Hand Sanitizing during Mass

[GoneFishin]

Often times, the Extraordinary Eucharistic ministers will pull out the hand sanitizers before distributing communion, I’ve seen that done. Was she one?

No, not that I know of:shrug:

 

[Sarabande]

Sara, you seem like a cool girl, but seriously you need to chill with your hand cleanser thing. If I were a child in your class and i just gave you my teacher a big kiss on the cheek for being cute or nice whatever , and then you went and sprayed your hands with some cleaning spray i would be crushed !! think about how your affecting the kids by sending them a subconscious message they are dirty and diseased.

I’m actually rather dorky, but my younger students thought I was cool. (The very first time I was ever thought of as cool. haha!) The younger ones, actually used to call me “Mommy” and I’d get hugged and kissed all the time. My older female students liked me because I never talked down to them and I was not that much older so I guess they thought I could relate to them. Unfortunately, my older male students liked me for different reasons, if you catch my drift. But, that did have its advantages because a lot of them wanted to be on their better behaviour, with the sometime admonishment if one or two tried to be a little fresh - just nip it in the bud.

And actually, I never cleaned my hands in front of my students. I was too busy carrying all of my little musical instruments, lesson plans and books from class to class and up and down stairs or across the street or in the choir loft for voice choir and bell choir practice. I’d do the hand cleaning in my “office” in between periods - which was a room in the convent. I would just try to make sure I didn’t touch my face or my lips with my hands.

 

[whatevergirl]

I just have to rant a bit…
I felt a little upset today during Mass. After the Our Father and the Sign of Peace handshakes, the woman next to me pulls out hand sanitizer and wipes her hands I understand their are people that have phobias about germs but it really bothered me that they would do such a thing…as if they were that clean! oh well just ranting thats all.

I would have asked her for one.

 

[Sarabande]

yes I know that.

Oh, I hope you didn’t think I was trying to tell you what you “should have done” or judging you. I definitely wasn’t. I just was relating what I sometimes do. Sorry if it came across that way.

 

[GoneFishin]

To the OP - why would you take this as a personal slight or rejection? Are you an over-sensitive person?

Taking care of one’s self is not a personal slight at all. Do you realize how many people do not use the washroom properly? Do you realize how easy it is to spread germs?

My spouse and I are both careful when it comes to germs. Recently came off a cruise ship where the staff’s mantra is wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands. Why would that be I wonder?

Makes sense to ward off illness.

That said, I promptly take out the sanitizer before I head to receive the Eucharist. If you take it personally, then that becomes your problem and it is not mine to even consider.

But honestly, if it bothers you, then you have put too much effort into thinking about the problem.

Please read the other posts, I have already explained that it did not bother me I just found it rather awkward because I have not seen someone do this during Mass. You could bathe in the stuff for all I care after touching me as I think I am a rather clean person. Read the follow up posts please.

 

[PatrickJT914]

Hi SoulRebel777,
Yes I was making the firefighter comparsion, because you were questionning the manhood of men who use hand sanitizers. Because you truly understand things you would’nt need me to clarify what I said. Hand sanitizers are personal protection for people against harmful and dangerous germs. Firefighters use their personal protective gear against harmful and dangerous germs, smoke,fire,toxic fumes, and others. They also use hand sanitzers on the job. So, they know the risks of health and safety. It’s all about PROTECTION AND DEFENSE.

Furthermore, what if you can’t get to soap and water? What are you going to use? It’s only common sense to carry along a back up plan.

 

[GoneFishin]

Well guys I think this got a little out of hand:blush: I just thought it to be awkward as I have not seen anybody do this. I think we are in an age where no matter what we do someone is going to criticize one another. Whether you use the stuff or not it doesn’t matter, I wish she would had offered some to me as like some have said she could be ill? I had totally forgot about it until I checked my emails today and saw so many responses to such a little rant I made yesterdayuch:

 

[ElizabethPH]

Oh, I hope you didn’t think I was trying to tell you what you “should have done” or judging you. I definitely wasn’t. I just was relating what I sometimes do. Sorry if it came across that way.

just that I know that I can do that. I have trouble explaining. I’m sorry, you didn’t come across that way… I just feel more comfortable reciprocating (extending my hand) then not and having to explain I’ve got a cold.

 

[marytk]

O

What kind of a society have we become? A healthy, hygienic and hopefully reduced transmission of flu kind of society…

Well what we have become lately is a society that is generating super germs because of all the extra sanitizing that we do. I just here about using those wipes at the gyms is causing a break out of the super germs that can survive the anti bac

Now during cold season I use the hand stuff before I serve as an extraordinary minister.
But we have gone too far from the never washing hands to putting chemicals on everything. There was another thing about fungi growing on Yoga mats. The one studio on the news said that they wash them with anti BACTERIAL spray. Well this is a FUNGI not a Bacteria.

