Mar 29, 2020 3 min read

A priest in the Pittsburgh Catholic Diocese found out Sunday that he has tested positive for COVID-19.

The Rev. Adam Potter, parochial vicar of the Greenfield, Hazelwood, Oakland grouping, and chaplain for Oakland Catholic High School, will continue in quarantine. He and another priest had gone into isolation “after exposure to someone in the faith community,” the diocese said.

Potter is a graduate of Mt. Lebanon High School, where he played basketball.

Bishop David Zubik issued a news release Saturday, saying the diocese has taken measures in response to two priests going into isolation and two clergy teams going into self-quarantine “after exposure to someone in the faith community.”

Zubik, who suspended celebration of live Masses a few weeks ago, listed seven policy changes, the most prominent being: “All church buildings in the Diocese of Pittsburgh are to be locked until further notice, due to the fact that we are told that the virus can live on surfaces for an extended period of time.”

Potter and the Rev. Thomas Gramc were in isolation. Gramc is parochial vicar for the Mt. Lebanon, Dormont, Scott Township grouping, and is the chaplain at Seton La Salle High School. That school and Oakland Catholic have been closed since March 13, and the diocese said neither priest has had contact with students or faculty since.

The diocese said the entire clergy teams at the parish groupings of St. Paul Cathedral-Oakland, St. Regis-Oakland, St. Rosalia-Greenfield, St. Stephen-Hazelwood; and of St. Bernard in Mt. Lebanon, Our Lady of Grace-Scott Township began their 14-day voluntary quarantine Saturday.

The Rev. George DeVille, parochial vicar of Holy Rosary Catholic Church, wasn’t surprised that the Pittsburgh Diocese ordered a lockdown of all buildings in its jurisdiction because of the COVID-19 outbreak.

“I had the last Mass (here) two weeks ago, then we locked down all of the buildings in our grouping (two weeks ago),” said DeVille, former pastor of the Muse church, which is grouped with St. Patrick of Canonsburg and Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal in Meadow Lands.

Zubik issued six other immediate, diocese-wide changes, according to the news release:

• Livestream Masses from the affected parish groupings will cease. Livestream Masses and worship services from the diocese and other parishes will continue;
• Sacrament of Reconciliation in churches or church parking lots are suspended;
• All funeral Masses or services, including those at funeral homes, are canceled. Direct burials should be celebrated with memorial Masses at a later time;
• Baptism ceremonies are suspended. In cases of emergency (in danger of death), contact the priest for guidance;
• Wedding ceremonies are suspended. Parishes will work directly with couples who have scheduled weddings;
• Anointing of the Sick may occur only in the case of immediate danger of death.

The coronavirus outbreak is exceptional in a horrific way, and it mystifies Deville, 88, who also is a former pastor of Holy Rosary.

“It’s weird,” he said over the telephone. “I get up every day and ask, ‘What day is it?’ I’m doing a lot more reading and emailing nieces and grandnieces.”