Report of First Weekend of Public Masses

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Diaconia

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I thought some might enjoy hearing how our first weekend of public Masses went:
  • We seated everyone personally, to ensure six-foot separations between households. I was AMAZED that no one grumbled about not sitting in “their” pew.
  • Far fewer people attended then we thought; about 25% of capacity, at all four Masses.
  • Many people stayed after Mass to help sanitize the pews.
  • No one argued about receiving Holy Communion in the hand.
  • There were myriad comments, compliments, and TONS of words of thanks that Mass was available again.
  • The crowd was slightly older than normal; a few more seniors than usual, and a few less families than typical.
We were delighted with how things went, and overjoyed to see our people again!

Deacon Christopher
 
Thank you for sharing, DC.

Did singing take place in the usual fashion?
 
Yes, but not a full choir: two cantors, one accompanist; all spaced apart.
 
Smart. Hopefully we will be back to Mass in my diocese soon!
 
Glad some places are resuming the public Masses. I figured the crowds would be relatively small at first.

Having the attendees stay after and each sanitize a pew or two sounds like a nice solution to the “cleaning the church” problem. Most of us are fine with cleaning up after ourselves, and maybe helping another who isn’t physically able.
 
I don’t see myself attending Mass for several months; until testing is readily available.

I’m not particularly worried about my own health, but I don’t want to jeopardize the health of those most vulnerable, who decide to attend mass anyway, should I be carrying the virus.
 
Diaconia said:
I thought some might enjoy hearing how our first weekend of public Masses went:
  • We seated everyone personally, to ensure six-foot separations between households. I was AMAZED that no one grumbled about not sitting in “their” pew.
  • Far fewer people attended then we thought; about 25% of capacity, at all four Masses.
  • Many people stayed after Mass to help sanitize the pews.
  • No one argued about receiving Holy Communion in the hand.
  • There were myriad comments, compliments, and TONS of words of thanks that Mass was available again.
  • The crowd was slightly older than normal; a few more seniors than usual, and a few less families than typical.
We were delighted with how things went, and overjoyed to see our people again!

Deacon Christopher
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Masks?

Missals?

Bulletins?

Most importantly…coffee and doughnuts?
 
The ministers wore masks, most parishioners did.

All song books, and missalettes removed, bring your own if you want one.

No social events allowed, churches only open for worship, not CCD, donuts, funeral lunches, wedding receptions.

Bulletins are available online, or a few printed ones were in their shipping box.

All music used were time-honored hymns that everyone knows by heart, Immaculate Mary, etc.
 
It is unlikely that 6 feet is sufficient separation for people engaged in loud talking, let alone singing.


“Our results indicate that speech is potentially of much greater concern than breathing for two reasons: the particles on average are larger, and thus could potentially carry a larger number of pathogens, and much greater quantities of particles are emitted compared to breathing, thus increasing the odds of infecting nearby susceptible individuals… A second key epidemiological implication of our results is that simply talking in a loud voice would increase the rate at which an infected individual releases pathogen-laden particles into the air, which in turn would increase the probability of transmission to susceptible individuals nearby…”

This would explain how a 45 out of a group of 60 people singing together at a choir practice in Mt. Vernon, WA, were infected with COVID-19 even though no one present was symptomatic. Obviously, they weren’t all within 6 feet of the infected person, but there was a lot of forceful exhalations and deep inhalations going on.
 
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That’s a bit of a Debbie Downer response to a post from a deacon being happy that his church was able to resume public Mass.

The way most Catholics sing hymns is not comparable to a choir in any event. Nor are people sitting as close together as choirs normally do.

I’ve sung the Benediction hymns at Adoration a few times in the last few weeks, and was not concerned that 25 people spaced at least six feet apart were in there singing them with the deacon and myself.
 
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The deacon is in a position to spread people farther next time. Chances are that no one there was infected, but increasing spacing will make it less likely to spread the virus if someone does
 
Tis_Bearself said:
The way most Catholics sing hymns is not comparable to a choir in any event. Nor are people sitting as close together as choirs normally do
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This is certainly true of our parish. The choir side is at least fifteen feet from the next seating area.

In any event - we are compliant with the directions of the governor, the Archbishop, the mayor, and the county health director.

So I think we’re fine as is.

Deacon Christopher
 
Diaconia said:
Far fewer people attended then we thought; about 25% of capacity, at all four Masses
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I am glad you were able to resume masses and seat at 25% capacity. When we resume this weekend it will be with 40 people max in a nave and overflow that seats close to 900. Across all masses we will only be able to accommodate about 4-5% of our normal weekly attendance.
 
has Adoration started in your parish?
have RCIA meetings restarted?
 
Adoration never stopped.

No teaching, or social activities: churches are open for worship only.

RCIA has been meeting via Zoom, and will be initiated on The Vigil of Pentecost.
 
We’re set to resume on Pentecost. The measures our Bishop has instated are pretty extreme, and I highly question the efficacy of some of the policies, but if I attend mass, I will do my best to follow them.

Our diocese will be requiring mask wearing by everyone at all times, although it doesn’t really state any efficacy levels of the mask (e.g. the rather pointless cloth masks are allowed as opposed to requiring more useful procedural or surgical masks). When receiving communion, the minister will be wearing a mask and goggles, and I believe gloves IIRC. They will place the Body in your hands by “dropping it” slightly to ensure that there is no physical contact. I don’t recall a requirement to change gloves at any point.

As you come up, your instructed to take off your mask, sanitize your hands with provided hand sanitizer, put your hands out, consume, and then put your mask back on immediately. You dont take off your mask before the person before you left and placed their mask on.

While I understand the desire for precaution, and I admire our Bishop doing everything he can to prevent this from spreading, I’m probably going to continue to stay home until he no longer provides a dispensation. If only because I fear at-risk people are more likely to be at mass.
 
At the start of the week, the Bishops in my country were confident that when lockdown was lifted (which happened today), then Mass could be celebrated again. The drafts of post-lockdown plans put out by the government stated that 100 people could be present at religious services. Then, the government announced that post-lockdown (at least for the next two weeks), religious services can have only ten people! The Church here was a bit shocked. I was hoping to be back this Sunday. The Catholic and Anglican bishops have asked the Prime Minister to look at allowing religious services but it won’t be happening this weekend.

I am still annoyed—but I have decided to trust in the Lord and trust that all is going according to God’s plan. It does make me pleased to think of all of the sacrilegious communions that have been prevented during this pandemic though.
 
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