Some viruses that are airborne can be caught just by being in a crowd, even without physical contact. What then?It seems to me if we got rid of the sign of peace the chances of catching a virus become low. If we also only allowed receiving under one kind (accident of bread) it would also diminish the chances of getting sick.
Surely, one can become ill from airborn viruses but the chance of getting sick decreases when one avoids contact.
Not really answering my question. I asked what measures do we take if a potent and lethal virus is airborne? Do we cancel Mass? Keep Mass on TV? Are viruses a good enough reason to change the way we practice our faith?
Constantine praise God makes a good point.
If there
Yes, I should think so. It is only being prudent but the recommendation should come from the relevant health authority. At the height of the Swine flu epidemic most affected schools were closed if students there were found to be infected. Similarly at the height of SARS epidemic, even airports were under control.
I’ve been sick for about a week now after receiving from a schoolboy (as were two others in my choir group.)It seems to me if we got rid of the sign of peace the chances of catching a virus become low. If we also only allowed receiving under one kind (accident of bread) it would also diminish the chances of getting sick.
What I stated are not things that would be the end of the world, we could live w/o the sign of peace and receiving communion under both kinds. To cancel Mass because of one incident would be acceptable compared to cancelling it all together and only having it on TV. You practice your faith in your daily life not just at Mass, and what I stated are not really necessary especially the sign of peace. Imagine you shake so many peoples hands and so does the priest so regardless in which manner you receive, those germs will still be consumed so long as the sign of peace remains. This is just one of many reason why it should be removed. That’s just my opinion.
But wouldn’t that be a slap in the face to the martyrs who would have died by the sword, or recently in Egypt and Iraq, died by explosion, that we would retreat from a communal Liturgy just because we’re afraid something there might kill us?
When the flu has been particularly prevalent, this is exactly what the bishops have done: eliminate the Sign of Peace and receiving from the chalice. The third thing they’ ve done frequently is ask people not to receive on the tongue in order to eliminate the spread of disease through saliva spread to the fingers of the one giving communion.It seems to me if we got rid of the sign of peace the chances of catching a virus become low. If we also only allowed receiving under one kind (accident of bread) it would also diminish the chances of getting sick.