Creating Social Distance in a Social Church
Modifications to how we Celebrate the Mass at St. Rita
Our Church is so social, so united, that God has revealed to us our nature as the Body of Christ. It seems contradictory to be saying that we need to create social distance within our celebration of the Mass. But here we are, during a crisis, and we must make changes with grace and a willing heart. After all, these sacrifices that we are making in how we worship God are small compared to the sacrifices and fears many are experiencing because of COVID-19.
These alterations are sacrifices. We make them with a ready heart, knowing that they are a way to care for one another. Here are the alterations to how we celebrate the Eucharist at Mass
Some of them have already been in place
We have suspended the sharing of the Blood of Christ from the same chalices.
The Sign of Peace is being offered with a wave, a smile, the words “The Peace of Christ be with you,” air hugs, a bow toward the other, etc. It is being offered with a sincerity of desiring the peace of Christ in the lives of others and for ourselves. And it is being offered without physical contact or moving closer to one another.
As Bishop Matano wrote in his Memorandum of Thursday March 12, 2020, “Any Catholic who feels at risk from exposure to the virus, especially the elderly and most vulnerable, are not obligated to attend Mass. Anyone with concern for his or her health is not obligated to attend Mass.”
There is no hand holding during the Our Father.
Some further alterations that will begin this weekend
The backs of the pews that we touch with our hands will be sprayed with disinfectant after every mass.
We have removed the missalettes from the pews. To assist with our participation in the singing, we will be choosing songs that are very familiar to most people at Mass and, when possible, we will be showing the lyrics on our TV screens.
If you would like to have the words of the Scriptures used at Mass, they can be found at http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/031520.cfm. If you click on the calendar to the upper right, you can get the readings for any upcoming daily or Sunday Mass.
Rather than passing the basket for our collection, we have placed two baskets that you will walk past on your way into or out of Mass. We invite you to please place your envelopes and weekly contributions in those baskets.
Our Choir will spread out a bit more so that they are not so close together.
We will forgo the chanting of the Mass and the singing of most parts of the mass in favor of shortening the time we are gathered.
I am very grateful for your understanding and support.
I eagerly await the day when we can return to the many expressions of unity that help express who we are as Children of God. In anticipation of that renewal, we will express our unity as best we can in prayer and worship with a little bit of physical distance and a real spiritual unity in Christ our Lord.
Fr. Tim can be reached at niven@dor.org
