NEWS MOURNING INTERRUPTION COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS CAN MAKE GRIEVING A LONELY, ISOLATED AND EVEN MORE DIFFICULT PROCESS BY BRITTANY HAILER - PITTSBURGH CURRENT CONTRIBUTING WRITER INFO@PITTSBURGHCURRENT.COM
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ilieen D’Amico watched her father’s burial from a distance, even though she was told she couldn’t, even as pedestrians walked by his grave, even as kids threw frisbees. St. Mary’s Cemetery in Lawrenceville has barred mourners from attending the burials of their loved ones, but has not, however, closed its gates to the public. D’Amico’s family-friend died two days after her father. He, too, was buried in St. Mary’s Cemetery. His family stood in the adjacent Allegheny Cemetery and watched their father’s burial through the fence, according to D’Amico. “The worst part is the Catholic Church wouldn’t send a priest, even to the burial.They dropped the ball when people needed them the most. My father was so Catholic, he went to church every day, and he was buried without a priest there. Everybody and their mother is walking their bikes and walking their dogs, but we, who should have been there, weren’t allowed,” said D’Amico. In Pittsburgh, cemeteries often double as public parks, and at a time where families aren't allowed to do much else, there’s been an increase in outdoor activity. And while the Catholic cemeteries have remained open to the public, a March 28 letter Bishop Zubik wrote to clergy states, “ ...cemeteries have already indicated the prohibition of even a small number of people gathering for burial.” The Catholic Cemeteries Association of the Diocese of Pittsburgh issued an update March 30 that stated in part, “Families are welcome to visit the cemetery after the burial has been completed to pay their respects.” In an email to Pittsburgh Current, Mike Sinnott—of the Pittsburgh Diocese’s Catholic Cemeteries Association, whose purview includes St. Mary’s Cemetery where D’Amico’s father was buried—wrote: “The decision to switch from limited attendance of 10 or less people to direct burials was a very difficult, but necessary one. For a few weeks we tried to accommodate the smaller funeral groups but
that did not work as the vast majority of the groups were still exceeding the limit. Our workers interact with many funerals every week, potentially exposing themselves with each one and all of the attendees. In order for us to continue fulfilling our mission, it is imperative that they remain healthy and safe during these very serious and contagious times with COVID-19.” The Washington Post reported April 8th that the Chicago coronavirus outbreak was traced to a funeral gathering where one individual infected 16 people between the ages of 5 and 86. Three of those infected died. Across Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania, funeral homes, cemeteries, churches and mourners are adjusting to how COVID-19 social-distancing measures are impacting funerals, burial traditions, grief, and anxiety. Without a state or federal mandate on how services or burials should be conducted, businesses are left to make their own decision, which leaves Corporate, private and parish cemeteries permitting different gatherings or not permitting gatherings at all. Essential employees like funeral directors, undertakers, vaulters, grave diggers, or religious leaders also do not have specific mandates issued from the state or federal government. On March 19, Gov. Tom Wolf announced that all but “life-sustaining” businesses in Pennsylvania must shut down immediately. Funeral homes across the state of Pennsylvania are not impacted by the order and continue physical operations. Also on March 19, The Pennsylvania Funeral Directors Association (PFDA) released a memo that suggested funeral homes consider limiting their services and delaying public memorials. No official mandate has been issued to funeral homes from the PFDA. On March 29, President Trump extended his "15 Days to Slow the Spread" guidance to April 30 which recom-
8 | APRIL 14, 2020 | PITTSBURGH CURRENT
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mended no public gathering of more than 10 people.
“We’re the forgotten frontline employees” Natalie Jackson, a funeral director at Warchol Funeral home in Bridgeville enters nursing homes, hospitals and private residences on a weekly basis. She is often one of the first people to walk in the door after a death. She must also wear a mask and gloves on a daily basis.
She must enter rooms where grieving family members are tightly packed and mourning. She must take the body and embalm it, then prepare a service for no more than ten people. And then, at night, she goes home to her partner and children, and decontaminates. She hand-washes and hopes that she hasn’t contracted COVID-19. “We’re the forgotten frontline employees,” Jackson said, “No one thinks they have a family and kids and they can get sick.”