Boston Archdiocese orders flu precautions

BOSTON -- The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston is taking extra steps to help keep parishioners healthy.

The best way officials say to prevent the spread of contagious disease is to practice good hygiene.

The archdiocese issued a set of guidelines issued Tuesday to combat the spread of seasonal and swine flu. 

The guidelines call on churches to regularly clean and disinfect holy water fonts, and it absolves ailing parishioners of their Sunday Mass obligation and urges them to stay home until they're better.

The exchange of the Sign of Peace is to be offered without any physical contact.  If the priest celebrant chooses to extend the invitation for the sign of peace, the faithful, instead of a handshake, may bow to the persons nearby.

Additionally, ministers should take care not to touch the hand or tongue while distributing Holy Communion.

"Given the extraordinary precautions being taken across the nation to prevent the spread of the H1N1 influenza, the Archdiocese has instituted a series of steps to be followed for the time being during the celebration of the Mass. We thank our priests, deacons, religious and parishioners for their understanding and support of these directives, which aim to protect the health of our people," said Rev. Jonathan Gaspar, Co-Director of the Office of Worship and Spiritual Life.

These directives are effective Saturday, October 31, 2009 and remain in effect until the cold and flu season has come to an end.

The archdiocese serves about two million Catholics in 292 parishes in the Boston area.

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