Archbishop Listecki: Catholics are free of obligation to attend Sunday Mass for a couple weeks

MILWAUKEE -- The Archdiocese of Milwaukee announced on Thursday, March 12 that Archbishop Jerome Listecki has dispensed Catholics from their obligation to attend Sunday Mass due to concerns about the spread of COVID-19, the coronavirus.

A news release says the dispensation will cover the next two weeks, including Masses for Sundays March 15, 22, and 29. Masses will still be celebrated across the 10 counties of the Archdiocese, but the obligation to attend Sunday Mass will be lifted, leaving attendance to people’s individual judgment.

Archbishop Listecki issued the following statement in the news release:

"If people are fearful about crowds or if there are people who are older or suffer from an existing medical condition, we do not want to put them at any additional risk. These are measures to prevent an increase in the spread of a virus and serve as a safety net for the next two weeks.  After that, we will reevaluate."


Sunday Mass is available in the Archdiocese via broadcast in two forms, on the radio, at 9 a.m., Sunday mornings, on Radio 920 AM, W.O.L.F., and on broadcast television on WVTV, My24 at 7 a.m., and 9 a.m., and on FOX6, at 5:30 a.m.

In place of attending Mass for those Catholics who choose to remain home, the Church asks that they set aside a similar amount of time for private prayer and reflection.