend of March 14 and 15 in Ottawa due to COVID-19.

In a statement, Archbishop Terrence Prendergast said “this extraordinary step is being taken out of concern especially for the most vulnerable to the deadly coronavirus in our families and our society and in cooperation with the requests made by those responsible for public health in our region, province and country.”

Archbishop Prendergast's decision to cancel all masses comes after both Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health and Ottawa’s Medical Officer of Health called for gatherings of 50 people or more to be cancelled.

The Archdiocese is encouraging Catholics to participate in the holy sacrifice of the Mass via Mass shown on television or the internet.

The suspension of Masses will be from March 18 to April 5. A decision regarding the celebration of Holy Week and Easter will be made at a later date.

The Archdiocese of Ottawa says Archbishop Prendergast's directive covers the Archdiocese of Ottawa and the Archdiocese of Alexandria-Cornwall.

The Diocese of Ottawa has cancelled masses at Anglican churches until further notice.