Effective May 14, 2021

The Diocese of Scranton joyfully welcomes the faithful of the Diocese of Scranton to return to Masses at all of its parishes. Despite the challenges of the last year, we invite those who have not yet returned to Mass to rejoin us in person to celebrate the Holy Eucharist, the source and summit of the Christian life.

The Diocese of Scranton issued revised guidelines on May 14 concerning the celebration of public Masses in its 11 counties that parishes can begin to implement. The changes come after the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention announced Thursday, May 13, that fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear a mask or keep physical distancing in most settings. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has adopted these recommendations effective immediately. “The health and safety of our communities continues to be of paramount importance. Given the recent positive trends and widespread vaccinations, we are happy to announce numerous changes that can begin immediately in parishes,” Bishop Joseph C. Bambera said in a message to pastors announcing the changes. “As we have all come to realize over the last 14 months, guidelines can change very quickly. I want to express my gratitude to everyone for their flexibility and hard work in putting the changing directives into effect.” The Diocese of Scranton invites those who have not yet returned to Mass to rejoin us in person to celebrate the Holy Eucharist, the source and summit of the Christian life. Many pastors are reporting an increase in the number of people who are returning to Mass in person now that they have been vaccinated.