It’s the fault of the bishops. The priests can’t open churches or conduct normal parish life if the bishops aren’t willing to allow it. There is a serious problem in the US with our bishops being power tripping tiny tyrants in their own right. Some are in bed with the Democrats (literally and figuratively) while others are just stubborn jerks who want to prove they hold the reigns. Some are also good men, solid leaders, but they are still part of the USCCB which is the conference of bishops in the US which decides which way bishops will go on certain issues.

It’s because of this governing body that all Catholic schools have a policy of not accepting vaccine exemptions, and it’s also the reason that every parish except for traditional Catholic parishes are acting like the Black Plague is back - which is ironic, given that during the actual Black Death the churches stayed open and priests didn’t abandon their people.