 

[Cat]

Well guys I think this got a little out of hand:blush: I just thought it to be awkward as I have not seen anybody do this. I think we are in an age where no matter what we do someone is going to criticize one another. Whether you use the stuff or not it doesn’t matter, I wish she would had offered some to me as like some have said she could be ill? I had totally forgot about it until I checked my emails today and saw so many responses to such a little rant I made yesterdayuch:

boldface mine: So true. And so sad. The older I get, the more willing I am to let people do whatever and let GOD convict them if their action is sinful or in any way displeasing to Him.

 

[jeanannemarie]

Is it true that all the sanitizer things that we use today produce tougher bacteria? I was just wondering…I have heard that somewhere.

 

[Pong]

No, Jean; it isn’t true. The posters before me have done a far better job at explaining the reasons than I can. A Ph.D in English is nearly worthless when dealing with microbiology!

 

[lostsheepindeed]

Well guys I think this got a little out of hand:blush: I just thought it to be awkward as I have not seen anybody do this. I think we are in an age where no matter what we do someone is going to criticize one another. Whether you use the stuff or not it doesn’t matter, I wish she would had offered some to me as like some have said she could be ill? I had totally forgot about it until I checked my emails today and saw so many responses to such a little rant I made yesterdayuch:

When I used the hand sanitizer, I felt awkard, even embarassed. I didn’t want anyone to be offended that I used it after shaking their hand. However, I was on immune system lowering drugs and I couldn’t risk getting an infection.

I never thought of offering some to other people. I didn’t want to disrupt anything or anyone during Mass.

I hope you weren’t thinking that I was criticizing your original post. I actually thought you were someone who went to my parish and was actually offended by my using the sanitizer and I just wanted to explain.

Peace be with you! :hug1:

 

[cecilia97]

I would have asked her for one.

Har har har!

I know several people who just will not shake hands during the sign of peace because of germs. And I know a man who is now Christian but grew up in an orthodox Jewish family and he will not shake hands with women under any circumstances. It’s really nothing to take personally. People have their foibles.

 

[Newbie2]

Here’s a link to a CDC article:

cdc.gov/NCIDOD/eid/vol11no12/05-0241.htm

With all due respect, our infectious disease docs are quite intelligent, and the eight people in our microbiology department are on the ball, too. Fact: animals serve as a reservoir of MRSA.

And people with functioning immune systems are not immune from contracting MRSA infections. We see dozens and dozens of healthy 20 somethings with MRSA every week in our hospital.

Good point, perhaps I should have stated it differently…people shouldn’t worry about getting MRSA from their pets any more than from other sources… …like from communion.

Methinks the conclusion of this entire discussion is that while people shouldn’t live in fear of infections (unless they’re immunosuppressed or otherwise at a greater risk than the general population), common sense precautions are…well…common sense.

Food service workers are required to either wear gloves and/or wash their hands frequently…without taking away from the reverence of the sacrament, why should EMHCs be any different? (No, I’m not suggesting they wear gloves. )

 

[fix]

Also like i said before getting sick is due to lack of eating right, lack of exercise and lack of your connection with God.

Are you saying that holy people do not get sick?

 

[whatevergirl]

Har har har!

I know several people who just will not shake hands during the sign of peace because of germs. And I know a man who is now Christian but grew up in an orthodox Jewish family and he will not shake hands with women under any circumstances. It’s really nothing to take personally. People have their foibles.

Ah good, someone knew I was just kidding, now. lol
I will, upon entering into the house after mass, wash my hands…and I have always been that way…It is actually the best way to keep one’s immune system up, I have read.

 

[onetimeposter]

Are you saying that holy people do not get sick?

Apparenty that is precisely what soulrebel777 is saying!

 

[whatevergirl]

[Edited]

People get sick for a variety of reasons. Why don’t doctors get the flu on average, like everyone else who they come in contact with, in their practices? Because they have built up an immunity through touching people who are sick. I will say that I’m a germaphobe, but the quickest way to get sick, is to touch doorknobs, shake hands, etc…it’s easier to get sick that way, than not eating your wheaties, daily. lol Of course, people are don’t eat well, and exercise, will be sicker often, too…over the long run, but the quickest way for germs to spread is through touch. But, we can build up our immunities by not always scrubbing away germs the second they make contact with us.

It can be perhaps offending, when someone grabs a sanitary wipe to clean his/her hands right after shaking ours, but I wouldn’t sweat it. To each’s own.

 

[love4mary]

Hand Sanitizer? As a EMHC, I am required to use it before distributing Holy Communion, (our priest never uses it), but in my home the stuff does not exist. Nor does anti-bacterial soaps nor do I bleach anything. My children are exposed to germs and lots of them on a daily basis.

My son is 15 and has had only 4 colds his entire life. He got the Chicken Pox ONLY because I allowed him to play with a kid who had them (I am apposed to vaccines). Before getting custody of my now 11 year old (grand)SON, he was always sick with some sort of immune problems. Now, after being with me for 6 years, he has had only 1 cold.

But again, some people may think its a Cure-All for the bad germs not realizing that they are killing the Good germs which is NOT a healthy thing to do.