NPR's Karen Grigsby Bates and
Katie Zezima of The New York Times
report
on Catholic Bishop Kenneth A. Angell after he officially
issued a request to the priests that serve the
148,000
Burlington Vermont
Catholic Diocese to follow
the Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington guidelines
to refrain from using the communion chalice and
parishioners to avoid the usual handshake, hug or
kiss when they make the sign of peace during Mass
until the end of flu season in late October, after
Vermont officials said that the state was short
50,000 doses of flu vaccine.
Officials of the diocese said a
few parishioners called its headquarters, concerned
that contact during Mass would make them susceptible
to the flu. After discussing it with diocesan
officials, Bishop Angell, 74, issued the edict. The
ban began Oct. 31 and will end on Easter Sunday,
March 27, 2005. There are 130 churches and about
148,000 parishioners in the diocese.
Click here to listen to
NPR's Karen Grigsby Bates report. Requires Windows Media Player.
Click here to read the New York Times
Katie Zezima
article published November 28, 2004.
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