St. Cloud bishop says no shaking hands in church

Churches are taking steps to limit the spread of germs amid fears about swine flu.

The bishop of the 16-county Diocese of Saint Cloud sent a letter to pastors and other religious leaders Friday, saying parishioners should not shake or hold hands during worship.

The Rev. John Kinney also has told pastors to use discretion in offering Communion.

Kinney's letter also suggests churches provide hand sanitizer and tissues for worshippers and reminds church leaders to follow precautions recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The St. Cloud diocese includes 135 parishes in central Minnesota.

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Information from: St. Cloud Times, http://www.sctimes.com

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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