A Roman Catholic bishop has issued some guidelines on how his 78 parishes in four southwestern Pennsylvania counties should deal with flu and the Mass.
Greensburg Bishop Edward Malesic on Wednesday encouraged parish leaders to promote prudent and beneficial practices.
Priests should eliminate the practice of exchanging the sign of peace, or tell parishioners to do so without making physical contact. Communion should not be distributed from the chalice and if using a chalice, parishioners who are ill or fear they are becoming ill should not receive it.
Those who distribute communion should practice good hygiene and ushers should hold doors open to minimize the spread of germs.
The Greensburg Diocese serves more than 141,000 Catholics in Armstrong, Fayette, Indiana and Westmoreland counties.
