Meningitis outbreak prompts bishop's order against Communion from cup

Published: 2006-02-16

LAFAYETTE, La. (CNS) -- After an outbreak of meningitis at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette Bishop Michael Jarrell issued a mandate to all Catholic parishes in the diocese asking them to refrain from distributing Communion from the cup "until further notice." The bishop in a statement Feb. 15 said he issued the order "upon recommendation of expert medical advice given in light of the number of cases of bacterial meningitis." Since mid-January, there have been two fatalities among the five cases of meningitis or meningitis-related infections that have been reported. Four of those with the bacterial infection were current or former students of the University of Louisiana. The fifth case, reported Feb. 13, involved someone not connected with the university. Diocesan spokesman Tom Sommers told The Times-Picayune daily newspaper that none of the meningitis patients are thought to have received Communion from the cup recently and said the bishop's mandate was "just a preventative measure."

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