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Iowa's four Catholic Bishops gave their blessings on the use of the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines which are expected in Iowa in coming weeks.
A statement on the use of these vaccines was released by the Iowa Catholic Conference late last week and co-signed by Rev. Michael Jackels, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Dubuque which includes Marshalltown's St. Henry and St. Mary Catholic Churches, as well as Immaculate Conception Oratory in Haverhill. Rev. William Joensen, Rev. Walker Nickless and Rev. Thomas Zinkula also signed the statement.
The statement addresses concerns parishioners may have about the safety and ethicality of the vaccines.
One of the ethical concerns mentioned is the use of cell lines from fetal tissues to develop the vaccines.
According to the statement, people may in good conscience use the vaccines produced by Pfizer and Moderna, which made only limited use of those unethical cell lines.
Both vaccines have been shown to be 95 percent effective or more with only slight discomfort around the area of the shot as the most common side effect.
The vaccines require two doses taken about three weeks apart to be effective.
Rev. Alan Dietzenbach of the St. Francis of Assisi parish in Marshalltown was happy to see the statement on vaccines.
"I thought it was a good thing that they came out with it. I think there's some folks that are hesitant just to get the vaccine," he said. "It just kind of puts people at a calm and kind of settles anything people were worried about with how it was made."
He had heard some of the concerns mentioned in the statement from his congregation but the reports from experts such as public health officials and scientists have given him confidence in the vaccines.
"I would have said at the beginning I don't know if I want to be the first to get the vaccine," Dietzenbach said. "As I've learned more about it and heard from people who are trusted people in the field of science and echoed in our Bishops' statement, it reaffirms to me that they're not rushing to conclusions. They're doing this the safest way possible for everybody."
Dietzenbach confirmed he would take the vaccine when it becomes available to him.
COVID-19 caused a major stir in how everyday things like Mass are done in Marshalltown's catholic churches, Dietzenbach said.
A year ago, the church did not have a YouTube channel or a texting service to update people on what is happening. Now it has a texting service and about 900 YouTube subscribers.
While the way they've prayed has changed in 2020, some things have stayed the same.
"It's incredible, in our last year -- we still have given $94,000 to various social organizations in the community," Dietzenbach said. "That's just a testament to generosity of people through all of this. It's something to be proud of and hopeful about as we kind of move through this."
Contact Joe Fisher at jfisher@timesrepublican.com.