Share your experiences going back to church after the shutdown

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Fuerza said:
You receive the fullness of the Body and Blood under either form. It is not necessary to physically drink from the cup to receive both.
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True. Offering the chalice to the faithful increases the sign value but it does not add to the Real Presence of Our Lord whatsoever, as that is par excellence under either species alone.
 
PetraG said:
It is very odd to change the order of the Mass in the way you describe. I have never heard of that happening
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Me neither… it was strange. It was our first day back so I’m hoping they change it back cause it really didnt prevent people congregating in the area. That’s what they were trying to prevent.
 
I wasnt asking because I thought I was missing something spiritually, I just wanted to know the Catholic church rule on offering the Blood of Christ in that manner.

@PetraG thank you for the explanation.
 
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I will also likely avoid going until the dispensation is lifted (Masses have not yet resumed in my diocese at this point). As a first responder I come into contact with tons of people every single day and have a significantly increased chance of catching it and spreading it to someone else unknowingly, including my immunocompromised wife. I will however go to confession once that resumes.
 
PetraG said:
70% actually works better than 90%
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Noted.

I actually should have left that part out, since I don’t know for certain what they’re using. Since it appears to be a clear liquid, I assumed it was 90% alcohol. 70% alcohol here is usually tinted yellow.
 
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PetraG said:
It is very odd to change the order of the Mass in the way you describe. I have never heard of that happening.
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It’s not odd. It’s the norm in many places now to offer Communion to the congregation only at the end of the Mass and you must leave at once after receiving. Only the priest receives during the Mass.
I’ve seen this on several livestreams from different states and that’s how it was also this morning when I went.
 
Tis_Bearself said:
It’s not odd. It’s the norm in many places now to offer Communion to the congregation only at the end of the Mass and you must leave at once after receiving. Only the priest receives during the Mass.
I’ve seen this on several livestreams from different states and that’s how it was also this morning when I went.
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To distribute Holy Communion after the dismissal? That is highly unusual.
 
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From what I have read, it’s the way Holy Communion always used to be distributed to the faithful in some historic era. I’m trying to find a decent source to post for you but it’s being done in multiple US dioceses.
 
Tis_Bearself said:
From what I have read, it’s the way Holy Communion always used to be distributed to the faithful in some historic era. I’m trying to find a decent source to post for you but it’s being done in multiple US dioceses.
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What bishops do during a pandemic is way above my pay grade. I had just never heard of anything like it and really can’t imagine how much it accomplishes. Still, they’re the liturgy experts, not me.
 
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My first experience back was wonderful.

Weird, but wonderful. Haha.
  1. Had to pre book which weekly Mass I’ll attend (there’s a 50 person limit; you must pre register to be on a list to be allowed into a given Mass);
  2. Showed up and lined up (in a socially distanced line) outside. A lady with a clipboard checked each of us in turn both that we were on the pre registered list for that Mass, and then asked us a series of questions about our health and recent travel and contacts, before allowing us in. (And I did see a few people get turned away! Unsure the reason in their case);
  3. Person inside the door squirted everyone with hand sanitizer.
  4. Most pews seemed cordoned off with yellow tape; I think every third pew was open. Green checkmarks were at the location in each pew where a person could sit (well spaced out);
  5. Everyone, priest and parishioners included, seemed out of practice. Stumbling over when to stand or sit; what the tunes of this season are (the priest was singing tunes that definitely weren’t the liturgical tunes last time our churches were open, so poor guy ended up mostly singing solo while we parishioners chimed in only when we could guess a probable note). Embarrassingly, I stumbled over the creed (because the online Mass I’d been streaming throughout the pandemic had been using the other creed);
  6. We went up for Communion in well spaced out lines. Father stood behind a plastic screen with a slot in it; we each one by one went up and placed our hands through the slot to receive Communion in the hand.
Overall, a super interesting experience. I’m looking forward to getting more used to the liturgical tunes we’re using now. And mostly I’m just so thankful to be back at Mass. God bless those who have helped to make it happen!!!
  1. Oh, Editing comment to add this because lots of other people have mentioned masks: For some reason, no one at my church was wearing a mask. (None of us were asked to.) I imagine that’s because we’re in a region where no one has yet been asked to wear masks in public yet (i.e. I know governments in other regions have, but government in my region hasn’t. We’re not particularly hard hit, either.)
 
