The Tablet Staff

The Diocese of Brooklyn has learned of seven confirmed cases of coronavirus at two Queens parishes.

March 17, the diocese was informed of cases at both Corpus Christi Roman Catholic Church in Woodside, and St. Gabriel’s Church in East Elmhurst.

“At St. Gabriel’s Church, there are six confirmed cases emanating from three gatherings of a church community group on Tuesday, March 3, Saturday, March 7 and Tuesday, March 10, 2020,” the press release reads. 

Corpus Christi Church noted one confirmed case – a Eucharistic Minister who last attended Mass on Saturday, February 29, and also distributed Holy Communion at the parish on Ash Wednesday. 

Both parishes are currently undergoing a deep cleaning and sanitization with approved disinfectants, per Center for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. 

Individuals who were present at either church during the aforementioned times should “contact their doctor if they exhibit any Coronavirus symptoms like fever or cough” the diocese said. 

Earlier this week, it was also confirmed that a parishioner at Incarnation Church in Queens Village had also tested positive for the coronavirus.

As of March 17, the city of New York has reported 814 confirmed cases of the virus.

At this time, all public Masses in the Brooklyn Diocese have been canceled until further notice and Catholics have been dispensed from the obligation to attend Sunday Mass as a proactive response to the coronavirus epidemic. Churches will remain open for private prayer. 

Catholic schools and academies in the diocese are also closed and undergoing sanitation until April 20. 

According to superintendent of schools for the Brooklyn Diocese, Dr. Thomas Chadzutko, as of March 17 there have been no confirmed cases of the virus within diocesan schools. 

Parishioners can watch the celebration of the Eucharist on NET-TV, the cable channel of the Brooklyn Diocese. NET-TV can be seen in the New York City area on Spectrum (Channel 97), Optimum (Channel 30), and FIOS (Channel 48). Viewers can also tune in online at www.netny.tv.

The Mass schedule is as follows:

Weekdays:

• 8 am Live from Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph in Prospect Heights (English)
• 9 am Live from Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph in Prospect Heights (Spanish)
• Noon Live from St. James Cathedral in Downtown Brooklyn (English)
• 5 pm Replay of the Noon Mass from St. James Cathedral in Downtown Brooklyn (English)
• 6:30 pm Pre-recorded Mass from St. Patrick’s Cathedral

Weekends:

• 6 pm Saturday Vigil Pre-recorded Passionate Mass from Immaculate Conception Church in Jamaica (English)
• 11 am Sunday Live from St. James Cathedral in Downtown Brooklyn (English)
• 1:30 pm Sunday Pre-recorded from Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph in Prospect Heights (Spanish)

To read the latest updates regarding coronavirus concerns in the Brooklyn Diocese, go to https://thetablet.org/coronavirus.

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Click here to read a statement from the Diocese of Brooklyn regarding confirmed coronavirus cases:

Click here to read a statement from the Diocese of Brooklyn regarding the cancellation of all public masses in Brooklyn and Queens until further notice.