CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Sunday mornings at St. Pius Catholic church are usually full of eager church goers looking to take in their Sunday service. But today, and on Sundays for the foreseeable future, it will be empty.
"It is kind of unprecedented that we have to deny people the opportunity to come to church on a Sunday," Father Paul Hesse of St. Pius Catholic Church said.
The outbreak of COVID-19 has caused our daily lives to be altered unlike anything before. Restaurants have closed their dining rooms, retail stores are hurting and now places of worship are having to close its doors.
"Normally there is a congregation here and it is lively," Father Paul Hesse said.
However, staying at home has not stopped members of congregations from getting their Sunday service. Live streaming capabilities have come to the rescue.
The Diocese of Corpus Christi began live streaming Sunday mass today and it looks to have been a big hit.
"Reading the comments it looked like a lot of people were enjoying it."
St. Pius Catholic Church is one of seven churches in the Diocese that is live streaming its Sunday mass, and they are providing their services in both English and Spanish.
Right now, the Sunday services will be closed until at least March 31st; that is the goal. But as the COVID-19 outbreak continues, the date that churches will open their doors will inevitably be pushed further back.
"It could very well likely be extended," Father Paul Hesse said. "However long it takes."