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Fuerza said:
I will also likely avoid going until the dispensation is lifted (Masses have not yet resumed in my diocese at this point). As a first responder I come into contact with tons of people every single day and have a significantly increased chance of catching it and spreading it to someone else unknowingly, including my immunocompromised wife. I will however go to confession once that resumes.
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God bless you for the sacrifice you’re making in avoiding Mass to protect others, brother. I pray that you’re able to return to the sacraments soon.
 
PetraG said:
Besides, while the sacred vessels are purified by someone adding water to the chalice and moving it around in the cup to dilute all of the consecrated species to the point that the eucharistic presence would no longer remain, that water is consumed by the priest or deacon who purifies the vessels.
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The vessels can also be purified by an acolyte. The vessels are cleaned and the water that is used is poured down a special sink that goes directly into the ground.

What’s that special sink they have in church?
What is now called a sacrarium was once known as a piscina — from the Latin word for a reservoir for fish. In fact, some Christians still call it a piscina because that word technically refers to the basin of the sink itself, while “ sacrarium ” refers to the drain.
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Our Church has never been closed to people who wanted to pray with the exception of when Father offered mass than the doors were locked.
These masses could only have ten attending.

We are now open for fifty.

There is no Holy Water but there is hand sanitizer along with mask coming into church.
The pews are blocked off every other one.
Those receiving on the tongue receive after those who receive on the hand.
No hymnals. Songs are chosen that most people know.
No Blood accept for Father.
no sign of peace. Some families hold hands but not a general holding hands.
Confessions are held in the meeting room in the parish office.
A drive through blessing has been offered three times
There is a dispensation that those who are not ready to go to a public Mass are excused.
Adoration has been started again.
 
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hope said:
The vessels can also be purified by an acolyte. The vessels are cleaned and the water that is used is poured down a special sink that goes directly into the ground.
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I think you mean an instituted acolyte. No, the water used for purifying the vessels is not poured into the sacrarium. I think you have in mind water that has been used to dilute the eucharistic species if there is an accidental spill.

The Purification

278. Whenever a fragment of the host adheres to his fingers, especially after the fraction or after the Communion of the faithful, the Priest should wipe his fingers over the paten or, if necessary, wash them. Likewise, he should also gather any fragments that may have fallen outside the paten.

279. The sacred vessels are purified by the Priest, the Deacon, or an instituted acolyte after Communion or after Mass, in so far as possible at the credence table. The purification of the chalice is done with water alone or with wine and water, which is then consumed by whoever does the purification. The paten is wiped clean as usual with the purificator.

Care is to be taken that whatever may remain of the Blood of Christ after the distribution of Communion is consumed immediately and completely at the altar.

280. If a host or any particle should fall, it is to be picked up reverently; and if any of the Precious Blood is spilled, the area where the spill occurred should be washed with water, and this water should then be poured into the sacrarium in the sacristy.

General Instruction of the Roman Missal
http://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-wor...uction-of-the-roman-missal/girm-chapter-4.cfm
 
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PetraG said:
I think you mean an instituted acolyte. No, the water used for purifying the vessels is not poured into the sacrarium. I think you have in mind water that has been used to dilute the eucharistic species if there is an accidental spill.
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You are correct I meant an instituted acolyte.
At our church, the Sacristan washes the vessels in the sink after Mass. I assumed that was done everywhere.
 
hope said:
You are correct I meant an instituted acolyte.
At our church, the Sacristan washes the vessels in the sink after Mass. I assumed that was done everywhere.
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I have heard of a deacon, priest or instituted acolyte doing the ritual purification and then the sacristan doing a rinse into the piscina with the plain sink really only used when soap is used (which isn’t every time).
There was a time when there was an indult from the Vatican for certain deputized laypersons to be allowed to do the ritual purification in the US, but that expired back in 2006 and Pope Benedict declined the request to renew it. I suspect a lot of places still do “what they’ve always done.” Nothing changes overnight. (Clarification: that indult wasn’t required for instituted acolyte to do the purification.)
 
Still closed here.
I will avoid going until dispensation is lifted to avoid conflict with those that fail new protocol.
 
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It isn’t part of the purification. The instituted acolyte does the purification during mass. After mass, the Sacristan washes the vessels to get them ready for the next day or next mass depending on if it is a weekday mass or weekend mass. We have a very by the book Pastor. This is the procedure at every Mass.
 
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