No Sacraments during the coronavirus

[mugglestruggle]

Hi everyone,
I was wondering what you guys think about the current situation. I know physical communion was replaced with spiritual communion, and the Sunday obligation is suspended. But how about those who have babies who were about to be baptized? Or those who were supposed to get married this year?
The fact that we don’t have an official date to look forward to can be quite stressful. Who knows how long this will last? I don’t think churches are the next thing to open, and when they do, there probably won’t be anything that cannot be done at a 6 feet distance.

Is anyone going through something similar at the moment? How do you feel about it?

 

[Weserthy]

I have a newborn baby that was born towards the end of March; we are awaiting the lockdown to end so that he can be baptized. Our archdiocese has completely closed the churches; they are not available for even private prayer or confessions. I’m not happy about it, needless to say. I highly suspect that our churches may not even open in our archdiocese even after the state gives permission (which could still be awhile by the looks of things) so our baby will probably be quite old by the time we can get him baptized.

 

[whatistrue]

I know physical communion was replaced with spiritual communion,

Not replaced. There is no substitute for the Eucharist. Spiritual communion is basically, as I understand it, a prayer that you can say when you are unable to receive for physical reasons (as opposed to not being properly disposed).

But how about those who have babies who were about to be baptized? Or those who were supposed to get married this year

I cannot speak for all parishes, but in mine, baptisms are still being done, marriages are still being performed, confessions are still being heard, funerals are still being held, and Anointing of the Sick for those in danger of death (and where hospital and other facility rules allow) is still being done. All of these of course with restrictions and limitations appropriate for the present circumstances.

All that being said, my own reception into full communion with the Church has been delayed until no one knows when and that bothers me, but I wait in what patience I have.

 

[DebCWil]

I’m not getting married. I don’t have a baby that needs Baptism. I do suggest you watch some of the YouTube videos that Fr. Jonathan Meyer has produced. He addressed one specifically for those who had been preparing for First Communion.
Many of his videos are very short and straight to the point.

I learned growing up, that any Christian can baptize another if the unbaptized is in danger of death.

Historically, common law marriages became legal after so many years because ministers were not available in places like Texas.

While I personally am not facing the uncertainty of not being able fix a date for marriage, etc, I empathize with this unknowing. I actually find comfort looking at history, in learning how the Church handled living through the Plague and other uncertain times, including when its members faced persecution–when Masses were curtailed along with the Sacraments.

 

[matas2]

Responding to the title of this thread…

I have been able to avail myself of the Sacrament of Reconciliation during this shutdown. I even received Communion once. Funerals are still being held. I know baptisms are still happening. So for me, and many others, the Sacraments are still there.

 

[Cor_ad_Cor]

We are seeing a few things delayed indefinitely. We’re not happy about it, but neither are we upset or angry, because we understand that there is a serious health risk right now to pretend things can resemble what we know as normal. I, for one, long to be back in the Church for Mass and other things, but am thankful our Archbishop doesn’t seem to be rushing it, and if it’s August, September, or later, I’ll be grateful.

 

[PaladinSword]

I’m engaged to be married to a non catholic and have been pretty actively practicing catholic for about a decade now. but I am now flirting with Tibetan buddhism and other religions because I really disappointed with how alot of this is been handled. I also think a bit more eastern philosophy has been keeping me more accountable with my own sinfulness as opposed to the bad habits of presumption on the mercy of God I get into just relying on the catholic church. I had been in habitual vice and I feel alot better now claiming more personal responsibility for my actions as opposed to blaming the demonic or just begging God for mercy all the time. I know alot of people wont like this but though i still believe in the dogma it’s very much a “your karma ran over my dogma” situation. I’m just not happy with being dependent on an institution and have been embracing other alternatives. many will see this as a bad answer but my experience of God is pretty broad and I wouldnt limit him to one particular religion or even a necessity of dependence on Him. I need to take more responsibility for my actions and not use the faith or other practices like a vending machine. I am also really starting to accept that some day I will die. afterlife or otherwise. I also got sick recently and had to get tested and it was a real wake up call. I’m fine though. the sacraments should be for everyone not just the higher ups

 

[Tis_Bearself]

First of all, different dioceses are handling things differently. In some dioceses, baptisms have been allowed but the number of people is strictly limited (like parents, godparents, priest and baby ONLY). Marriages are also being handled differently depending on diocese. Some areas have had very little COVID and others have had a lot. The areas with a lot have more activities cancelled.

Second, it’s not a case of “Who knows how long this will last”? The churches are ramping up their activities as the states re-open. Part of my current state is already in the “yellow zone” which means their churches will start to make some arrangements for Mass again. The churches around here are planning for the resumption of some public Masses starting around Pentecost, from what I’ve read and heard from people here. It’s not some indefinite thing.

I don’t know where you are located, but if you want to know what’s going on in your particular area, go talk to some people in your diocese or call your bishop’s office. That will give you concrete information instead of all this general query stuff on here.

As for “what I think”, while it’s not been pleasant for me to go without Holy Communion, I offered it up, and it’s only been about 40 days which frankly is not much in the grand scheme of things.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

I have been able to avail myself of the Sacrament of Reconciliation during this shutdown. I even received Communion once. Funerals are still being held. I know baptisms are still happening. So for me, and many others, the Sacraments are still there.

Yeah, I’ve been able to go to confession 3 times, Adoration about once a week including the evening of Holy Thursday, and I did have a few days of receiving Communion at the beginning of the shutdown. Baptisms and funerals are happening here and there, it depends on where you are and what your particular church is doing.

 

[Chrysostom117]

Congratulations on your newborn! I’m sorry to hear how much your archdiocese has been effected. Although closing the Churches is understandable, baptism for infants is an essential sacrament, and the Church even teaches that parents have a serious obligation to have their children baptized within a few weeks of their birth. Is it possible to get in touch with a priest who may be willing to baptize them?

“(Canon 867.1) Parents are obliged to take care that infants are baptized in the first few weeks; as soon as possible after the birth or even before it, they are to go to the pastor to request the sacrament for their child and to be prepared properly for it.”

If your pastor isn’t willing to do this, have you considered baptizing your baby yourself, since this is allowed, and even required, in cases of necessity?

“(Canon 861.2) If the ordinary minister is absent or impeded, a catechist or some other person deputed to this office by the local Ordinary, may lawfully confer baptism; indeed, in a case of necessity, any person who has the requisite intention may do so. Pastors of souls, especially parish priests, are to be diligent in ensuring that Christ’s faithful are taught the correct way to baptise.”

I pray your baby can receive the grace of baptism soon, and that we all can return to our Churches as soon as possible!

 

[Weserthy]

I have definitely considered it, and I will probably go ahead and contact my parish priest if this drags on much longer, which I think it will. Our governor has given no signs of ending the closure of “nonessential” businesses and I think there is a chance that the lockdown extends deep into the summer, or possibly even longer if the warm weather doesn’t curtail the spread of the virus. I expect that I would possibly be rejected, but it might be worth a try. My guess is that I would be told that as long as the baby isn’t experiencing any health complications (which he isn’t, thankfully) that they will have to wait until the churches reopen.

Another consideration is that both sides of our family would like to attend the baptism, and were planning on attending before all of this happened. My wife’s side of the family missed out on the baptism of our first child and would like to be here for the second. Depending on how long things look to be taking, however, we may have to make that sacrifice again this time. I had my first baptized at about a month and our second is approaching two months. I wouldn’t have wanted to wait this long under normal circumstances, and even with all that is going on I would like to have this one done as soon as possible.