As a healthcare worker for the past 35 years I am concerned about public safety during this pandemic and I believe our President took brave steps in thwarting a catastrophe. Hopefully the curve will be flattened and lives have already and will be saved. I can understand how the Church came to the decision to lift the obligation to go to Sunday Mass, but I do not understand why the churches have to be closed all together through at least April 19th.

Catholics should have the right to go into a Church in the real presence of Jesus during Lent and Holy Week and Easter Week. This all-or-nothing response concerns me. I think we are making a huge mistake.

Currently March 25th there are 11 deaths in LA County. We are cancelling all Church because of the potential of transmitting a disease with a 98 percent survival rate. Yet we have no problem celebrating Mass as the deliberate daily genocide of hundreds of unborn continues. There needs to be consistency. The Archdiocesan response must be proportionate to the threat.

I believe we as the local Church need to come together to create opportunity to worship in community in the Presence of the Eucharist. Why couldn’t we increase the frequency of prayer services with social distancing? Consider outside worship in a larger space offering social distancing. To eliminate all possibility of prayer and worship in a Church setting sets a terrible precedent.

Live streaming Mass is not enough. Some form of communal worship is important during this Holy Season. Even Disney World is considering opening up to millions 10 days before the Catholic Church. Lets be open to the idea that perhaps the curve will be flattened enough for some sort of Church worship during Easter Week.

-Carla Kazimir, Granada Hills